Question for parents of teenagers

[blacklab]

I wonder how these kids are going to handle college? At UO, the dorms are the same as they were back in the day. And back then it was pretty much a wall of open showers, just like high school. No home to go to in college for a quick shower.

But then the Oregon campus usually reeks anyway because of all the dang hippies, so perhaps it's not an issue.

 

[wildwest450]

Luckily in high school, our gym teachers didn't demand much physical activity out of the girls (mostly because most of the girls I went to school with were b*tches that wouldn't walk fast or jog even if the teacher told them to, and would then curse out the teacher on top of it).

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x42R6jqkreQ&feature=related]YouTube - Cat Fight[/ame]

 

[MgMt_Home_Brew]

No, really sure if that's the direction society is headed. I think old-timers just don't care and I understand more and more every passing year. With each passing year, I just don't give a crap. I do what I'm gonna do and leave.

I know at my old gym, the old timers would just hang out (there was a little tv room in the locker room) naked and carry on conversations with each other in the buff.

Yeah I ment that society was heading in the direction of not being nude and all that good stuff. I understand that old timers like my dad just don't care if they are naked and will simply hang out (pun intended) and chit chat in the nude. Hell one guy would always shave at the gym naked I personaly would have wrapped a towel around myself but hey, what ever floats his boat.

 

[AnonyBrew]

Here is an article from NY Times in 1996!!!

It pretty much states much of what is being said here. It would seem the drop in showering happened between 1990ish and the time of the article.

Students Still Sweat, They Just Don't Shower - New York Times

Stink or Embarrassment? Which is the lesser of two evils?

That sounds about right. I graduated in 1987 and showering was normal back then. So looks like 1990 was the switch.

 

[McCall St. Brewer]

Wow, this is all very strange to me. Guys are afraid to be nude around each other? Weird. When I was in school, and we all took showers after gym and after sports practices, the men's locker rooms all had communal shower rooms. The women's locker rooms did not. When we would go on the road for basketball games, we would have to use their locker rooms and they had shower stalls, with curtains. We thought that was strange because we thought nothing of being nude in the locker rooms. It was not a sexual thing and I don't remember anyone ever being picked on for how much or little they were "endowed." I remember a lot of wet towel fights, but that's about it.

I used to go sometimes to a private athletic club that had separate facilities for men and women members. Until about two years ago, most men who swam in the pool there swam nude. I guess they changed that now, but until recently no one ever thought much at all about it.

I think I must be really getting old. I think I'll go watch a Lawrence Welk Show re-run on PBS.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

I never showered at school in the boy's changing rooms. I never actually worked up a sweat anyway during gym etc.

The only time I became interested in communal showers was when I was at our naturist camp. Something about sharing with girls that kept me clean and smelling fresh

 

[EdWort]

I think this nails it for a good number of kids today.

It also seems that a heightened awareness of sexuality, including the more open discussion in high schools today about homosexuality, has left many students fretting. Concern about the presence of gay students was mentioned several times as a reason not to shower.


"You never know who's looking at you," said Vicki Johnson, an 18-year-old from Algonquin, Ill.

Young guys just don't feel comfortable with other guys looking at their junk.

 

[dataz722]

Ok, is anyone else here surprised to see that there are kids from the class of 2000, 2001, and even 2003 active on a beer board?

Hey I resemble that remark

But actually the school that I went to didnt even have showers so we really didn't have a choice. It really was never a big deal because almost everyone played some sport of some sort so we were all smelly together.

 

[Austin_]

I graduated highschool in 2003. I wrestled and showered after practice sometimes, but not all the time. After PE I never showered. When the gym teacher lets you out 3 minutes before you have to go to your next class it makes it kind of hard to fit in a shower.

If a kid is taught to shower he will shower. If no one tells him to shower he will not shower. It's not instinct, it's taught. You have to look at parenting influences and school policies for the last couple decades that shaped the present attitude towards showering.

 

[jgln]

I was in high school in the late 80's and everyone showered. We always showered after games and practice. Especially football. Football weather in Oregon is basically rain and mud. No shower = covered in mud.

In Jr. high, I still recall the old school PE teacher with the tight @ss Bike shorts and the whistle. He would sit by the door to the locker room and make sure everyone showered. Wouldn't let you leave unless you did, or had a note from a Dr.

I can understand skipping the shower if you're going right home to shower there, but going out, or going back to class without showering? That's naaaasty! as Cleveland would say.

Funny, that is exactly how I remember it. PE teacher checking you off a list as you went into the shower which was one big room with a bunch of shower heads. Some kids just ran in and wet their towels to make it appear they showered. That was a shock to me coming from a Catholic school (after 6th grade) where we never had to shower, but then again all we ever really had was recess. Once I got over the shock I showered until I no longer was required to take gym in my senior year of HS. Graduated HS in 78. Man I really feel old now seeing some of your ages.

 

[dataz722]

Man I really feel old now seeing some of your ages.

Its ok. I would say about 98% of the people that I work with are old enough to be my parents... even grand parents for a few. I make sure to remind them of this from time to time.

 

[EdWort]

At Boy Scout summer camps, kids will not shower for an entire week if you let them. They just don't want to do it. These days, the camps recommend "Shower Shorts" for the boy's privacy since most of the camps have old communal showers back in the day when it was not a big deal to shower with other guys.

 

[jgln]

Its ok. I would say about 98% of the people that I work with are old enough to be my parents... even grand parents for a few. I make sure to remind them of this from time to time.

DE huh, I live across the river in Salem Co. NJ.

 

[EdWort]

Its ok. I would say about 98% of the people that I work with are old enough to be my parents... even grand parents for a few. I make sure to remind them of this from time to time.

Ok, sonny. :cross:

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

At Boy Scout summer camps, kids will not shower for an entire week if you let them. They just don't want to do it. These days, the camps recommend "Shower Shorts" for the boy's privacy since most of the camps have old communal showers back in the day when it was not a big deal to shower with other guys.

We had shower shorts when I was in the scouts too. But we were never afraid of the showers.... the latrines on the other hand... lets just say, most little boys are pretty capable of holding off a #2 for a full week or more. Gosh that was tuff!

 

[dataz722]

DE huh, I live across the river in Salem Co. NJ.

Well hell. I live like 15 min from the Del Mem bridge. We should meet up for a beer sometime.

 

[jgln]

Well hell. I live like 15 min from the Del Mem bridge. We should meet up for a beer sometime.

I'd try but these days I barely have time to meet up with my family and friends, besided do you really want to hang out with some old guy?

 

[hostileNabusive]

I think some of it has to do with society too. Doing more in less time. I graduated in '05 and in both middle school and high school we had time between periods cut and our lunch hour too, so we could start at 8am instead of 7:15.

If you get out of gym 5 minutes early 7 minutes after a period is enough time to shower. 3 minutes... not so much

 

[dataz722]

I'd try but these days I barely have time to meet up with my family and friends, besided do you really want to hang out with some old guy?

Well people tell me all the time that I act like an old man . Looking back its probably pretty acurate. Had what most would consider a career by the time i was 18, bought a house at 20, got married at 23 (last month actually ). So compared to the majority of people my age that are still living with their parents I guess I kinda am an old man to them.

 

[EvilTOJ]

I graduated in '95, and no one hardly used the showers. It's kinda hard to when they look exactly like what you'd find in a concentration camp; a big huge open room with hoses sticking out of the walls, with no privacy. They were awful. Combine that with self esteem issues of teenage boys and yea, hardly used ever.

I didn't shower after PE, but that's because I hated it with a passion and it was my form of silent protest.

 

[DJBod129]

I graduated in 2000, played football for 4 years... Took a shower exactly 0 times after football. I preferred to go home and take a long, relaxing shower after practice. :shrug:

+1 to not showering after PE because you have all of 1 or 2 minutes to change and get to your next class

 

[fat x nub]

At the high school i went to the freshman were thrown in a room with 4 walls and nothign else. That room was a oor off of the weight room which was located under the varsity lockeroom. The room had no showers or anything. If a freshman laid foot in the varsity locker room he would have gotten flammed and haze. If he even thought about taking a shower...he would be in there for a long long long time (would take his clothes and towel probably). When i played freshman football nobody and i mean NOBODY took a shower

 

[farmbrewernw]

I graduated highschool in 2001 and we took showers after practices and even after PE but yeah I think it's one of the follow the pack sorts of things, I just didn't like feeling all cruddy. The women never took a shower though, I think because our PE teacher was a lesbian.

 

[fat x nub]

All the varsity kids take showers....probably 90% of them. Not one freshman took a shower...ever

 

[gjg130]

I graduated High School in 2002 and most people that actually practiced hard showered after practice. Almost everyone showered after wrestling practice because you never knew what got on you during the time you were rolling around on the mat. I wouldn't want that stuff sitting on me any longer than it has too.

But as far as P.E we never really had time to do so but since I was in sports I never had to take P.E. I guess if I going to put my clean cloths on after practice I would shower but that is me. And our High School cleaned the shower everyday because they would complain about the mildew in them because we would us them to lose weight for wrestling.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

Guys that age think they are supposed to look like guys in pornos with a 10 incher and 8 pack abs.

Wait not everyone looks like that? Just me? weird.....

 

[Beards Brews]

This is reason number one I jumped at the opportunity to teach 12th grade and ditch 9th grade, which I taught last year. They smelled so bad it could make the paint bubble. I got tired of supporting febreeze and lysol.

This year my classroom doesn't stink so badly. Give him time, he'll grow out of it (unless he becomes a rock-n-roller, then it'll be 28 before he starts cleaning up):rockin:

 

[Donasay]

I graduated High School in 2002 and most people that actually practiced hard showered after practice. Almost everyone showered after wrestling practice because you never knew what got on you during the time you were rolling around on the mat. I wouldn't want that stuff sitting on me any longer than it has too.

But as far as P.E we never really had time to do so but since I was in sports I never had to take P.E. I guess if I going to put my clean cloths on after practice I would shower but that is me. And our High School cleaned the shower everyday because they would complain about the mildew in them because we would us them to lose weight for wrestling.

Yea, it was the wrestling thing that did it for me too, they could bleach those mats all they wanted, but for some reason they still would harbor the dreaded worm. There were a couple of guys on the team who didn't wash their stuff every day, and still more guys who wore their wrestling shoes outside the gym, or into the bathroom, in addition to the STANK I am sure those things just compounded the problem... All the more reason to wash it off asap.

 

[BoxofRain]

Showers are required in the H.S. I teach at. That being said, I'd be willing to bet dollars to doughnuts that the older kids shower and that this is an issue with self consciousness among the freshmen.

 

[mmb]

When I graduated in '96, after 4 years of swimming, track and cross country, everyone took showers after practice and it was odd to see someone wearing shower shorts. After gym, more often than not the guys in sports would take showers and the others wouldn't.

 

[billtzk]

Showers were required after PE and sports when I was in HS. Some people routinely skipped it, but most guys showered. It was just an open tiled room full of shower heads running full blast for the last five minutes at the end of the hour. A quick and perfunctory rinse was the order of the day. There was not a lot of horsing around, then a quick towel and slip back into your clothes half wet since there wasn't time to waste before next class.

The dorm showers when I went to college were also big open tiled rooms full of shower heads. There being no schedule, you might or might not be showering at the same time as others. I never noticed anyone in the dorm acting self-conscious though. The hard part for me was adjusting to the toilet stalls that had no doors. You get used to it eventually.

 

[AnOldUR]

The hard part for me was adjusting to the toilet stalls that had no doors. You get used to it eventually.

Forgot about that. No problem with the showers, but taking a dump is another thing. Never could get use to sitting next to another guy taking a crap.

Anyone mention boot camp? No way to go 12 weeks without getting in that gang shower.

 

[Kilgore_Trout]

Forgot about that. No problem with the showers, but taking a dump is another thing. Never could get use to sitting next to another guy taking a crap.

Anyone mention boot camp? No way to go 12 weeks without getting in that gang shower.

We had one un-covered toilet in our high school gym locker room. The art room was adjacent, so it was the closest bathroom for the teacher.

Every day of my sophmore year the art teacher would come in and take a huge dump, in front of a whole class full of changing kids

 

[MgMt_Home_Brew]

We had one un-covered toilet in our high school gym locker room. The art room was adjacent, so it was the closest bathroom for the teacher.

Every day of my sophmore year the art teacher would come in and take a huge dump, in front of a whole class full of changing kids

HAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[Jester369]

Class of 87 - showers were pretty much mandatory after PE class, and appropriate time was given. The kids that didn't want to shower were considered the odd ones. I really dislike the way we are programmed to feel that our bodies are nasty and should be covered at all times. I'm not saying I want to see a 400 lb dude walking down the sidewalk in the buff, but at the same time you shouldn't feel bad taking a shower in a locker room.

 

[Germey]

Class of 87 - showers were pretty much mandatory after PE class, and appropriate time was given. The kids that didn't want to shower were considered the odd ones. I really dislike the way we are programmed to feel that our bodies are nasty and should be covered at all times. I'm not saying I want to see a 400 lb dude walking down the sidewalk in the buff, but at the same time you shouldn't feel bad taking a shower in a locker room.

And we all thank our lucky stars that you are not of the puritan persuasion

 

[Jester369]

And we all thank our lucky stars that you are not of the puritan persuasion

Or, more importantly, that Red is not of the puritan persuasion!

 

[flyboy]

Back when I was in highschool, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, coach ding us a dimerit if we tried to ditch a shower after practice. He explained to us that if we wanted to catch the girl, we had to smell the part. Not just look the part. Now, the coaches don't dare do anything like that. All they need is one kid saying "Coach looked at me" and that poor teacher is hauled before the school board and black listed even after they've proven themselves innocent. They're only option is to let the kids smell like a wet dog after chasing a pig or have them choke on the frumes from their spray on crap.

 

[Brandon O]

Graduated in 99 from high school.

Even in junior high if you didn't take a shower you were considered a pansy.
I don't know if showers were mandatory, but if someone didn't take a shower everyone assumed it was because they had something to be embarrased about.

 

[jgln]

I'd try but these days I barely have time to meet up with my family and friends, besided do you really want to hang out with some old guy?

First, let me apologize to all for getting off topic. Not sure how to PM yet.

Too funny, after work that night (after posting) we took our dog to the local vet to get her stitches removed for her tail that needed to be cut off a while back. They also took off the cone she wore to stop her from biting at it. Just as I was about to go to bed at 11pm the dog went crazy whining, crying and going in circles after her tail, wouldn't stop. Turns out she opened the wound and it was bleeding and hurting her like hell. Long story, but next thing I knew we were on our way to Wilmington DE to the on-call vet. I was in the back trying to restrain a biting crying dog with blood all over me. She wasn't biting too hard, just trying to let me know she hurt bad and wanted me to let her go. She would lick my hand after each bite. She is such a good dog. We never been to this vet and got a little lost. Point is next thing I knew after talking about you being so close in Newark here I was in Wilmington at 1am. Didn't get to bed until 3:30.