Stepmother allows 15-year-old stepdaughter to go to school wearing stinky pajamas: 'I figured she's old enough to dress herself.'

She shouldn't have let her leave the house like that. 

If someone in your life suddenly starts dressing like they just rolled out of bed and smelling like they haven't rolled out of bed in days, it's not a bad idea to check in with them and see how they're doing. People don't start looking like ragamuffins to make a fashion statement, especially when they're teenagers. Often, a newly developed lack of care for hygiene and appearance is a symptom of something else going on. They might be experiencing health problems that make it difficult to get up and care for themselves. They could be going through a breakup or a difficult time in their relationships. They might have lost someone close to them and are finding it difficult to see the point in getting out of bed and brushing their teeth if that person isn't around anymore. It's rarely a case of someone being too lazy or clueless to prioritize their hygiene, although some teenagers really think that because they don't smell the stink on themselves, other people must not be able to. Heck, some adults believe that, too!

Telling someone they stink and need to take better care of themselves isn't an easy conversation to have. You can say it as nicely as you want to, but there's a very good chance that they will be offended by it, no matter what. Still, it needs to be said, and it's better for it to come from someone they love than from their boss or their ruthless peers. It's better to stop your teenager from leaving the house looking like a mess and incurring their wrath than to let them bear the brunt of judgment at school.