It’s one of the most dreaded experiences young people can go through at school…
I’m talking about having to shower with their peers after gym class.
And you gotta feel for this woman’s daughter because she’s obviously having a really hard time with this situation.
But is this mom taking things too far?
Read on and see what you think.
AITA for making my daughter shower in PE?
“I (F45) have a 14-year-old daughter, who I’ll call Mikaela.
Mikaela has barely hit puberty and is less developed than the majority of her peers, which I believe is something she is self-conscious about.
Last week, my husband and I received an email from Mikaela’s school saying that because it was approaching the summer, it would now be mandatory for all students to shower after PE.
I understand the logic; Mikaela does PE before lunch and if she doesn’t shower, she’ll be sweaty for the rest of the day, which I don’t believe is hygienic. The school requested that we pack a towel and any shower gel for the next PE lessons to ensure the students were ready.
Her daughter isn’t having it.
When I mentioned this to Mikaela, she said she would refuse to shower. Since the showers are communal, she told me she did not want to be undressed in front of everyone else and would just get dressed.
I told her she couldn’t do this as the school were enforcing it, plus I felt it was healthy for her to shower. Again, she asked me to email the school to say she wouldn’t be participating, but I refused to do so.
On Friday, despite many protests, I managed to make Mikaela go to school with her towel/shower stuff packed.
I felt like I was doing the right thing.
Uh oh…
However, when Mikaela got home, she’d been crying all day saying how she’d had to get undressed in front of everyone to shower and she’d never been so embarrassed because she saw one or two of the girls laughing at her.
I told her how sorry I was and that teenage girls are horrible and that she’s beautiful, but for hygiene reasons, she still has to shower.
I suggested bringing in a swimming costume to wear to shower in, but she said that would bring even more attention to her.
This is actually pretty sad…
She begged me to email to school to not let her shower, but I said I had no good reason to, and I’m sure all of the other girls feel the same.
She told me she can’t stand me and has barely spoken to me the rest of this weekend. My husband feels I should send an email as it doesn’t hurt and Mikaela is clearly bothered, but I don’t think it’s a big deal, she will eventually get over it, and it’s important for hygiene reasons.
AITA?”
And here’s how folks reacted on Reddit.
One individual said she’s an *******.
This person agreed.
Another reader shared their thoughts.
And another Reddit user said she’s acting like an *******.
I see where the mom is coming from, but if doing this is so traumatic for her daughter… it just isn’t worth it.
Wet wipes and deodorant it is!
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