Hygiene Tips for Young Men

Just in time for Father’s Day, June is “Hygiene for Guys Month.” As teen guys’ bodies change, it is important to know how to keep clean and presentable. Teen guys often need guidance in personal hygiene to help them cope with the changes that happen to their bodies during adolescence. “Hygiene for Guys Month” is a perfect time to help teen boys develop a system of personal hygiene that will allow them to be healthy and socially acceptable.

Basic Skills in Hygiene for Guys

When teaching hygiene to teens with special needs, it is best not to many any assumptions. “Hygiene for Guys” from the Daily Living Series presents clear, specific directions on myriad skills young men need to stay healthy and fresh.

Whether you use this program or some other, it is important that you consider these aspects of the curriculum for your students:

Is it accessible? Make sure the reading level and concepts are written in a manner that is appropriate for your students.
Is it non-judgmental? Chances are your students are the “before” in any “before and after” examples of poor hygiene. That could prove embarrassing and off-putting for kids who just want to do the best they can. Try to find a program that simply gives the facts without any ridicule or judgment.
Is it specific? Our students aren’t good with innuendo; they need simple, step-by-step information on how to accomplish a task.

Free Lesson on Hair Washing

This free lesson from “Hygiene for Guys” from the Daily Living Series will give you a complete lesson on hair-washing. Here’s how to use it:

Outline what you’re going to learn. Prepare students for the lesson by explaining that you will exploring exactly how to wash your hair and how to know when it needs washing.
Read and discuss pages 17 and 19. This defines clean/dirty hair and explains the steps to wash your hair.
Demonstrate page 20. Pour 1 teaspoon of shampoo or conditioner into your students’ hands so that they may see what that amount looks like in their hand. When finished, have them draw circles to illustrate how that looks.
Use the calendar. Send “My Hair Washing Calendar” home so that students can begin to analyze their own hair. Be sure to check in class every couple of days to assure that students are marking their calendars. Or, you may want to leave the calendars at school and take a moment or two each day to mark the calendars.
Create a plan. At the end of the month, analyze the calendars to discover how often each student might need to wash his hair. Explain that those time periods might change with the weather and as they get older.

For More Information

Written on a 3rd/4th grade level with airy pages and lots of bullet-point information, the Daily Living Series nevertheless addresses teen sensibilities and humor while meeting federal guidelines for transition services and Indicator 13 requirements. Hygiene for Guys addresses all the basic hygiene questions for both guys and girls, but also goes into the skills needed for shaving, tending to jock itch and handling wet dreams. For more information go here.