My eight year old son showers 3 to 4 times a week...unless he is sweaty, etc and then he showers more. He also wears deodorant/anti perspirant. That's only because he wanted to smell good not because he smells sweaty or anything.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My boys have been bathed every night (now do it themselves) since they were infants.

They are 5.5. and 8. They play lots of sports and get sweaty---but even on days they aren't working hard like that they still hop in tub or shower. It's a nighttime ritual---upstairs bath, brush teeth/hair, pjs on, read book---bed.

DH and I shower daily too.

I am grossed out by anything less than a full daily washing (hair too!).

It is a known fact that you are ruining your hair by washing it everyday. It dries out. Your stylist doesn't tell you 2-3 days for shampoo? My hair would be straw if I washed and blow-dried it everyday.

OP, it is an issue with my 12yr old DD too. It is worse in the winter. My deal is shower after sports and hair washing on Sunday and Thursday. Since she is active is sports, it is usually 3-4x a week a quick 5min shower.

Depends on the person. My own hair is fine and if I didn't wash it every day it would look dirty, greasy. I couldn't stand it. I realize that washing my hair every day does dry it out even though I am careful to condition it but that is much better than having dirty looking, gross hair. I'm 48.

My teenage boy washes his hair every day. When he skips a day, I can tell just by looking at him. My 11 year old, can skip a day every now and then no problem (unless he has been really active that day).

Oh my gosh. Get her in the shower. Once a day would be best, but at a minimum every other day. Yes she stinks. 11 is the worst. How about alternate shower one day; relaxing bath the next.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My boys have been bathed every night (now do it themselves) since they were infants.

They are 5.5. and 8. They play lots of sports and get sweaty---but even on days they aren't working hard like that they still hop in tub or shower. It's a nighttime ritual---upstairs bath, brush teeth/hair, pjs on, read book---bed.

DH and I shower daily too.

I am grossed out by anything less than a full daily washing (hair too!).

It is a known fact that you are ruining your hair by washing it everyday. It dries out. Your stylist doesn't tell you 2-3 days for shampoo? My hair would be straw if I washed and blow-dried it everyday.

OP, it is an issue with my 12yr old DD too. It is worse in the winter. My deal is shower after sports and hair washing on Sunday and Thursday. Since she is active is sports, it is usually 3-4x a week a quick 5min shower.

This is very true of African American's hair. It is dry and porous and daily washing will dry it out even more and eventually cause breaking. I know because I am AA and my 11 year old DD washes her hair once per week and uses a deep conditioner to keep her hair moist. However, she showers everyday because she needs to with all the sports and activities each day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My boys have been bathed every night (now do it themselves) since they were infants.

They are 5.5. and 8. They play lots of sports and get sweaty---but even on days they aren't working hard like that they still hop in tub or shower. It's a nighttime ritual---upstairs bath, brush teeth/hair, pjs on, read book---bed.

DH and I shower daily too.

I am grossed out by anything less than a full daily washing (hair too!).

It is a known fact that you are ruining your hair by washing it everyday. It dries out. Your stylist doesn't tell you 2-3 days for shampoo? My hair would be straw if I washed and blow-dried it everyday.

OP, it is an issue with my 12yr old DD too. It is worse in the winter. My deal is shower after sports and hair washing on Sunday and Thursday. Since she is active is sports, it is usually 3-4x a week a quick 5min shower.

I have always showered by hair every single day. I workout hard and get it very sweaty daily. I don't highlight--but I do use a semi-permanent rinse at salon to cover greys. My hair is very healthy and shiny. I get compliments almost daily that it is so glossy. I use a shampoo and conditioner for color0treated hair and less shampoo more conditioner some days.

Anonymous wrote:My boys have been bathed every night (now do it themselves) since they were infants.

They are 5.5. and 8. They play lots of sports and get sweaty---but even on days they aren't working hard like that they still hop in tub or shower. It's a nighttime ritual---upstairs bath, brush teeth/hair, pjs on, read book---bed.

DH and I shower daily too.

I am grossed out by anything less than a full daily washing (hair too!).

It is a known fact that you are ruining your hair by washing it everyday. It dries out. Your stylist doesn't tell you 2-3 days for shampoo? My hair would be straw if I washed and blow-dried it everyday.

OP, it is an issue with my 12yr old DD too. It is worse in the winter. My deal is shower after sports and hair washing on Sunday and Thursday. Since she is active is sports, it is usually 3-4x a week a quick 5min shower.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My youngest is 11. He showers twice a day. In the morning before school and in the evening before he goes to bed.

Well, you know what he is doing in there, right? Once the boys like to show, especially in the morning, we all know what is going on.

^^shower, not show

Anonymous wrote:My youngest is 11. He showers twice a day. In the morning before school and in the evening before he goes to bed.

Well, you know what he is doing in there, right? Once the boys like to show, especially in the morning, we all know what is going on.

I always did every other day at that age, but closing in on puberty made things different. Oilier hair and skin for one. I moved pretty quickly to daily.

I'd try to encourage at least every other day if possible. She's less likely to be stinky after gym class if she's got a daily routine down, too. If not, odor might start bothering kids who sit close to her in class.

Shower everyday

I think it is silly to say that a child stinks even if you (the parent) can't smell it.

I can smell *myself* when I go too long without a shower. I certainly can smell when DH needs a shower. And indeed, sometimes I do smell my child and send him straight to the bath.

I have three boys who are very late bloomers. At 16, my eldest showers daily but the reality is that he still doesn't smell much unless he has been vigorously exercising. He is just starting to get hair under his arms. My 12-year-old is clearly years from puberty. He showers every couple of days. Not because he smells--he almost never does--but because his hair needs washing that often. We do insist on a shower when he is obviously dirty, and sometimes in between showers I send him to wash his feet. My 10-year-old showers about 3x a week. I assure you they all have plenty of friends and have never reported any teasing, so I must conclude that their bathing habits are adequate.

Maybe her pediatrician could talk with her about it.

DD listens to the doctor and does what she says without argument, even if it's something she fought bitterly about with us previously.

There's something nice about having a trusted third-party weigh in to break a stalemate sometimes. It's possible this has become a power struggle, and "I'll do it only because the doctor said so" is a graceful way for your DD to save face.

Anonymous wrote:Americans shower too much and for too long. It is a waste of water. It is a luxury. The rest of the world, especially in poor places, do not shower as much.

But to be reasonably clean, twice a week is enough. You can supplement this with a washcloth and cleaning selected areas periodically.

And odor is not a problem if you use deodorant, lotions, perfumes, etc.

I am a spoiled American that showers daily.

News flash America is first world and we shower every day here. Go stink up another country.

Anonymous wrote:Yeah. Bathe everyday. Like it or not. It's the same with eating they don't like vegetables too but you HAVE to eat it.

well that's a healthy attitude

Yeah. Bathe everyday. Like it or not. It's the same with eating they don't like vegetables too but you HAVE to eat it.