Adolescent Aromas

I know what you are thinking after reading today's title.  You can barely stomach the thoughts of "adolescent odors".  Me too!  Believe me, I can not tolerate the waft that comes my way from sweaty, dirty tween-age boys.  Fortunately, I have maintained my level of (shall we say) "power" over my 3 males, and they will still shower nightly.

A few years ago, one of my good friends in Mississippi gave me some invaluable advice.  She recommended that I start my boys in the habit of wearing deoderant around 2nd grade.  I know, it seems crazy!  Boys who are 8 absolutely do not need to worry about B.O..  They certainly sweat when it is hot and while exerting themselves in the competitive way that they do, but there are minimal lingering odors that would cause pain to adults.  However, just a few years later, that is no longer true.  Joy said if we start when they are young, they will already be in the habit and you can TRY to prevent the assault on the senses.

I took Joy's advice to heart.  Upon their 8th Christmas, every child in my family received one travel-size stick of deoderant for their wearing pleasure (and for mine in the future).  I purchased the unscented variety for my kiddos.  I figured they didn't need to carry the smell of musk or baby powder around with them all day.  I'm sure it won't surprise you when I reveal that Cole has actually had his since his 5th Christmas.  He refuses to accept that he is not as old as everyone else.

Brooks came home one day last year from school with a request.  Could I buy him some deoderant with a "smell"? He had noticed in gym that all of his friends had different deoderants and he wanted a new kind.  I'm always up for shopping, so I promised him a quick deoderant-sniffing trip to Walgreens.  Off we went to locate the scent that would soon define him via my nasal cavity.  He had a ball trying them all out.  There are sticks, sprays, gels, etc. - all with either a "clean" smell or a "cologne" smell.  I had a headache by the time we had narrowed the selection to three.  I hastened him to "just pick one!" and out I could go to the fresh outdoors! Brooks picked the Cool Rush version of Ultra Dry Degree.

This summer, Brooks talked so favorably about his new scent that Reed decided that it was his turn.  We just happened to be in Kmart one day and both boys ended up on the deoderant aisle.  Brooks was there to guide Reed to the "best smell for him".  Sure enough, within minutes, Reed had selected Gillette's gel edition with the Cool Wave scent.  He couldn't wait to apply his new purchase, so once in the car, he whipped that gel out and applied it to his apparently sweaty underarms.

A few days later, Reed and I were on our way to soccer practice.  I pulled up to a red light and heard Reed inhale with a gasp.  I whipped around to see what was wrong, but he was just grinning.  I asked if there was a problem (you know me, I thought he was about to throw up) but he said "no!  I was smelling my deoderant!  It just smells so good!"

Who would have thought a scent could bring such a change to two boys.  Reed applied his deoderant 3 times a day the first few weeks he had it.  I suspect that Brooks did, too.  I guess I don't really care as long as it prevents me from suffering through the upcoming sweaty, hormonal odors that will soon abound!