How to teach children proper hygiene?

Please no bashing as I’m freaking out and concerned as any mother would.

I already have an appointment with my sons pediatrician for Thursday

I’ve noticed since yesterday my
11 year old son after using the bathroom has a bad smell which is obviously coming from his private part. He is uncircumcised and him being 11 I don’t watch him shower so all I can do is constantly remind him to wash the right way and try to verbally guide him how to do it. I’m a single mom and he has no real male figure he can confide in.

Has anyone experienced this and if so what did it turn out to be?

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Probably just yeast. Get him checked and all will be fine.

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Could be a build up of smegma if he isn’t washing it properly… Any other symptoms, such as burning when peeing etc…

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It could also be a UTI. Yes, boys can get them too!!

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My cousin had this issue, he wasn’t cleaning himself properly and he got an infection. As weird as it sounds maybe google some images of infected uncircumcised penises and show him that’s not what he wants to happen. If an infection gets bad enough there’s a possibility he’d have to get circumcised now and that would be so very painful for him. Keep reminding him to pull it all the way back and clean in there real good, get some small thin baby cloths they are good for that.

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I don’t have a boy but it’s most likely going to be an infection of a sort. So you need to make sure he’s pulling the skin back to rinse if he’s using soap. If the soap doesn’t get rinsed fully, it’s going to cause problems. I guess if it needs to be done, you’ll literally have to watch how he’s cleaning down there and tell him and show him how to do it correctly. Or have his grandpa or a male friend of yours that you’re close enough with show him how. Or ask his dr how to go about this.

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Prob a infection just remind him to clean well and drink lot’s of water. Possible change his soap as well. The doctor will check for infections.

Food, also… asparagus is known for giving foul odors

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It’s so SO important to make sure he is cleaning himself properly. If you absolutely have to watch him shower just once to make sure he’s cleaning himself correctly and thoroughly. And constantly remind him. Also. Make sure he’s hydrated cause it could be his urine that stinks and not him.

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Sorry to say but this is what happens when you don’t circumcise your child :woman_shrugging:t2:

But all in all, he’s probably going through puberty at this age or is about to start. But you’re his mother, you need to take a look at him and tell him to wash up.

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It depends if his foreskin has retracted or not yet most likely has.id look for foreskin friendly doctor and have them talk to him.my husband is intact has never had issues.sounds like he just needs someone to explain how to properly care for himself.

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Try joining the group Raising Your Whole Baby and maybe get him to have a bath

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Hey mama a great place to get good info is a group called Raising Your Whole Baby!!!

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Yet another reason im happy i circumcised. I guess get him better soap. Definately have the dr talk to him about how to properly clean himself.

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Maybe it’s nothing. He is at the smelly age. Give him some soap & a wash rag & tell him to shower. Explain if he smells he will have to go to the doctor to find out why. You’d be surprised how many kids just stand in a shower & may not actually wash at that age.

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I have used soap my whole life, never any infections??? I absolutely could not NOT use soap

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That is one of the issues when a boy is not circumcised. They need to pull that foreskin all the way back and not only wash but make sure all the soap is off. Those infections are usually easy to treat.

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As bad as this sounds when my boys were younger and still weren’t good about cleaning down there I would smell something occasionally and I would say “Why do I smell cheese?” I never aimed it at either of them but it never failed that they would look at each other and one of them would take a shower pretty soon after that. They never felt embarrassed because I hadn’t called them out and the problem was fixed so it was a win/win in my book

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You’re gonna have to have him show you. If his foreskin has retracted then he needs to be pulling the skin back and washing well. It’s a sensitive and sometimes embarrassing subject but you’re his momma and you gotta do it. Hope he’s okay :heart:

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Besides religion, why would you know crcumcise your son?

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If it’s his urine that smells awful it may be diabetes. If it’s it’s penis, may be a yeast infection. Don’t freak out too much. I’m sure it’s a simple fix!

He’s your son. Go in there and make sure he’s cleaning properly. Talking about it will not get it done.

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Boys don’t typically wanna discuss with mama about their dirty penis’ but if he isn’t cleaning it properly it can cause major problems. don’t be afraid to Google images of dirty infected uncircumcised penis to show him if need be. maybe the graphic image will scare him to do things correctly. it isn’t sage to not clean right so be aggressive and firm. idc if I have to really embarrass mine and walk in to show him because for his health I WILL

I circumcised both of my boys after reading and doing my research. Their father however isn’t circumcised. I know it’s smart to have them shower every single day. I understand not wanting to watch or help him shower at his age, but someone needs to teach him how to properly keep it clean. Boys can get uti’s and yeast infections just like girls. Especially if they are uncircumcised. Maybe find something on the internet or in book form and gently tell him it needs to be done. Good luck :slightly_smiling_face:

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I mean honestly he is your son go in that bathroom open the shower and show him what he needs to do smh don’t you think goin to a doctor would be more embarrassing than your mom?? If you act embarrassed and all that he will be. It’s all about how you act in the situation.

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Why wasn’t he circumcised at birth…its know that it not really good hygiene when not done…now he has to deal with this while growing to a man

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For all your ignorant mothers on here, circumcising does not prevent infections. Stop being ignorant.

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I know when my daughters were younger I sat in the bathroom with them and made sure they washed themselves properly.

Showing them how to wash, how to wipe.

You might need to visually watch him to make sure he’s cleaning himself adequately.

If he’s not circumcised, it’s probably yeast you’re smelling. He has to pull that skin back and clean it then when he gets out dry it properly.

Awkward or not, I’d be right in the bathroom watching him.

Sounds like yeast though

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Is he retractable yet? If so, he should be pulling it back to clean with warm water and then replacing the foreskin over the glans but NO soap under the foreskin because like the vagina, the foreskin is self cleaning. It can actually throw off his pH balance to use soap under the foreskin.
Raising Your Whole Baby is a great group for this!

Working in pediatric urology for several years… we see this a lot in young boys around his age. He isn’t washing properly. He could get an awful infection that can be very painful. He could get phimosis. I hope it’s not too bad and he just needs to learn how to
properly take care of it.

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Is there an equivalent to the American Girl books that address personal topics such as addressed “The Care and Keeping of You”.

My daughter appreciated the books and it made discussing sensitive topics a little easier.

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Please ask this in yourwholebaby page!!. T

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Go to the group yourwholebaby. Its intact friendly with nurses on the site to help.
This is not a reason to circumcise

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“tHiS Is WhAt HaPpEnS wHeN yOu DoN’t CiRcUmCise” please do your research people! :woman_facepalming:t3: 80% of the world is intact with no issues. Should we cut off our daughters breasts because she might get breast cancer when she’s older? Which btw, a women is more likely to get breast cancer than a intact male getting penile cancer. And those saying it’s for “hygiene” um teach your sons how to wash properly like we teach or daughters to wash. And in case some of you didn’t know, us women have smegma too GASP!

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I wonder if he may have a yeast infection?? Just like females yeast likes warm moist areas. If you’re not comfortable looking at it then the doctor will be able to tell. Being a single mother you should try to get more comfortable with him and his body. My 13 year old son has a dad but lives out of state and he is closer to me than with his step dad. He has shown me his penis and testicles before with questions and I tell him it’s ok to be open with me about that because I’m his mother.

Surely there is a male SOMEWHERE that can talk to him. Grand parent, uncle, cousin, neighbor, teacher, reach out you’d be surprised.

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All these judgemental women are super annoying. I couldn’t imagine getting my son circumcised which is why I didnt, its a personal decision. It will not hinder his performance or future relationships. Just show him how to properly wash and rinse all the soap away. Or it maybe he’s not drinking enough water and has possibly gotten a UTI.

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As hard as it is to imagine mom he’s your son & you may have to show him physically.

My 12 year old has to be reminded to even take a shower every day. And, although he is circumcised, he still has extra skin that has to be pulled back. I’ve had to show him because he’ll let it get a build up around it, 12 year olds are something else I’m learnin’ lol!

Being that I am mom, it was never a question whether it was wrong, right, embarrassing, or not. If he was 14 and I had to have this conversation, we’d both be embarrassed, but I’d still find out the source. And reiterate the importance of hygiene. My sons probably sick of hearing it; lord knows I get tired of the reminder :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

Best of luck mum, hope you come to a resolution.

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Please do your research people circumcision really is unnecessary unless they are apart of the less than 2 percent who will actually need it done for a medical reason. Go in there and teach him, and keep teaching him until he does it right. All penis can smell or get infections if not cleaned properly and it does not take that much effort to clean an intact penis. He does not need to have a part of his body cut off to stay clean. He just needs to clean it better. That’s all. Just go in there and make sure it is done right. Over 70 percent of the world is intact and infection rates are a less than 1 percent difference between cut and uncut men. Even woman produce smegma if we aren’t clean. Cutting off our foreskin won’t reduce infections, so it’s funny to say that as a reason to cut for boys when it has been proven so many times that it all comes down to cleanliness.

I thought this group was to be a place where moms would get together and help each other… and laugh at memes. :sweat_smile:

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I’m sure there is an age appropriate book you can get that will explain what to do and how to do it properly… and give consequences that can happen if he doesn’t. They have them for girls explaining periods, so you would think they would for this too. (Raised by a single dad, so he got me book for everything… :joy:)

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I would show him how because he’s not going to get Any younger. You’re the closest person to him and he needs to be taught.

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Take him to a planned parenthood and ask for a Male nurse to explain this to him. Also have him tested for a yeast infection.

My daughter is the same age and its much easier being woman to woman. Woman to boy, it would be extremely uncomfortable…

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Have him watch

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I have 5 boys, all uncircumcised, all grown, never had an issue with infections. I had no trouble telling them in their teenage years, “you might consider standing under the water and using soap when you take a shower today.”
I got to see a circumcision when I was in nursing school. It’s barbaric. When my oldest was new and I mentioned having it done to his doctor, he asked me, “why? So he will look like other boys or daddy? Teach him to clean it properly and use protection when he’s older. There is no medical basis for it.”
It’s an individual parental decision. Gotta teach them hygiene regardless. And teenage boys stink.

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Its normal during puberty for an intact male to have a smell if they aren’t cleaning properly. You will need to make sure he knows the importance. Also get him checked for yeast

It’s not always what happens from being uncircumcised but can if not washed right. But if it’s infected like someone I know has had this happen with there son he had to be put to sleep and circumcised.

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It’s uncomfortable given his age (I have an 11 year old boy also) but tell him that you’ve noticed the smell and you’re concerned for his hygiene and overall health and that you want to make sure he is washing correctly. Go into the bathroom with him and ask him to show you how he washes his penis. Then show him that he needs to pull the foreskin all the way back (if it’s retracting on its own) and wash all the way around it with a soapy rag and rinse all of the soap off. Also tell him when he gets out he needs to pull the foreskin back again to dry the penis well. Hopefully you only need to demo/supervise once and it is 5 minutes of your life and will be over but will give him knowledge he will need forever!

But usually it hurts though too when it needs to be done.

My son gets a horrible odor from UTI’s. He is circumcised has nothing to do with his penis because he has a neurogenic bladder and had to have a mitrofanoff put in his belly button to catheterize himself. He is 15 now and even with flushing that smell can be terrible. My baby is intact for now and we were told not use soap or do anything other than wash with water. Now I need to talk to urology after all these comments.

i feel like this is spam
young boys smell… all the time… everywhere… in all their parts… its not his fucking foreskins fault… theyre going thru puberty and jizzing in socks under their bed… boys just smell

The smell could just be male urine smell. It’s definitely a lot stronger than female urine.
Make sure he stays hydrated too. It could be that his pee is very concentrated.
In all honesty you’re his mom and if he won’t clean it himself then you can say Hey I am going to have to start checking if you’re clean if you can’t do it on your own.

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Gross…cutoff that foreskin :rofl::joy::sweat_smile:

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He is likely not washing properly. I would gently provide him with correct information, if he is fully retractable then instruct him to pull the skin back in the shower, rinse well, replace skin. That’s it. Do NOT use soap directly on the penis as it can throw off the PH balance JUST LIKE in women. He should be doing this daily, especially if he is active/sweaty! Otherwise, take a look at his diet. Is he eating healthy or a ton of junk? Because what you eat plays a big part in body odor. If you eat clean, you will smell clean(er) lol best of luck and please don’t use this as an excuse to amputate part of his body. He needs to learn to properly clean himself, not just chop off bits that are “hard” to clean (I put hard in quotations because it is SO EASY to clean, just like how we clean our vulva!!!)

Are you sure it’s not just puberty, they get really smelly fast then if they don’t change clothes, pweee.

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I have a 13 year old boy and a 10 year old boy, neither of whom are cut, and my 13 year old isnt a fan of showering often. He stinks too but I’m damn sure it’s his ass because I don’t think he wipes til he’s clean. The advice I would give you is to remind him to retract his foreskin and rinse it well with water. No need for soap as it can offset his ph balance, sort of like what women have.

I have two sons, o e is one isn’t, the one who isn’t they had to rip the for skin cause of it being tight, it would get red alot as well and we had to out prescrib cream on it. Anyhow he seems fine now, but I know alot of men who in the late 40-50 had to get done dew to complications and infection and they all said they wish there mother’s got it done when they couldn’t remember the pain. I did my research before doing my second son and got him done.

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He may have an infection. Get him circumcised.

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Take him to the doctor… ask for a male doctor and have him get down to the nitty gritty…

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Sorry but if the smells continue take him to the Doctors…it could lead to an infection which would be worst…good luck!

It sounds like it’s an 11 year old boy, young teenage boys are awful at hygiene, hopefully he has a male doctor that can explain the importance reasons better than you can

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Yourwholebaby.org

There’s also a group that’s great on here called raising your whole baby definitely look into it!

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It could be a regular uti have you asked him if he’s sore or if it looks red or anything
For now you could see if he’s willing to do an oatmeal bath and just make sure he’s cleaning
Not much else to do if he spikes a fever or starts complaining its painful go to clinic or hospital

Circumcision is mutilation. You did the right thing. You just have to keep teaching him to take care of himself and wash properly. If he doesn’t, consult a doctor to teach him?

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He has to pull the skin all the way back and expose the penis head completely to clean when he bathes. Have his pediatrician show him if you dont feel comfortable talking with him about this. But ya, you gotta tell, show him or have his doctor tell, show him.

That’s why it is important to get them circumcised. Sorry but there are proven health reasons for having it done. People will always fight it but facts are facts. I would show him how to properly wash it and make shur all the soap is gone. Drink plenty of water and check with his doctor to see if he has a Uti. Good luck to you and almost every other mom who doesnt circumcise, the penis heals in a weeks time vs dealing with it the rest of his life :open_hands:

My kid is circumcised…:joy: yall have fun with them comments.

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Sounds like he may have something like a yeast infection.

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Jordan please read some of these comments :rofl::rofl::rofl:

My son has been circumcised since birth… I ain’t against it either me and my husband chose to do it as his parents. Could be lack of hygiene, infection who knows, boys stink in general my husband is also circumcised and he smells sometimes. Ball sweat smells awful lol :joy: I’m sure a doctor would know more with an inspection

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Both of my boys are not circumcised. Dad isn’t either. It could be so many different things sonits good that you made an appointment already to see his doctor. My oldest is 12 and he gets stinky too…I make him shower and tell him to do a very good job on his armpits, private areas, and his damn hair. Lol. He always smells sweaty and kinda like cheese. Lol. He just has to learn how to properly care for it. Good luck. I would personally talk to him about it. I wouldn’t care. I do with my two. I dont care if they get all weird, they need to know so I talk and make the conversation happen. Lol. If he does pull back, no soap…just water and make sure he really cleans it lol.

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Hun its puberty he needs education on washing his parts

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That’s the age where ejaculation starts and when teen age boys don’t wash it off it dries and stinks

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Much like washing vagina or it stinks

Just ask him if it burns when he pees or itches, etc. It could be a yeast infection (yes, males get it too), or could be nothing but improper hygiene. I still have to go and supervise my 9yr old daughter because she got an infection from not washing properly. Just tell him to do it or you’ll have to watch and make sure he does it, because dr visits aren’t cheap.

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Why can’t you “show” him the right way to wash? Verbally telling a child isn’t going to be sufficient…

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You need to take him to the doctor it could be he already has an infection sometimes that happens when they are not circumcised and then they don’t wash good so that definitely can cause an infection

If it smells like Asparagus, could be a UTI.

The amount of ignorance in some of the comments.

Him being non circumcised does NOT increase the risk of infection. :expressionless:

Seriously do some research!

Circumcision IS MUTILATION.
I’m so glad you didn’t do your baby like that. It’s totally unnecessary & 99% are only done for cosmetic reasons which is absurd.

It has been proven that circumcision works better & is a LOT less painful to do as an adult which is when a person should make that decision. NOT AT BIRTH WHEN THEY CAN’T CONSENT!!

I do recommend taking him to the doctor just to be safe but chances are it’s a UTI.

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Are you sure he’s wiping after he poops? It could be something as simple as not washing his parts well enough. Uncircumcised parts shouldn’t smell if washed properly. If the skin has detached on it’s own he should be pulling it back to wash it. Just explain to him so he knows to wash better.

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My friends son did years ago and they circumcised him

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I don’t have experience with this issue hope all is good tho. Goodluck

Youtube or google… has to be a video on it…

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Some of y’all are just mean. I feel sorry for yalls kids because they don’t have mother’s that can teach them to be kind. Talk about education? Y’all need to educate yourselves on how to be a decent person before telling someone to educate themselves on this. These groups are suppose to be for support because we live in such a shit society that people get bashed for anything anymore and this is absolutely bullshit. She’s trying to educate herself by asking you other moms for advice so have some fucking respect. I usually don’t say much in these posts but this is absolutely disgusting and embarrassing. She needed help and this is the support she gets? Telling her to educate herself and being told mean, nasty, hateful comments for trying to do just that? I’m sorry because not all of y’all are so fucking disrespectful and cold hearted but this is a joke. I will be leaving this group and if there are any mom’s that need a mom friend to ask questions or just to talk to pm me or send me a friend request and I’ll be happy to help however I can. I’m a mom of a two year old little boy who is struggling with my relationship and family but I haven’t always. If I can’t help I can listen. But if it’s anything mean or negative in any way just don’t. No mom needs the extra stress, hurt feelings or bad vibes

I know this may come across as different and of course naturally be weary but I’m sure that you have at least one male on your personal friends list that is willing to chat with him either come by, by phone or chat/text…? To build up a relationship with the kid and be someone he can talk to privately monitored of course.
Where there’s a will there’s a way.

Thats why you start teaching them to wash properly when their 3 and 4 &5 by 6 it’s a habit

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for some of the comments…so sad, she is asking what it could be, concerned, not what your opinion is on her not circumcising her son, or your opinion on uncircumcised males. smh. yall grow up and act like you’re giving mother to mother advice not spitting judgmental comments.
to the the mom- I would hope he is comfortable with you enough to answer questions you may have like if he is in pain, hurting or if it itches, etc, and if he doesnt feel too “grown” even tho 11 is just a baby to me still I would definitely try to see to make sure he doesn’t need immediate attention before thurs. and show him, just once, how to pull the shin back, wash and talk to him about changes and how he will have to wash, shower and care for himself more as a preteen and as puberty, sweat acne etc. begins for both of yall sake! good luck.

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You should be be able to show him, well be in there and make sure he does it right. You dont have to literally do it. My kids started washing themselves at 2 to the best of their ability to do so. I watched or helped when needed. You’re single mom and yes he may be embarrassed but you have to be able to do those things without it being weird. My 13 year old came and asked me about purberty the other day because his dad blew him off. I told him its not something to be embarrassed about and weve all been there anf have gone through it.

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Most likely some kind of yeast infection. He maybe 11 but you need to look your his momma. You need to show him how to pull the foreskin back and clean it or it will get infected and can and will get stuck, basically like it’s glued closed. Happened to my son and he is circumsized. He was about 2-3 months old and the skin had went up around the head and the skin basically fused together and there was an infection. It was my first child and never dealt with baby boys so I had no idea what I was doing. I learned real quick though after that.

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Advice from my uncircumcised husband:
Take himtothe doc and make sure he doesn’t have yeast or something. But if it’s just a washing issue remember, He’s 11, put it in terms the boy will understand. “Wash your junk right or you will never get laid.”
My husband is crass, but most guys are. Be blunt.

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You as his mom chose to not circumcise him which is fine but regardless of age you need to be able to have these conversations with him about the importance of keeping his private parts clean.
Just ask him and remind him when you shower make sure you’re properly cleaning your private parts by pulling the skin back because If not you can get very bad infection and may need surgery to repair

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I would add flushable wipes in the bathroom it may help him clean more thoroughly & tell him make sure he push the skin back :person_shrugging:t4:

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In case it is yeast infection stock him up on yogurt. It’s a great natural way to help relieve yeast infections because of the bacteria in the yogurt. Also he may not be rinsing it out good enough so it could be causing another kind of infection. Ask him if it has a fishy smell. Good luck, and if you don’t feel comfortable having him circumcised dont but it wouldn’t hurt for you both to research the benefits if circumcision and uncircumcision and find out how he feels about it.

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Teach him to wash. If hes able to retract (and not all boys can at this age), then gently have him push the foreskin back and wash. Its like the vagina being a self cleaning system but still needs basic washing.

If it’s an infection he would have other symptoms such as burning, itching, discharge, etc. Ask him if he has any other symptoms. If he doesn’t, then he just needs to wash better.

Being 11 he could definitely be in the start of puberty causing his hormones to rage, hence the smell. It has nothing to do with leaving him as nature intended. Just remind him to shower and if he’s able to retract remind him to pull back and rinse with water only in the shower. NO SOAP.

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Honestly, I’d skip the Pediatrician and treat for yeast.

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