Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Don't Fret the Sweat


Blog_GOTR 5K 093 copy

If you've been following my blog for long, you'll know that my 10 yr old and I ran our first 5K together this last May as part of the Girls on the Run program. It was SO fun, that we've decided to do it again this fall - and we'll be running our next 5K the weekend before Thanksgiving. We can't wait!

But this post isn't about that.

This post is about raising boys and girls in this house. The deal is - dad tells the boys what they need to know, and I tell Wendy what I think she needs to know. We're pretty open about stuff over here, especially considering our Finnish nature. bit the way I figure it, it's just better to keep the discussion lifelines open so they don't ever have to be shy about asking anything. I don't want them to feel like what they are going through is anything embarrassing, or awkward, or that they need to be ashamed of. We're all wired the same way, we all go through the same stages more or less, so why be shy about it?

Wendy embraces my philosophy pretty well. As much as I've tried to slow down her development with hormone-free products, the fact remains - she's growing up.

Just last week she came soaring down the stairs with her nose all wrinkled and a "mooooooooooom" on her lips, followed by - I have a hair IN MY ARMPIT! She's so fun to raise.

It happens to the best of us, right?

While she has a book she can refer to (The Care and Keeping of You) she still looks to me for reassurance and confirmation and NOW WHAT??? From time to time, as she should and as I hope she always feels free to do.

Being that this girl is all about running, and rollerblading, and soccer, and volleyball, and playing hard in general (did I tell you about the leggings she wore through in one day??) we've already had the deoderant talk awhile ago.

In looking for a deoderant for her, first I let her use some Suave* deoderant that I had purchased for myself. Unilever is the leading manufacturer of deoderant and antiperspirants and the makers of Degree® Men, Degree® Women, Degree® Girl, Dove® AND Suave®. Their goal is to ensure that parents and their kids remains cool and confident throughout the day. I switched Wendy over to Degree* Girl the next time I remembered at the store. It's just a little more girly packaged for her overnight bags.

AND - Unilever also has a Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/Don'tFretTheSweat where you can find expert tips, tools and real-life stories about how parents are communicating and transitioning their tweens into confident and self-reliant teens.

No Sweat, Right?

Now as part of this campaign, I'm excited to be able to offer you, my readers, a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card and a Don't Fret The Sweat gift pack. This chance to win is open for a full month, from 10/4 - 11/4/11. You can also check BlogHer for even more chances to win!

Official Rules

----------------------------------------------------

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry
methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment
on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on
this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about
an alternate form of entry.


This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be
selected.

The Official Rules are available here.






97 comments:

  1. I think I started using deodorant when I was 11. My kids are still too young but I definitely worry about keeping B.O. under wraps as they get older, if their stinky socks are any indication.

    mami2jcn at gmail dot com

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  2. i wore thru clothes hard when i was a kid too! i was about 12 when i started using deodorant. scg00387 at yahoo dot com

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  3. http://twitter.com/#!/DesMoinesDealin/status/121399745599111168

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  4. I don't remember when I started using deo. I am 51... Can't remember that far back. Lol. My daughter is 23 now I don't remember when she started wearing it either. She takes good care of herself now, so guess we did something right. chefl@swbell.net

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  5. I think I was 12 when I started wearing deo.

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  6. i'm not looking forward to having this talk with my kids

    karinaroselee at gmail dot com

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  7. I'm pretty sure that I started wearing deodorant at a normal age, BUT something crazy has changed in the last 5 years or so and I've had to change over to clinical strength to help me out!

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  8. My twin boys just began the need for deodorant. I nag a lot, had them pick out their own choice of scent and I leave it out in plain sight as a reminder.

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  9. I'm definitely dreading it- the stink and the rest of the teenage stuff! :)

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  10. I think I started wearing deodorant at my early teens. I was always sweaty and no kidding, it wasn’t fun to be able to smell my own sweat, not to mention my close friends. It was one of my best friends who told me "it's time"! I better don’t go too much into details here! LOL

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

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  11. Unfortunately (although I have read it is healthy) I am a huge sweater so my mom had to introduce deodorant to me at about age 8--but I thought it was cool at the time because it was a "big girl" thing.

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  12. http://twitter.com/#!/fostertam/status/122695093093281793

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  13. Talking to kids about the changes in their bodies is hard. My niece shocked me so much with things other kids had told her. She still amazes me about some of the things they come up with. She loves Dove Girls.

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  14. I don’t remember the exact age for myself or my son! But, boys seem to need it once they hit puberty!
    Thanks! kmassmanATgmailDOTcom

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  15. I know my two teens still need reminders for showers and other personal care. And my youngest (1st grade) was so sweaty at the start of the school year I think he may need to start using something earlier than his big sis and bro did. Big bro also seems to think body spray is a good substitute to real deodorant/ antiperspirant. I hope dad and I can get through to him soon. Keep up the good fight!

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  16. we teach them to wash their hands after each potty use

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  17. I started at 12, and so far my kids have started using deodorant at that age also. I never have any trouble telling them that they need to use it. No one wants to be smelling up a room!

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  18. I started to wear deo when I was 13 or so if memory serves right.

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  19. http://twitter.com/#!/tcarolinep/status/124717033383395328

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  20. i was in fifth grade when i started using deodorant so prob around 11.

    pokergrl8 at gmail.com

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  21. http://twitter.com/#!/aes529/status/124920139295633409

    pokergrl8 at gmail.com

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  22. I started wearing deodorant around the age of 13. My daughters are still too young but wouldn't mind having the talk with them as they get older.

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  23. I tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/mom22girlz/status/125470477937414144
    mom22girlz at ymail dot com

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  24. I started wearing deodorant around 12. My baby is still too young though!

    melduke26 at gmail dot com

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  25. I started wearing deodorant around the age of 12 or 13. Personal hygiene is very important to me.
    tweety800265(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Tweeted
    http://twitter.com/#!/disneyfan40/status/125770970832187392
    tweety800265(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  27. I think I was about 15 before I started wearing deodorant. That was a long time ago so it is hard to remember.

    gmissycat at yahoo dot com

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  28. Tweeted too
    http://twitter.com/#!/gmissycat/status/126226015142944768
    gmissycat at yahoo dot com

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  29. Aww what a cute photo!! I was a late bloomer and didn't really need deodorant until about age 14 but a LOT of my friends used it around 11 and 12. Thanks!

    shevilkenevil1 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  30. Tweet:
    http://twitter.com/#!/roomofmyown/status/126765123103768576

    shevilkenevil1 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I was maybe around 13 when I first starting using deodorant...and now at 35 I'm always sweaty after having two kids.

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  32. My kids are still young. I think I started using deodorant around 13
    merleandtina@yahoo.com

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  33. http://twitter.com/#!/HappyTina0115/status/127628098404499456
    merleandtina@yahoo.com

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  34. i started using deoderant at 12..thank goodness for it
    nannypanpan at gmail.com

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  35. I started wearing deodorant around 11/12 yo
    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  36. tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/ChelleB36/status/128695934837194752
    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

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  37. I can't even remember when I started wearing it! Thankfully, my mom was cool about talking to me about it before it became an issue. amy.krauseATgmailDOTcom

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  38. I started wearing deodorant when I was around 13.

    rawrms (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  39. Tweeted:
    http://twitter.com/#!/livelovelynn/status/130031762633015298

    rawrms (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  40. You know, I have absolutely no idea when I had to start wearing deodorant. I guess that wasn't a milestone in my life:)

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  41. Tweet: http://twitter.com/njhhb/statuses/130334392131403776

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  42. My 9 year old daughters (yes twins going through puberty soon.....what fun) have just started wearing deoderant because it was time!
    nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  43. tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/KerryBishop/status/130348797002919936
    nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  44. I don't have any kids yet but I love Dove!

    anna [dot] posekany [at] hotmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  45. I'm looking forward to having this talk with my kid.

    babitababita@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  46. http://twitter.com/#!/zbabita5/status/130390358025707520


    babitababita@hotmail.com

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  47. I think I started to wear deodorant at about 12 years old

    ReplyDelete
  48. tweeted
    http://twitter.com/#!/fairydancer35/status/130701417630539776

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  49. i remember my first deodorant! it was teen spirit, haha.
    lyndsey dot hauck at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  50. My children are grown buy when they were young (10 to 12 years old) I helped them learn good hygiene talkin to them about good hygiene. I let them help pick out their hygiene products. I never had one talk but encuraged them to them daily to keep up their hygiene.
    helenkeeler@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
  51. tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/helen1949/status/130799665468801024
    helenkeeler@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
  52. I was about 12 or 13 when I asked my mother for some deodorant. When my son was around 11, I simply bought some for him and told him it was time to start using it. He was okay with that.
    bethelderton59 at gmail dot com

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  53. Thank goodness for deodorant when Junior High hit.

    ReplyDelete
  54. I started using deodorant when I was 12.
    traymona(at)aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  55. I don't look forward to this talk with my son! Maybe I can follow your strategy and have that be a Dad talk!

    Thanks,

    selinda_mccumbers at yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  56. My boys were about 11 or 12 when I bought them deodorant for the first time. They forgot about it at first but after a few reminders it became a routine.
    dahbou at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  57. Tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/didyouyarnthat/status/131206901663924224
    dahbou at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  58. No kids. I started wearing deodorant way back in the beginnings of time.. Or at least 50 years ago.
    Thanks for the contest.

    ReplyDelete
  59. I started using it when I was 13.

    ReplyDelete
  60. tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/lindabr1001/status/131361085616947200

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  61. I started at about 11. my kids are too young but I will be ready for them when it's their turn

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  62. http://twitter.com/#!/rsmc1/status/131583834104926209

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  63. I don't see a sweepstakes prompt, so I will just share this with you and hope that is OK: I started using deodorant in the 5th grade, which is when I hit puberty!
    Angie
    14earth at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  64. I tweeted here: http://twitter.com/#!/FotoMacro/status/131818348567728128
    Angie
    14earth at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  65. I started wearing it when I was about 11 my daughter is 10, and I got her some at the age of 9. Although she doesnt wear it daily she has it for when she needs it. sweepmorey at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  66. I tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/mommysdizzy/status/131869922614722560

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  67. Trying to get my teenager who is special needs to understand the importance of deodorant is difficult.

    ReplyDelete
  68. My husband recently bought 4 books to have the talk with my son. I am getting ready with my daughters. I don't remember when I started wearing deodorant. I think it was high school.
    chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  69. Tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/chipdip2010/status/132077550863257600
    chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  70. Not something I would have thought about - mine is still less than a year old.

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  71. I started when in my teens as did my daughter.

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  72. https://twitter.com/#!/cjwallace43/status/132170981778268160

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  73. Best I can recall, I started wearing deodorant around 9 or 10.

    mybeachylife at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  74. I don't remember when I first started using deodorant. My boys were about 11-12. I have 3 sons and to them it was not a big deal. I would have no idea how to help a girl through puberty.

    Thanks for the giveaway!
    eswright18 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  75. tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/eswright18/status/132225043987054593

    ReplyDelete
  76. MY TWEET (http://tormvilleextraextra.blogspot.com/2011/10/dont-fret-sweat.html)

    This is so great of a giveaway b/c I've tried to promote every "fun" way to do hygiene or all "threats" about getting the girls, to my 13 year old son...and to use HIS deodorant...NOT his Dad's...after he has used it 100 times after working ALL day! LOL! Thanks for the chance!

    ReplyDelete
  77. I was in my early teens when I first started using deo.Mom just walked by and handed a bottle and sid here use it!

    ReplyDelete
  78. I started wearing deodorant when I was 12 the same age my children started wearing deoderant

    s2s2 at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
  79. http://twitter.com/#!/susan1215/status/132455146289500161

    s2s2 at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
  80. I started using deodorant when I was like ten years old.
    MCantu1019 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  81. I was 10 or 11 when I started wearing deodorant.

    runningmatey at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  82. http://twitter.com/#!/LuckyDuckyToo/status/132500278346911744

    runningmatey at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  83. This package could really go over well with my nephew, he needs it. The toddler won't be needing it for a few years, so you know, lol. Thanks for the chance, love the giveaway!!!!

    kytah00@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  84. 2nd entry tweet @ http://twitter.com/#!/kytah00/status/132502423020380162

    kytah00@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  85. I think I was around 12 when I started wearing deodorant. Same for my kids, although it was sometimes hard convincing my son that he needed it!
    marcia.goss@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  86. Tweet.
    https://twitter.com/#!/mgoss123/status/132515823037333505
    marcia.goss@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  87. I don't know for sure when I started wearing deodorant, but I know for sure I was wearing it in middle school, especially because I had just moved to Florida from Newport, RI and I was not used to the heat and humidity.

    the imagine tree at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  88. I started using deodorant when I was 11. no kids yet

    purple_lover_04 at msn dot com

    ReplyDelete
  89. https://twitter.com/#!/purplelover04/status/132566481551622144

    ReplyDelete
  90. I started using deodorant when I was 11 or 12- I don't remember it being a big deal!
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    email in blogger profile.

    ReplyDelete
  91. tweet- http://twitter.com/#!/js22222222/status/132566273765801985
    email in blogger profile.

    ReplyDelete
  92. I was eleven and we had our class in an outdoor portable in Texas thus it was incredibly hot and the entire room would stink.

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  93. that's so amazing that you ran a 5K with your daughter, so inspiring! thank you for the post and the opportunity to win a giftcard yay :)

    abitnerdygirl at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  94. I tweeted http://twitter.com/abitnerdy/status/132657576495165440 :)

    abitnerdygirl at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  95. Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/computerfan/status/133023515774431232

    cranky30[at]hotmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  96. I wish that Unilever had had this Facebook page etc.. when I was growing up..it would have helped me alot..I was shy and really did not ask any questions..

    ReplyDelete