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Washed Out!
Preteens and Hygiene
By Teri Brown
Dr. Shiller says it's very easy to let personal hygiene become a power struggle between the preteen and the parent. "Preteens often experience their parents' repeated reminders as nagging, and they may drag their feet because they dislike feeling controlled by parents," she says. "This can contribute to an unpleasant family dynamic."
If preteens are reluctant to learn good hygiene habits and may not be ready to take this part of their lives on by themselves, why is it so important that they do so? Dr. Charles Sophy, a psychiatrist and medical director for the Los Angeles County Department of Health and Family Services, says that good hygiene is critical for the preteen.
"It is important for preteens to learn good hygiene habits for several reasons," he says. "First of all, hygiene is important for all overall health. Good hygiene is something that will come into play for the rest of one's life, so it's important to get started early on in adopting a good routine that will benefit a preteen for a lifetime. It's also important to practice good hygiene, as there are social implications and judgments made about those with bad personal hygiene. We all know that preteens can be extremely critical of each other, so taking care of oneself will be one less thing to worry about."