As my son gets ready to start a new school year, I have the opportunity to help him make it a fresh start. I hope you’ve followed our Back To School Shopping for sneakers and how we choose outfits, which are not only great but feel super comfortable!
Having a teen means understanding mood swings, supporting without stepping beyond their newly developed comfort zone, mostly no more kisses and hugs in public and definitely no pictures of them on Instagram, because their friends may follow you! But having a teen also means helping them stay fresh all day long!
My son has always been super tall and mature as far as body development – he’s only 14 and 6’5″! So it is my job to help him navigate through body changes – like hair, odors, voice changing, along with tips to help him feel confident around his peers!
We’ve also developed a couple rules at our house to deal with things we can control, to help reduce the thousands of loads of laundry, weird smells and moldy backpacks. I want to share them with you, hoping they will help you deal with the same issues in an easier way:
Back To School Tips For Teens or Tweens
Every Friday he is rewarded with money for his online game if:
· He brings the gym bag back home – he has gym every day
· He showers, brushes his teeth and applies deodorant without being asked
· He picks up his clothes from the floor and places them in the hamper
· He leaves his shoes and backpack in the mudroom area, not all over the house
We created a checklist; sometimes it’s more like a mental checklist and I go over it with him at night.
For him, the most important habits were the ones related to showering and using deodorant to get rid of the new odors his body was producing, but he was fighting to admit! Who has a teen and hasn’t heard the question: “why do I have to take a shower?”, “Why do I have to put deodorant on?”?
So let’s talk about that! We felt it was our job to educate him with love and reward him in the early stages to guarantee the success of our plan!
He added a new habit himself, which was to leave an AXE Signature Antiperspirant Dry Spray in the car! I personally loved this idea!
My son hates the “wet deodorant”, the stick type, so we’ve found that AXE Antiperspirant Dry Spray, after the shower was a great option for him! He just applies it to his underarms and stays dry and has sweat protection for up to 48 hours. If he’s going out, to complement the antiperspirant dry spray and make him smell fresh all day, we love that he uses AXE YOU Body Spray.
So a funny thing is, right after we bought the body spray, our son didn’t know how or when to use it vs. dry spray. The fact is 64% of young guys think body spray and dry spray are the same thing and that they should apply body spray to their underarms*.
Body spray actually goes on your body to keep you smelling fresh, and dry spray goes under your arms to keep you dry.Watch this fun video, to understand what I mean! AXE
I taught him a little trick: spray the AXE YOU Body Spray across his chest in “7” motion and only spray AXE as long as it takes to say the word “AXE.”. Easy right?
He started basketball practice three weeks ago, so we had one more reason in this hot summer, to ask him to use AXE dry spray and body spray to stay dry and fresh.
Back to School is just around the corner, so this is our game plan and tips for you, those who also have a teen and want to better navigate this time:
· Continue to enforce and reward the rules we established last year
· Make sure our son continues to work on good habits developed last year or help him to start new ones, like having an extra dry spray in the gym bag, for practice after school
· Help and guide him through this time where each change brings something new to him, because changes go way beyond new odors and body changes.
I hope my tips help you start a successful and new back to school season! After all, it’s always good to clear the air and bring a fresh look at things! To learn more, visit AXE.com.
Can’t wait to hear your tips! As usual, give us a Trendy Shout!
* Citation: *Ipsos Body Spray Drivers and Barriers, 2017 or Ipsos, 2017
We have been working with our 13 year old son about proper hygiene. It seems automatic but it is rough getting into new routines. Thanks for the tips!
My hubby loves Axe even before we met. He never ran out of it on his vanity.
What a tall and handsome young man! Love the checklist you made for him. Easy and he’s following the list. Love the spray the axe for as long as you say the word! Going to use your ideas with my youngest
It’s time to smell good! LOL
Axe products smell good, but I wonder what kind of chemicals are in there, ya know?
I know a lot of people that use Axe and love it! I know it works well! Thanks for the great tips and other products to try out!
I feel like teachers should be supplied with deodorant for this reason. Kids are changing and it can smell awful at times. I’m glad, though, that your son is learning to take responsibility for himself.
Good researched list. Hope they worked well as you wanted for him.
Lol, I hope Axe has gotten less intense over the years… I remember that smell on my peers not-so-fondly. These are good tips for anyone with a teen!
Amazing Idea! can you make more stuff like DIY for teen.
My boys use a different brand but I think I like Axe better. I see that this does not leave any residue on clothes. That’s awesome. I hate having to get that ugly discoloration off my son’s white shirts! I will see if they like the scent (I am sure they will), and I am asking them to use Axe instead. Win-win for my family.
This is really good. Alot of parents would benefit from this. It is really good to guide teens on how to keep clean and stay organized.
I haven’t seen this particular line of Axe products in the grocery store yet. It looks like something that my nephew would probably like.
Body sprays are a must to any male teenage in highschool. These Axe products sound great and I would recommend them to my younger brother. Thanks for sharing.
Axe is a family favourite here. It works well for all the men so they must be doing something right. My nephew would love to use this as well but his school has a ban on scents and perfumes. Any suggestions for alternatives?
I guess I never got body spray before. But I didn’t know that there was a difference in sprays when it came to the body other than spraying on cologne versus spraying on deodorant. Interesting.
Axe is my husband’s favorite brand. My 10 year old son is starting to be very conscious of how he looks or smells.
I know all about boy teens and their mood changes! Ha! My son would love this stuff. I’ll have to surprise him with some Axe!
These are such great tips! It’s definitely hardest on the teens for so many reasons. Axe has great products – so important to keep their confidence up!!
Oh my dad’s actually been wanting a new deodorant but also hates the “wet” feel, so may need to pick one of these asap. Aww the excitement (and slight dread) of back to school…miss those days.
We just bought Tyler some AXE Antiperspirant Dry Spray and I’m going to have to check out their other products next. I love that you reward your teen with online games. That would be a great way to get Tyler to keep up with his stuff better.
My teenage son uses Axe! His little brother likes to spray it on himself. I’m glad they make these products that can cater to teens and good personal hygiene.
Sounds like Axe is the perfect solution for teens. Back to school time is a great time to set up routines and set goals. Great combination.
I am so lazy about this when I was a teen, but I am happy that my mom kept on insisting what I should do. I think Axe is very reliable and good product.
When it is back to school time for the kids and especially if they are in their teens is definitely a special time which requires a lot of attention. You have provided some sensible and practical pointers.
Puberty is gonna be the time where teenagers are so conscious of the changes in their body and would be sensitive to it. It’s a good thing that your kid found a product that he is compatible with.
Sounds like a minefield you are navigating admirably. I certainly don’t envy you that! Your son is soooo tall! He sounds like a great guy.
So glad I came across this article. I’m going to share this with my daughter because this looks like it would be right up my grandson’s alley.
Ah yes the teens, my remember my brother’s teen years more than mine but we always had to do a check list with him too
I like the rewarding idea for making sure our kids get things done, good to know things don’t change as they get older. lol
I have a tween at my house. I will need to remember this product! He will be a teen before I know it.
My son always uses AXE products. We make sure to keep plenty on hand so we don’t run out.
Axe does make a nice line of products. I know a few grown men who could use the dry body spray, maybe I should forward your post.
I remember the good ole high school days when Axe is all I would smell in the hallways and by the boy’s locker room! Important to feel fresh, especially after a good sweat!
I have 3 sons and can TOTALLY relate and they use Axe shower and deodorant products. As far as a timesaver, it definitely helps to get things in order the night before.
I love the idea of a cchecklist. High school is hard enough- knowing exactly what’s expected makes life that much easier!
School starts for us on Monday. My son will drag his feet to take a shower. This would be a great way to get him more motivated!
I like the idea of leaving the spray in the car. I don;’t know about rewarding every Friday for going to school and doing what is required to gain a quality education though. The reward comes with the knowledge and wisdom you gain. If for some reason you are unable to fulfill it, will it means the doing good will stop? Just a thought.
I have a fifteen-year-old and he wears Axe. He needs to, because sometimes he doesn’t smell the greatest. Axe helps with that!
With two teen sons, I can totally relate! Clever ideas, love the rewards system!
My son turned 13 this summer and I am constantly having to remind him to take a shower and put on deodorant. I wonder if he would prefer the dry spray instead.
These are all great tips. I have two girls and I like your checklist reward system. I may have to implement that here.
My sons both love Axe, but my younger son — the 16 year old — specifically wears it more. He wants to “smell good for the ladies,” haha, which is good since he plays football and gets pretty stinky!
My son is grown now, but I do remember those moldy gym bags and smelly clothes. Oh the fun of having boys!
Great tips! My friend has a teenage son and he loves Axe as well. He loves the dry deodorant.
I have so many rewards “programs” in place for my son it’s crazy. And I was never a fan of body sprays on teens, but now that I come home every day asking if he’s put on deodorant…..
Teaching kids or teens about the proper hygiene is important. I think this is the most reliable product to use. Thank you for the tips!
It is that age when they just don’t want to do it isn’t it, but it is perhaps one of the times more than ever they need to be on top of it.
14 and 6’5 that’s crazy. I can’t imagine and the thought scares me as my last child is the only boy and he’s 4, lol. On the other side I do know teens! Girls are a little different but daily showers is a chore. I think one big helpful tip is to figure out what type of deodorant is best for the child and what they prefer.
These are great tips. My son has hit the tween stage and hard!! I just had to remind him about the proper hygiene he needed to start practicing. Maybe he will like these scents.
These sound like some great back to school tips, it has been so long since I was at school I had forgotten all the things you need to make sure are ready.
Axe makes such great body-care products for young men. And the smell of their products is very delightful. 🙂
My teen love AXE body spray and tends to apply too much. When I give him a ride in the morning, I open all the car windows,
The boys in this family love a lot of Axe’s scents! My kiddos are still at the point they need physical lists to get things done, but hopefully someday we can move to mental lists 😉
My oldest child is 4 so I’ve got some time yet, but I’m going to keep these tips in my back pocket for when we need them. My son actually “uses” my deodorant in the morning- he rubs the capped product on his underarms so I’m telling myself this won’t be a fight in the future. Hahahaha!
You offer some great tips for getting ready for back to school. We homeschool but have been taking advantage of back to school sales for supplies.
Wow talk about tall for his age. Really important to teach teenagers the importance of keeping clean and getting a routine down
These are great ideas! It’s so important to give kids rewards for doing what they need to do. I love it!
My grandson just turned 13 so he’s all into Axe! I was thinking this would make a great stocking stuffer – yes, I’m already thinking Christmas. 🙂
My nephew is 16 and wears Axe! Loves it. So of course my son who is 9 and looks up to his cousin wants to wear it too – however, his school has a ban on fragrances and they won’t allow Axe body spray. I told him he can spritz it on at home 😉
My hubby uses Axe and loves it! My kiddo will once he hit puberty! It works well in our family!