As kids across America begin packing up for summer camp, moms need to be reminding their teen sons that they can't wash their hair in the swimming pool and that staying clean and healthy is just as important as having fun.

A lot of boys away from home really let themselves go, sporting long, dirty fingernails, greasy hair and smelly underarms that can make a bunkhouse smell like a barn. That's the bad news.

The good news is preparing your son for summer camp is actually a great parenting moment. It's a chance to teach him the importance of good grooming while promoting self-sufficiency, which is a big part of what going to camp is all about in the first place. But how do you do it?

Finding the right moment to talk to our sons about good hygiene and grooming has always been one of mom's biggest parenting challenges. Moms have lots of questions. When is the right time to talk? What should I say and how should I say it? What does he need? As a mother who raised three sons, I remember well confronting these questions and wishing for some kind of support. And while I managed, it certainly would have been easier if there had been information and products - just for boys - to make the whole idea of personal grooming much more appealing.

That's why I was so glad to learn about OT, the first line of personal care products ever made just for tween and teen guys. Developed by guys for guys, OT appeals to guys' extreme interest in sports, using bold sports packaging and names like "Pit Defense" deodorant and "Head to Head" shampoo. There has never been anything like OT before. And it couldn't come a moment too soon for moms dealing with their growing boys.

It's as if one day our sons go from smelling like baby powder to smelling like B.O. Certainly we love our sons, but with their developing bodies producing more oil and odor than ever before, sometimes their smell is something not even a mother could love, let alone a camp counselor.

Working with Dr. Chris Thurber of the American Camping Association, I developed five tips on good hygiene for parents sending their boys to camp.

1. Tell your son to shower daily. Explain that camp is a unique experience of community living away from home and that being an accepted part of the community means making sure your body, breath and feet don't smell.



2. Explain the importance of using warm water, soap and shampoo to remove germs from his entire body. Clean bodies are less prone to colds, fungus and other health plagues of camp life.



3. Be clear that just because he doesn't look dirty, doesn't mean he doesn't smell bad. Smelling bad can lead to teasing. Tell him to use deodorant or antiperspirant to make sure he smells fresh throughout the day.



4. Remind him that changing clothes every day is important. And yes, this means clean underwear every morning. Pack 1-? times the everyday items your son needs. So, if laundry is done once a week, pack 10-11 changes of clothes.



5. Pack the shower equipment he needs to stay fresh and look good, like OT shampoo, body wash, deodorant or antiperspirant and hair gel or pomade.

Sending your son to camp promotes self-sufficiency, teaches responsibility and helps him learn respect for others. Make sure he packs the things he needs to stay clean, and remind him to use them, to practice good hygiene daily for his own well being - and because it's a way of showing respect for others.

Kathy Peel is a best-selling author of more than 18 books, a contributing editor to Family Circle magazine and the CEO of Familymanager.com

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