Why are 5th grade boys so obsessed

[ttaylor508]

My son is now in 6th grade and showers every day, but I remember last year, it was all I could do to get him to shower twice a week. It was simply an inconvenience for him. In his defense, he hasn't started "stinking" yet, but there are plenty of kids that have the "funk". The 5th grade teachers at our school have deodorant sitting on the kids desks the first day of school. I just think some kids are slower to get the personal hygiene thing. As for the "naked" pictures, I think it is just the age of discovery and it isn't as fun snickering when they aren't with their buddies.

[Crankin]

I think only some of them stink, because only some of them use deodorant. A lot of parents don't think of "telling" their son they need to use some, along with the showering. Thankfully, my boys liked taking showers.
I used to keep a can of Glade in my classroom. When the weather got warm and what you are describing invariably happened, I would bring it out, spray it around and say, "Someone in here stinks. Please use deodorant."
That worked every time. If not, I sent them to the nurse who explained it in a nicer, but more clinical way.

As an aside, over Thanksgiving we flew to San Diego to see my son in the Marines. My older son was there, too, along with his girlfriend. We were all sitting in the living room of our hotel suite and someone really did smell. Not badly, but it was there. Everyone was accusing the other, until I went around and gave my boys the "sniff test." Just because they are grown ups, doesn't mean I can take them smelling bad.
We had a good laugh, since only a mother could do that.

[kelownagirl]

We watched a video on plants with my grade 3's today and there was entirely too much talk about pollen and reproduction for my kids, including a bumblebee that tries to mate with a flower.

[Cataboo]

This brings back memories of 5th grade... Tony McGlauphin or whatever really stunk. Big bumbling guy. The teacher would at least 2 times a week give us a lecture on personal hygiene, showering, and using deoderant. I think she gave the rest of us a complex... But Tony never caught on. So he'd reek, and the teacher would continue to lecture.

I remember we had to do square dancing.... and he was standing there holding his arms crossed across his chest with his hands in his armpits (he was wearing a sleeveless red shirt)... then he took them out and I had to grab his hand, it was one of those things were you exchange your partner.

Blech.