Well I am so glad I don't have girls - using a deoderant has traumatised my 10 year old son!

[MrsRichards]

Traumatised is an exaggeration of course but I didn't expect him to get teary and scared about using it. I cannot imagine how girls of that age cope with periods. (I don't remember how I coped myself but I was 12.5). I even offered for him to put the deodorant on me first. In the end I had it all up my arms before we got it under his arms

DS has started to smell in the hot weather so I thought a simple deodorant would be a good idea. He is 10.11 and year 6.

Any other parenting tips welcome for these young developers welcome!

Oh poor thing I remember having to show ds how to roll it on and how much to use etc. Actually the other day ds did say he was really glad he didn't have periods!

oh that has just reminded me - he has sex education at school tomorrow!

valium - it was the act of showing him how to roll it which got it all up both my own arms

My ds is 11, I bought a load of different deoderants and put them in his room, I've also done this with skin treatments as he is starting to get a few spots, told him I'm here if he needs me and left him to experiment himself.

My dd is 9, I started my periods at 9 so we had a chat about it a while ago, and again, recently, I bought a load of sanitary towels/liners for her to experiment with and come talk to me if she needs me.

They have both went off to think about it and try these things themselves in their own time then come to me for advice about it when they feel more relaxed,

Its so horrible, I remember being that age and the pressure there is so I have tried to be as chilled, open and honest as possible.

These years are hard enough to navigate without embarrassing or upsetting them, I'm dreading the teenage years

poor dear dd1 is 7 and has been using deodorant (intermittantly) for about a year (She has weeks when she smells and then weeks not so much). We use a gentle non-aluminum based spray on.

beer I did the same,I didn't get the parenting memo about having to ask them!

you are supposed to ASK?!?!? well that is where I went wrong then!

Slimshady - it sounds to me like you have handled this brilliantly - well done!

Ah my 12yr old leaves the house in a cloud of deodorant every morning, I am sat trying to have a cuppa whilst choking on the stuff!! His dad has had to hide his stuff , going back a few months/maybe a year he hated the stuff!

I've banned lynx, it got too much,ewwww!

My mum just screamed "You stink! You're disgusting!" Then told the family I had BO. Very humiliating and upsetting. You sound lovely and thoughtful.

I would have loved to have had someone buy me a roll-on and suggest I use it. I probably still would have cried at having to admit to growing up, but at least I could have done that in privacy.

awww shatnersbassoon

Did I do wrong by buying Lynx roll on? Will I live to regret the smell?!?

Oh that's awful

My mum was a really hippy type and didn't wear deodorant, it was people at school that teased me so I bought some that's why I bought some in plenty of time for ds!

Lynx roll on is fine, it's the spray that's the killer!!

I'm sure lynx is why older kids don't get nits as they can't stand the smell

Where's my post gone?!

Could someone recommend a good non aluminium etc deodorant for young boys.
Have noticed DS a wee bit sweaty this weather.

Some branches of Boots do a deodorant designed for kids. One for younger kids called fresh kidz by keep it kind as a roll on and they also do a spray for older kids in the same range. It has no nasties in it and seems to do the trick for ds.

Ds needs hard core deodorant now or he really stinks, he's 12.

Yeah, hormone bursts probably, usually he's fine and then suddenly he reeks, poor thing. I do feel sorry for teens.

DD uses Sanex Zero (no parabens/ aluminum/ alcohol) It doesn't have a scent that I would identify as masculine or feminine.

Not heard of that one, I'll have a look, thanks