No one told me teenage girls are so messy! (And stinky?)
My oldest daughter is downright disgusting when it comes to her room and her laundry, and I’m scared to look under her bed. Her little sister (poor thing shares a room with the hoarding/moping/older girl monster), however, is a neat freak and the two DO NOT a happy shared-bedroom sisterhood make!! (The photo shown is an actual picture of my daughters’ shared bedroom. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME.)
Movies and sitcoms make it clear that teenage boys are the stinky ones, not girls, and so I was led to believe that:
- Boys leave slices of pizza to mold under blankets
- Their gym socks get up and walk away on their own
- In general, body odors from boys are much worse than girls
Well, I beg to differ.
Girls stink. Sorry, there’s no easy way to share this with you. The teen thing sets in STRONG by 14 years old and a mom can nag and whine, but no matter how many showers—and despite industrial strength deodorant—there is still a just-woke-up, morning girl smell that could knock over a hippo.
I once heard a child psychology expert talking about teens and bedrooms. He said you really have to think about their rooms like hotel rooms. When you’re on vacation you aren’t there for the hotel room; instead, you’re all about the stuff to do in the city you’re visiting. And it’s like that for teens. Their bedroom often is simply a stopover and a refueling place for the next “thing.”
My teen lately spends more time at school and at play practice than at home (including sleeping). And since she has nowhere near enough time to do that plus her chores and her schoolwork, and spend time with the family—which is more important to me right now than a super clean room—I’m trying to let it go.
A lot of that will change, however, when her high school musical is over (they’re staging a production of “Anything Goes!”) We’ll get her back in all her smells-like-teen-spirit glory in a month, after the play!
So which is it, SchoolFamily.com readers? Do girls win the "Teen Disgusting Bedroom Award" or is it boys who have a corner on the reeking stench market?
Posted by - Sandy on Apr. 03, 2013
My 13-year-old daughter is such a slob I've used footage from the hoarder program to try to convince her that she has a problem. She still doesn't see it, and has also taken to avoiding the shower whenever possible. She stinks and her room stinks and her attitude stinks. The last time I went in to muck it out I found a bottle of shampoo poured onto the (wooden!) floor under the clothes she'd discarded on top. I cannot imagine anyone sloppier of either sex; I'd guess athletes will stink more than she does, but that's it. (Lydia, believe me. It is everyone's responsibility to help everyone else because that is the way compassionate people behave. Relationship details do not matter a bit. And also remember that your room is on ,loan to you, you don't own it. You'll learn when you rent from a stranger that you follow other people's rules when you use their property.)Posted by - Lydia on Mar. 27, 2013
To the person who describes his step-daughter as a 'disgusting slob', what a compassionate and caring step-father you sound like! It's truly not your fiancee's 18 year old daughter's job to care for you. You aren't related to her, you're just someone her mother happens to be engaged to, so you have no right to 'get mad', never mind, 'get even'! No wonder she doesn't feel like helping you! As for her room, if she can live with it being messy, it's her choice and her responsibility; I highly doubt you spend much time there, because from what you've said it sounds like your fiancee's daughter really would not relish your company.In short, as a 15 year old girl with a step-dad in the picture, this post really infuriated me. You sound like a complete twat.
Posted by - Rob on Oct. 26, 2012
My fiance has an 18yr old daughter, and her room is absolutely disgusting. She has bags of garbage lying around for weeks, dirty plates that have been there for days, and laundry everywhere. To top it off, the carpeting is supposed to be beige, but is now black, because she is too lazy to vacuum.What bothers me, is mom has tried to say something, but to no avail, and unfortunately, I can't say much because I am the "stepdad". She spends hours everyday after school and work in the room on the computer, and God knows what else, and is very comfortable living in the dump. I have lived here for 2yrs, and I think she has put a little effort about 2X since then. She has friends stop by, and her boyfriend as well sometimes, and what surprises me, is she has no shame in her personal landfill. The only thing that is of any importance to her, is her self absorbed, know it all boyfriend. Her, and her brother are the laziest teenagers I have ever seen.
I had spinal surgery in May, and not once did she offer any assistance to me. Just a hello when she walked in the door, and straight up to her room for the rest of the night, as per orders from her boyfriend. His comment to me once was, "it's not her job to help you, it's your fiancee's". What a bastard he is as well. But, I figure, I won't get mad, I'll get even.
All I can say is LAZY, and she'll be that in the future. She now has one room to take care of, how is she going to do an apartment or house?
Two words describe her, DISGUSTING SLOB
Posted by - Mike on Sep. 18, 2012
Take everythingTv iPod cell phone
Until you are happy
Posted by - Melissa McClam on Mar. 24, 2012
I agree. I have a 13-year-old girl as well. It is true she is so lazy and hates to clean up her that she shares with her 6-year-old sister. I have to constantly nag her to clean her room. Sometimes their room have a odor I can not describe (they can not smell it ) but I can so I always have to crack a window or spray air freshner in the room.Posted by crogers on Feb. 29, 2012
SEE!!! I thought I was crazy too!? If what they say is true about boys... I'll be able to compare my youngest to the oldest in just a few years..Thanks Shannon!
Posted by - Shannon Geddes on Feb. 29, 2012
Thank you for this Carissa - I thought my 13 year old was the only REALLY messy teenage girl!!!! I didn't know that a girl could be so messy. But my 11 year old daughter is immaculate. I have tried everything to get her to clean her room, to no avail. You made me feel a little better about it.