Imagine showering twice a day, using deodorant, and wearing perfume — yet still being told by your mom that you “stink.” One teenager had enough and finally yelled back. But was she wrong?
The Backstory and Early Dynamics
The story comes from a frustrated teen who says her mom constantly comments on how she smells.
Even when she just steps out of the shower, her mom claims she needs “another one.”
The teen explains that she’s obsessive about hygiene: she showers twice a day — once in the morning and again after sports practice — always uses deodorant, and even sprays perfume before leaving the house.
But despite all that, her mom keeps saying things like, “Did you even shower?” or “You don’t smell clean.” Sometimes, her mom even leans in to sniff her — which the teen says feels invasive, embarrassing, and hurtful.
Over time, those comments took a toll. The teen started asking her friends if she smelled bad. Every single one of them said she didn’t. That’s when she realized the issue wasn’t hygiene — it was her mom’s behavior.
The Moment Things Shifted
The breaking point came one evening after practice. The teen had just taken her usual second shower, but before she could even finish drying her hair, her mom made the same comment again:
“It doesn’t smell like you showered. You need to take another one.”
That’s when the teen snapped. She yelled at her mom to “leave me alone!” and told her she was tired of being made to feel disgusting when she clearly wasn’t.
Her mom looked shocked, and her dad jumped in to say she was overreacting — that she should’ve just ignored it. But how long can someone “ignore” the same insult over and over?
The Final Confrontation
After the argument, the teen tried to explain her feelings calmly. She told her mom that these constant remarks were damaging her self-esteem and making her feel terrible about her body.
Instead of apologizing, her mom reportedly got defensive. She acted as though her daughter’s outburst was “disrespectful,” rather than understanding how years of criticism had built up.
The dad sided with the mom, saying yelling wasn’t the answer — but to the teen, silence had never helped either.
The Fallout
Since the blow-up, things have been awkward at home. The teen says she feels guilty for yelling but also relieved for finally standing up for herself.
She’s stopped trying to get her mom’s approval and is focusing on feeling comfortable in her own skin. Still, she wonders if she crossed the line by shouting — or if her mom’s words pushed her too far.
What Reddit Thinks
Reddit’s judgment? NTA (Not The Ahole).**
Most commenters said this wasn’t about hygiene — it was about control and emotional harm. Constantly telling someone they smell bad when they don’t can cause anxiety, body dysmorphia, or long-term insecurity.
Here are a few realistic Reddit-style takes:
Comment 1: “NTA. This isn’t normal parental concern — it’s verbal bullying. You’ve tried everything, and she’s not listening.”
Comment 2: “Sounds like your mom has some weird obsession with cleanliness or smell. You’ve done your part. She’s the one crossing boundaries.”
Comment 3: “Honestly, your dad saying ‘ignore it’ is part of the problem. Ignoring constant shaming doesn’t make it go away.”
A few suggested possible causes — maybe the mom has a heightened sense of smell or an emotional issue tied to hygiene. But either way, most agreed that it’s not fair to project that onto a child.
A Final Thought
This story isn’t really about smelling bad — it’s about how easily love can turn into criticism when parents forget that words stick.
If your child does everything right and still gets torn down, is it about them… or about something you haven’t dealt with yourself?
Sometimes, setting boundaries isn’t rude — it’s the healthiest thing you can do.