What Age Did Your Child Start Wearing Deodorant?
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Last week, our oldest told us something surprising…
The other day our oldest, Allan, 9, came home from school with a big announcement: “Dad, I think I need to start wearing deodorant.” My first thought was, Already?! My second thought was, Do they make deodorant for a nine-year-old?
Apparently, his teacher had made an offhand comment about how some students in the class might be “smelling less than fresh.” Allan didn’t say who the comment was about, but took it to heart nonetheless.
And thus began our foray into the world of kids and body odor.
At first, I felt that nine years old feels a little early for this conversation. But then again, isn’t everything happening earlier these days? They’re asking about iPhones in kindergarten and perfecting TikTok dances before they’ve mastered cursive. Why not body odor in fourth grade? I honestly can’t remember when I started wearing it, but maybe it was 5th grade?
After doing a little research (read: Googling “when do kids start needing deodorant?”), I learned that body odor can kick in as early as eight years old. It’s tied to the onset of adrenarche, a pre-puberty stage when the adrenal glands start doing their thing. Basically, it’s biology’s way of reminding you that your little kid isn’t going to be little forever. Sigh!
What struck me most about the whole deodorant conversation wasn’t the logistics of finding the right product, but honestly how self-aware Allan has become. This is our same boy who used to do silly break-dance moves on the kitchen floor and always started counting at the number four instead of the number one, and now he’s worried about smelling bad? It’s like a tiny preview of the middle school years, when social awareness ramps up and personal hygiene becomes a thing.
To make it less awkward, we approached it by letting him know that everyone goes through this phase. It’s just part of growing up and we all experienced it, too.
If you’re facing a similar situation, here are a few things we learned along the way:
Start the Conversation Early: Even if your child isn’t showing signs of needing deodorant yet, it’s worth introducing the idea of personal hygiene. It’s less intimidating when it’s framed as a normal part of life.
Let Them Choose: Giving your child a say in the deodorant selection process makes them more likely to actually use it. Bonus: It’s a fun little rite of passage.
Keep It Light: This doesn’t need to be a serious “sit-down” moment. Laugh about it, share your own awkward stories, and remind them that everyone’s body changes.
Be Patient: Kids don’t always get it right on the first try.
When did your child start wearing deodorant? Was it because of an offhand comment like Allan’s teacher’s? Or did you notice it before they did? Things are only going to get more interesting from here: Allan turns 10 next year!
UPDATE: All the comments over on Facebook have been so helpful!
