Grooming should be taught early on

In a society where the grooming and self-care of men is often overlooked, Ajie Fortune Reuben aka Girl Talker took a moment to reflect on how boys, particularly in their formative years, are often left out of the grooming narrative.

On the Honest Brunch podcast monitored by MyNewsGH, she highlighted a concerning trend: “Some people in their houses have women, girls, and boys. Nobody really looks at the boys.”

Girl Talker raised an important point about societal expectations. “There’s this notion that only women should be nurtured and taken care of, while men can be whatever and however they want to be,” she observed.

“This attitude grows with them, and when they get to a certain age, they start realizing that they need to start taking care of themselves.”

Her perspective echoes the struggles many men face as they grow older without being taught the basics of grooming. From a young age, boys often aren’t encouraged to pay attention to their appearance in the same way girls are. This can lead to unhealthy grooming habits as they age.

Talker believes that parents and caretakers need to take a more active role in grooming young boys, teaching them that taking care of themselves is essential.

“When men get to a certain age, they feel like, ‘Oh, I need to start taking care of myself,’” she explained. “But nobody really takes care of the boys when they are young. Grooming should be something that’s taught early on.”

This insight is particularly important because it ties grooming to self-care and self-esteem, something that affects both men and women.

Just as young girls are often taught how to care for their hair, nails, and skin, boys need to be introduced to these concepts too.

Talker shared a personal anecdote from her childhood: “My father told me that only lazy men let their nails grow long. Since then, I made sure my nails never grew beyond a certain length.” Her father’s lesson, while simple, served as an important grooming rule that she carried with her into adulthood.

She emphasized that grooming should be seen as a nurturing practice, not a superficial one. Whether it’s trimming nails, getting a haircut, or learning the basics of skincare, these actions are essential to building confidence and self-respect for both boys and girls.