“I’m Not Picking Up Their Kids”: Dad Puts His Foot Down After Chauffeuring Son’s Smelly Friends

Parents have to juggle a dozen jobs at once. They’re therapists, chefs, chauffeurs, educators, cleaners and more. And despite balancing all of the responsibilities that come along with taking care of their own kiddos, they sometimes have to assist their children’s friends as well.

One father, who has been giving his son’s friends rides home, realized that nobody has stressed the importance of hygiene to these boys. So below, you’ll find the full story that the dad posted on Reddit detailing why he refuses to give them rides anymore, as well as some of the replies invested readers shared.

This dad has been giving his son and his friends rides home from sports camp

Image credits: Mint_Images (not the actual photo)

But he refuses to be their chauffeur anymore unless they all start wearing deodorant

Image credits: BasisTight9553

Most kids start developing body odor between the ages of 8-14

We all know how important hygiene is, but it’s easy to forget that this is something we had to learn about in our youth. We don’t just instinctively know how to brush our teeth, that we need to shower every day and that we need to wear deodorant to ensure that our friends and loved ones don’t have to plug their noses around us. But it is important for parents to keep a close eye (or nose) on when their little ones start getting smelly, so they can properly educate them about hygiene.

According to Kids Health, children usually start developing some body odor around the time they begin puberty. For girls, this is typically between 8 to 13 years old, while boys might not start getting stinky until they’re between 9 to 14. Odors can be controlled by bathing every day, especially after sweating, wearing clean socks and underwear every day and of course, starting to wear deodorant.

Kids Health notes that both deodorants and antiperspirants are safe for kids to use, but it’s wise to choose a product that they like. If a child has sensitive skin, certain products may cause rashes, so they should be sure to choose something that smells nice and doesn’t irritate their skin.

A variety of factors can impact how a person smells

While sweating is often blamed for body odor, the Cleveland Clinic notes that sweat itself is actually odorless. But it’s the way that sweat reacts with the bacteria on our skin that can cause a foul odor. And sweating isn’t actually the only thing that can cause us to get stinky. Other factors that might affect your odor are exercise, stress or anxiety, hot weather, being overweight and genetics.

While the bacteria on your skin might be causing you to stink, there are actually certain foods that might be making your odor even more pungent. If your diet contains a lot of onions, garlic, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower or red meat, you might be particularly stinky when you sweat. And if you’re sweating a lot, it might be because you eat a lot of MSG, spices like curry powder or cumin, hot sauce and other spicy foods, or drink a lot of caffeine or alcohol.

If you notice a change in your body odor, that’s something to be aware of too, as it could actually be caused by an underlying health issue. Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, gout, menopause, overactive thyroid, liver disease, kidney disease and infectious disease have actually been linked to causing changes in body odor. Hormonal changes, like a woman being on her period, may also lead to smelling a bit differently than usual.

Body odor can usually be managed with a consistent personal hygiene routine

When it comes to reducing body odor, kids can follow similar personal hygiene routines to their parents. And according to WebMD, the first step to smelling fresh as a rose is to keep yourself squeaky clean. It’s also wise to use antibacterial soap to help eliminate odors. When drying off after showering, make sure that you towel off well, as it’s easier for bacteria to grow in moist places.

If you know you’re prone to sweating a lot and smelling unpleasant, you also might want to look into industrial strength antiperspirant. WebMD notes that you don’t need a prescription to get a powerful deodorant, so using one with aluminum chloride twice a day can help keep sweat, and scents, at bay. 

And of course, keep your clothes clean. Don’t leave sweaty gym wear sitting in a bag all week before washing it, and change your socks and underwear every day. Watch your diet if you’re prone to stinking, and you may need to cut back on the garlic and onions if your partner notices that you’ve been smelling a bit more than usual. Put on deodorant at bedtime as well as in the morning, and try to keep your underarms dry as often as possible. 

We would love to hear your thoughts on this smelly situation in the comments below, pandas, and then be sure to check out this article discussing personal hygiene!   

Later, the father responded to some comments from readers and provided more info on the situation

Many readers assured the dad that he’s allowed to put his foot down

However, some thought he was being unfair to the boys

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