When do boys start to LIKE being clean?

[Tinks]

My 12 yo DS is DISGUSTING!! He hates showering. I swear he turns the water on, gets under it and gets out again saying he's clean. His nails freak me out, he never cuts them and they have about 6 inches of dirt under them. I had to cut them this morning while he carried on like a 3 year old. I am at the point now where I am going to physically scrub him myslef every day so he's clean whether he likes it or not!

How much longer do you think it will be until he actually wants to be neat and clean?

Is my boy the only one? Please tell me he isn't.

[squidipa]

my brother used to have this caked on dirt up the side of his face that he would never wash offproperly, it was grose, he was about 12 too now he is still a sloppy kind of person so sorry.

[Mr Squidipa]

all boys go through is stage and it can last for quite some time you will find that one day he may wake up and become a clean freak lol it usually goes from one extreme to the other but yes it is very important for 12 year olds to be clean.

[Lulu]

Gross - I'd get your DH to stand in there and shower him properly each night until he can learn to do it on his own like a big boy

My nephew went through a stage (same age) that he refused to change his underwear or shower. Sis had to get my dad to come over and tell him off.....

[willow5]

Hmmm....well I have 2 teenage boys and they're different DS1 is now 17 but has always been pretty good at being clean even at 12, don't get me wrong if I didn't remind him to get in the shower he would quite happily not bother but that was more a forgetful or just not thinking for himself thing.

DS2 on the other hand, now 15, sounds like your son, at 12 would happily go without a shower for days if I let him, doing the old get in and just stand there after being asked 100 times to have a shower, wetting the hair and saying he washed it etc...OH and don't even set me started on teeth brushing!!

You'll be happy to know that at around 14, when girls came on the scene the interest in hygiene picked up, although if there was no girlfriend, there was no shower lol

Now he showers everyday (girl or no girl)...But hair washing is still a struggle I think the "look" he's going for is easier with dirty oily hair I have to make him wash it before a haircut, my friend is a hairdresser and I don't want her to have to touch it in that state

So I guess it varies, they're all different, I'm sure it will happen for you, one day. good luck

[Tinks]

Oh yes, teeth brushing is one I forgot to mention.

I don't know what look DS is going for but atm I'm worried it's the 'smelly boy who everyone will pick on next year in high school' one.

I'm glad there's some hope.

[Olive]

with the teeth brushing go to the chemist and get some disclosing tablets, they stain the plaque bright pink, that'll make him brush them

[~Raven~]

My brother was a bit like this and it wasn't till he was about 14 and his mates all started looking after their appearance a bit more. Nothing like a bit of peer pressure and trying to appeal to the ladies

[willow5]

I did that (the disclosure tabs) he didn't care I even got the dentist to really get stuck into him at a check up, he was good after that for a couple of weeks then it wore off, I can't afford the dentist once a fortnight

[Tinks]

I've done the red tablet thing too. It worked a treat BUT he wanted them every time he brushed his teeth so it got expensive.

I guess I just have to wait for the interest in ladies to come along......aaagghhhh! That freaks me out! In the mean time I think I'll hose him down in the front yard

[diannescruffy]

Tinkerbell there is hope. My DS at age 12 was exactly the same, I had to literally push him into the shower and even then wasn't sure whether he actually got in or just turned the shower on . Now at 14 he showers twice a day . Go figure. I think it has a lot to do with going through puberty and girl stuff.

Regards,
Dianne