In an online plea for advice and support, a perplexed father opened up about an unusual problem he faced with his 14-year-old son’s hygiene habits.
With his wife currently ill and unable to manage household chores, the father had taken over laundry duties and discovered an alarming issue he couldn’t ignore.
A Smelly Situation To Be In
The original poster (OP) shared that despite being a teenager, his son seemed incapable of properly wiping himself after using the toilet.
The situation was particularly distressing because the boy’s mother had previously taken care of the laundry, shielding OP from the unsettling state of his son’s underwear.
Now confronted with the unsavory truth, OP gagged at the sight of the soiled garments.
Determined to address the matter, OP talked to his son about the hygiene problem, hoping it would lead to improvement.
Unfortunately, despite the discussion, the situation remained unchanged. Faced with a baffling dilemma, OP decided to take matters into his own hands.
To tackle the hygiene issue, OP devised a two-fold solution.
Wipe Or Wash Ultimatum
Firstly, OP installed a bidet in the bathroom his son used, providing an alternative method for cleaning after using the toilet.
Secondly, OP presented his son with an ultimatum: either use the bidet or take responsibility for washing his soiled clothes himself.
The son did neither. Instead, he stopped wearing underwear, which only made the problem worse.
In an effort to force a change, OP toyed with the idea of involving the boy’s friends and seeking medical advice to rule out any underlying physical or psychological factors contributing to his son’s struggles.
However, when OP shared this plan with his son, the boy was clearly unhappy and promptly complained to his mother about it.
OP’s wife, upon learning of the situation, requested that OP refrain from embarrassing their son and assured him that she would take over laundry duties upon her return.
Nevertheless, OP remains deeply troubled by the issue of his 14-year-old son’s inability to maintain personal hygiene and feels the need to address it.
Feeling uncertain about the best course of action, OP turned to the online community to get help with navigating this challenging situation.
Online Reactions
As the discussions unfolded, the internet jury weighed in with a mix of opinions, advice, and even a dash of humor.
One user, SecretJealous4342, couldn’t help but remark that 14 was a bit late for a butt-wiping tutorial, putting the blame on OP’s wife.
“14 is a little late in life to be learning how to clean your butt after using the toilet. Your wife is doing him no favors by allowing and coddling this behavior.”
But amidst the chuckles and bemusement, some users voiced concern over potential underlying medical issues.
-QueefLatina- shared a personal anecdote of a similar situation in their family, where a bowel obstruction was the real culprit.
“I’m not going to pass judgment here, but I do want you to know that you should maybe get it checked out at the doctor. One of my cousins was having the same problem (they were around 10 at the time), and my aunt and uncle were at their wits end with it. Turns out he had some kind of a bowel obstruction, and it wasn’t that he wasn’t wiping thoroughly, it was that the poop was always just there trying to get out. Once the problem was sorted out, he never had issues with it again.”
It served as a gentle reminder that sometimes, even seemingly straightforward problems might have deeper roots.
Cherralily opted for a more humorous take on the matter, playfully pointing out the irony of the son,
“It’s hilarious that he finds the bidet gross, but the s**t stain in his clothes isn’t?”
KingAlastor, on the other hand, couldn’t help but wonder about the scent situation.
With a whiff of annoyance, the user pondered whether the son was oblivious to the lingering odor of poop that accompanied him wherever he went.
The advice didn’t end there, as BeeYehWoo chimed in, delivering a dose of tough love wrapped in concern.
The user suggested that drastic measures were required to rectify the situation and that OP shouldn’t ignore the issue any longer.
Interestingly, BeeYehWoo saw hope in the son’s embarrassment when faced with the prospect of discussing his poop problem with friends, interpreting it as a glimmer of care buried beneath the surface.
In response to the growing chorus of opinions, ChellesBelles89 stepped forward, highlighting an overarching theme.
This wasn’t merely about the son’s wiping woes, but it was indicative of a larger problem—his apparent lack of independence and self-sufficiency.
At 14, doing one’s laundry should be a basic life skill, and it was clear that OP had underestimated the need for his son to learn such fundamental tasks.
The Verdict
This story highlights how parental responsibilities aren’t always as straightforward as they seem.
Burdened by his spouse’s illness, OP has found himself navigating new waters as he tries to fill her role and address his son’s deficiencies.
As per all the comments from social media, OP’s situation calls for a delicate balance of empathy and firmness.
It is a call for OP to get more regularly involved in child care and balance support with responsibility.
While medical issues can’t be ruled out and deserve exploration, fostering independence and self-care in the son is equally essential. That is the only way that he will grow up to become a self-reliant adult.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments. Do you think the OP from this social media post was wrong?
AITA for forcing my son to use a bidet and threatening to talk to his friends or take him to the doctor about his underwear
by u/Normal_Suggestion276 in AmItheAsshole
Featured Image Credit: EdZbarzhyvetsky /Depositphotos.com.
This article originally appeared on Ash & Pri.
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