How do you get a 10 yr. old boy to take a GOOD bath?

Question

My son used to like bath-time, but now it's like pulling teeth. He rushes through it, sometimes not even using soap. He thinks just because he got wet that he is clean. We have had the discussion about how his body is starting to change and he needs to be mindful of taking care of his body so that he doesn't stink. I am at wits end. Short of bathing him myself or sitting in there with him, which would be embarrassing to him and uncomfortable for me, I don't know what to do.

Answer 1

Ha ha. It is that time in which even talking to our parents about our bodies was SO hard for us. They are growing and as hormones are on the way, they get far too lazy. I am a teenaged girl and even I went through that. Not only boys do that I guess. Try to take him to the store, and let HIM choose what he wants to use in his body. Such as soap shampoo and even the puff. It is good that way, because it shows them that they are now independent and have their own stuff that they are going to use only. So, then he'll use it the proper way. Good luck with the little rebel! Just kidding! =)

Answer 2

Reward the child however you must monitor him while he is bathing in order to ensure that he has fully washed up. Let him know the importance of being clean, inform him of stories where children and adults who have not cleaned formed diseases and bacterial growth, ended up in the hospital, had worms growing from the infections, maggots forming in uncleaned areas (yes this is true). A little bit of fear is healthy in order to induce the mind to believe in cleaning for sake of hygiene and health. Secondly, consider letting your son know that although we may think, feel, and appear to smell clean that may not always be the case. Just because you apply a scratch of soap does not mean you are clean. Inform him of how embarrassing it is to be before the public reaking of fumes that even kids and newborns woudl make fun of (ok no don't) but emphasize how it is a shame and embarrassing.

Thirdly, really this is something that should have been done years ago. There is a routine in bathing children. You bathe them enough in the same pattern and routine they eventually pick up on it and do it themselves and feel that a "bath" or "shower" is not complete until they go thru the runs. It's still not to late but it will be much more difficult. Consider drawing up a design/pattern. An example maybe would be as such: pre-soak. pre-rinse. let the water run over you to first get you wet. secondly, start off with the hair and then after wards you can then start with the face after the shampoo and conditioner is used and rinsed. then move down and use the body wash or soap as a way to rinse of any dirt, shampoo, facial cleanser (drizzeld from the face) off your body, work your way down to your toes, etc. Then finish off with the final rinse, etc. You get the point.

Do this repeatedly. Explain to him (if he's into cars maybe) that washing the body is like washing the car. you always want to keep it shining, pristine, and ready to roll.

Ok my explanation here was a bit off but I wrote this with the best intentions.

Good Luck!

P.S. what ever you do, DO NOT let him leave the bathroom until he has finished a thorough bath.

Answer 3

This is what I do with my son. I tell him to take a bath & when he is done if I don't feel that he cleaned well enough (if his hair stinks or if I can still see dirt). I tell him what I think & make him go back & take another one. He usually does a better job the second time because he knows that his butt will be going back in the tub if he is not clean.

Answer 4

Have him pick out some foam soap or something cool. Let him try taking a shower. Get him a puff scrubber or something, and encourage him to completely cover himself with foam and scrub. Maybe the change from a bath to a shower will do the trick.

Answer 5

Try the shower. Boys that age prefer to take showers. However, you still want him to scrub well head to toe. Try and find a soap or shower gel that he likes. Get him a variety of washclothes, loofahs, and scratchy wash cloths (for backs). Then be an actress and put on a mime skit (while you are dressed in the living room) and show him how and where to scrub.

Answer 6

tell him you are just going to have to take him and smell him everytime he is done - if you smell anything tart, you are going to take him and clean him GOOD yourself. obviously he won't like that, so he may start to clean properly. if it doesn't, tell him you will watch him and instruct him until he is done.

now that may have sounded a little funny, but hey - you are his mom and looking out for him. so if it takes looking at his naked hide, then hey, you're gonna have to.

Answer 7

tell him all the bad things that can happen to him if he doesnt take a bath then he'll take one. i tell my cousins that all the time and they take one and they say they feel safe after they take one so .

Answer 8

My sister was the same way when she was 10y/o, now that she is 12y/o she is better.
Just make him take a bath!

Answer 9

first try paying him... then get a pretty babysitter... have her tell him to bathe, then pay her to say something embarrassing.. llike "Wow, you still stink."

Answer 10

Put his *** in the bath, maybe.... just a suggestion!