7 personal hygiene habits to teach your tween
How and what to teach your adolescent about caring for themselves
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Deodorant, razors, and tampons, oh my! The tween years bring on a world of new hygiene issues, which can be overwhelming. Personal hygiene may not be the easiest topic to broach with your tween, but as their bodies begin to change, their products and routines need to evolve, too.
As tweens gain more independence, their personal hygiene can become a bit lax. Without parental guidance, they may begin to smell less sweet than they used to, to say the least. Most tweens will need gentle reminders in the beginning to keep up with their new routines.
Here are 7 personal hygiene habits to teach your teen or tween:
1. Hair care
If your teen looks good, then they'll feel good too. Help them start their day with clean hair.
As hormones change, hair can become more oily for your tween, and they may need to wash it more often than they used to. A consistent daily shower routine is helpful. A nightly shower could be the best option if your child is involved in after-school sports and activities, and it makes for less rushing in the morning.
There are some great-smelling natural shampoos and conditioners. The Love Beauty and Planet shampoos and conditioners are lightweight, paraben-free, silicone-free, and vegan.
Suave Kids 3 in 1 Shampoo, Conditioner, and Body Wash is great for kids who want to be quick and don’t need much conditioner.
2. Oral hygiene
Whether it's picture day or just a regular day, white teeth and fresh breath can take your preteen far.
Your tween may now have a mouth full of metal braces, so dental care can look a bit different. A quick 2-minute brushing teeth twice a day is no longer enough. Flossing between the brackets and wires is essential because nobody wants a mouth full of cavities once the braces come off, and food stuck between the wires can lead to bad breath.
Playing music and watching a show during the dental routine may help your tween to be less bored and more likely to keep it up. The Oral-B Super Floss is amazing because it makes flossing between brackets much faster and easier. Plackers Orthopick Dental Floss Picks also slide easily between teeth and brace wires.
3. Deodorant
Mid-day gym classes can lead to sweat, body odor, and more. Carry a stick of deodorant for refreshing on the go.
One of the first signs of puberty can be increased sweat and odor. Deodorants are made to cover up the odor, while antiperspirants are designed to decrease perspiration. It’s a good idea to introduce deodorant early so that your tween gets into the habit of using it before odor becomes an issue.
A great aluminum-free, plant-based deodorant is Kopari. It is free of potentially irritating ingredients, rolls on easily, and has a pleasant coconut scent.
Another good one is Tom’s of Maine Wicked Cool Natural Deodorant, which is aluminum and paraben-free and offers 24-hour odor protection.
4. Skin care
With a variety of new hormones and bodily changes happening during puberty, breakouts can occur.
The tween years are a time to introduce twice-a-day face washing and moisturizing. It can be challenging for your tween to resist the barrage of products marketed to them that may be expensive and filled with irritating fragrances.
You want to keep skin care as gentle as possible to prevent skin irritation. Also, keep it simple, or they won’t be able to keep up with it. No 10-step skin care routine is necessary!
The Bette Green Cleansing Stick is designed just for tweens, and is a simple way to start a skin care routine.
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, which is free of fragrances and designed for all skin types, is popular for the tween set, as is Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, which is extremely mild for sensitive skin.
Your tween will need a moisturizer as well that is lightweight, fragrance-free, and as natural as possible. The morning moisturizer should contain an SPF of at least 30 to protect against sun damage.
5. Shaving
Because body hair is natural and normal.
Shaving is, of course, a personal choice and not a necessity. As your tween begins to get more body hair, they may decide they want to start shaving, and it’s their personal preference. Shaving requires a discussion and demonstration of proper shaving techniques and safety.
The Schick Intuition Razor Sensitive Care may be a good choice for first-time leg shavers because the built-in moisturizing bar minimizes nicks and cuts.
6. Period products
Never be caught off guard by an unexpected period again.
There is a wide range of ages when girls begin their periods, and there’s lots of information on feminine care product options. Thankfully, there are many more choices for period products than there used to be; besides tampons and pads, there are menstrual cups and even period underwear and swimsuits.
The My First Period Box from Sanxtuary MD has everything to get started, and there are a number of great products aimed specifically at adolescents. We’ve rounded up 14 period products made just for teens and tweens.
7. Nail care
Prevent pesky hangnails snagging on hair and clothes. Send your child to school with a portable manicure kit.
In addition to always washing hands with soap and water, tweens need to learn to manage their own nail care. Trimming nails, which can be a breeding ground for germs if not cared for, is essential for both boys and girls.
A simple manicure set gives them all the tools they need to keep their nails clean and germ-free.
What is personal hygiene?
Personal hygiene is, essentially, how you care for your body. It includes keeping all parts of your body clean, from hand washing to teeth brushing and beyond.
Why personal hygiene is important
There are some important reasons to focus on hygiene during the tween years. Practicing good personal hygiene is vital for sanitary reasons such as preventing tooth decay, body odor, and skin issues.
Also, proper personal hygiene is important for social reasons. Keeping body odor and bad breath at bay will help support more positive social interactions.
Starting good hygiene practices even before puberty begins—which could be anywhere from ages 8 to 14—will help set tweens up for later success.
How to discuss personal hygiene with your tween
Discussing hygiene doesn’t need to be embarrassing for you or your tween. Remind them that it’s scientific, simple biology, and everyone (even you) deals with hygiene issues. Who hasn’t forgotten to put on deodorant before?
Need some guidance on where to start? A good book can be helpful, and it gives your tween a place they can turn back to for reference on hygiene topics. We like The Care & Keeping of You 2 (The Body Book for Older Girls) and The Boy’s Body Book.
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