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Ok, so my daughter is 12, and I'll admit, she's probably picked up these habits from when I was in the throes of depression and wasn't showering or taking care of myself (no attempt to be presentable)....but man oh man, she REEKS!
I've been taking better care of myself, hoping that setting the example would help, and I've had talks with her about her hygiene. I've bought her plenty of deodorant, body sprays, pretty smelling body washes and I still have to practically walk her to the bathroom and turn on the shower for her to take the hint.
She also is in the habit of wearing the same clothes, even if they're dirty. I've enforced a more regular schedule for her to do her laundry, but she'll still wear the same thing 2 days in a row!
Tonight, I've had her take her shower and I've offered to straighten her hair for her (even though she has BEAUTIFUL curly hair), it seems to be the only bargaining chip I have, but it's going to take probably hours to actually do it, and I can't very well do it all the time, and I don't want her to handle my very expensive straightener.
Sorry so long.....Am I doing everything I can? Are girls her age just naturally stinky? What else could I possibly do??
Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I've been taking better care of myself, hoping that setting the example would help, and I've had talks with her about her hygiene. I've bought her plenty of deodorant, body sprays, pretty smelling body washes and I still have to practically walk her to the bathroom and turn on the shower for her to take the hint.
She also is in the habit of wearing the same clothes, even if they're dirty. I've enforced a more regular schedule for her to do her laundry, but she'll still wear the same thing 2 days in a row!
Tonight, I've had her take her shower and I've offered to straighten her hair for her (even though she has BEAUTIFUL curly hair), it seems to be the only bargaining chip I have, but it's going to take probably hours to actually do it, and I can't very well do it all the time, and I don't want her to handle my very expensive straightener.
Sorry so long.....Am I doing everything I can? Are girls her age just naturally stinky? What else could I possibly do??
Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
My son is 12 also, and on school days he knows he HAS to take a shower, but I swear that he just stands under the water and doesn't wash anything. (Ummm.....I wash his underwear - I'm tempted to get a yardstick to use to handle them!)
On the weekends, it's an absolute struggle to get him to shower and it aggravates me.
I have no advice for ya, sorry.....but I can certainly relate! I can't wait until he cares more about his appearance (and smell!)
I think it's just the age, hon! Hang in there and get a clothespin for your nose!
I had no idea that girls went through a stinky age!!! I knew a few boys who didn't care what people though about their lack of hygiene till they hit 17 or so!!!
I wasn't stinky, but my bedroom literally looked like things do after a tornado hits!!! TOTAL mess!!!!
One of our cats had kittens under my bed and one of them was stillborn.
My mother loved telling everybody I had a dead cat under my bed.
Riddle me this!!!!! WHY do teenaged boys' rooms SMELL the way they do, even when the boy is super clean?!!!!! LOLOL!!!! That locker room smell!!!!
And little boys and puppies smell the same, to me!!!!
Then the 11 year old acts like it just kills her soul to be made to shower. Like you, I have bought her all kind of girly nice stuff for the shower. Did not make a bit of difference.
I'm thinking its pretty common and will pass.
Her hair looks pretty good though, only took about an hour and a half to do. lol
I'm beginning to think I'm entering my second childhood!!!!!
My kids were all in sports, and it was a group bonding to shower together. My daughter is so fussy, she changes outfits to match the occasion, often several times a day. She also was in sports and washed her body and hair daily, and still does.
Does she have a reason, or is everyone else just doing it?
Now, my super can't leave the house without being "done" daughter is a slob when it comes to her room and leaving stuff around. My son is neater than her. He puts his things in sink and turns off lights etc. She is like a tornado....
She will outgrow it. Keep trying and be patient. Sadly though she may have one of her peers say something and then she may see the light. Hopefully she will see it before that.
Good luck and I'm glad her hair came out nicely.