Shortly after the beginning of this school year, my just-turned-11 year old son came home from school with a can of Axe body spray. He didn’t actually show me the can, it was only that evening after he showered when I inquired about an unfamiliar smell that he showed me the goods. He explained that a classmate whose mom worked in the fragrance business had brought some Axe products to school and shared them. My son had only started using deodorant the year before and had chosen to go with a mildly scented version of Old Spice since that is what his dad uses. So here we are a year later and I am being asked to go to the store in the morning to purchase Axe deodorant. When I explained that that wasn’t happening and that what he has been using is appropriate for his age, I got the old, “But Mom, everyone at school uses this stuff.” To which I replied, “Then it must smell like a perfume boutique in your locker room.”

I just didn’t get it. I was aware of these ultra-scented male body sprays and gels and deodorants but I assumed that young boys of my son’s age would be horrified at the thought of “male perfumes” and would run the other way. I explained to my son that I thought it was inappropriate at his age to smell like anything other than good old fashioned soap and water and shampoo. In fact, I told him that when I began dating as an adult, the most appealing and masculine scents were Dial soap and Right Guard or Old Spice. I don’t wear any perfume or body spray myself so I certainly didn’t want my 11 year old son perfuming our home. I am all for my kids expressing their own identity, but certain things will just have to wait. Fortunately, that was pretty much the end of that conversation.

So imagine my surprise when I came across this New York Times article addressing  just this issue. I had no idea that young boys all across the country were turning to spray cans to build self-confidence, fit in and attract girls. I’m not quite clear why some of the parents in this article don’t restrict the use of these products for their young sons since they seem to complain about needing to roll the car windows down on the way to school, but, to each his own. I am not naive and I realize that once my son has money of his own and is hitting the neighborhood pharmacy solo, all bets are off.  But for now, soap and water is where it’s at!