Question:
My son (14) has developed the worst health habits. He doesn't like showers, toothbrushes, or Kleenex. I can only nag him so much. How can I motivate him to get with the program?Answer:
ParentingTeensOnline expert Andrea Marks, M.D . discusses, “Encouraging better health habits in teenagers.” Dr. Marks is an adolescent medicine specialist in New York and serves as Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She answers:
I wonder if your son’s behavior is in sync with his friends in disliking showers, toothbrushes and Kleenex, or just a “personality” trait of his, or whether his ill-kempt nature could be a symptom of depression or other emotional problem. If he is just going through a phase like others in his peer group, the phase will likely pass and his friends will not be helpful to you in getting him to change. If it is just symptomatic of his nature, then perhaps you can get his friends to help, by their telling your son that his body odor and bad breath really turn them off. But if there is something seriously wrong, you will need to seek professional help.