How to get a resistant kid to shower????

Want to know the secret of how to get a child, who absolutely refuses to bathe, and hasn't done so in now 3 weeks, and yes is stinky, greasy hair, and well..... NEEDS TO BATHE!!!

What's the secret??

oh hell, I thought you were going to give ME the answer!

Oh my goodness, summer is easy, he swims almost everyday!

I love when he decides to take a bath- there are so many wonderful things - he plays, it's like a big giant hug of warmth... and we don't even mind that he usually takes a dog in with him!

So once summer ended, getting him to properly take care of himself, bathe, change clothes, has been challenging!

Don't know why.... usually changing clothes is the opposite problem.. he will change his clothes 10 times a day!

Meaning tons and tons of laundry!

But that was fine!

Right now he is in a "now shower/bath" phase for some reason.. don't know why.. and trust me we have tried motivating him, even down to paying him!!! (as it's a chore, so like other chores he does he receives payment.... $1.50 for bathing!)

But nothing, I mean nothing is motivating him right now!

Bath times has never really been a positive thing, or even an easy thing, okay it's been down right torture most of the years.... him screaming as if we are killing him and we were just washing him... geez, a little sensory stuff happening (however when he was a toddler and little, we didn't know any of this!!!)

But seriously, bathing was torture to him- and then he would go in and out of phases of taking baths, enjoying them, playing in the bath- especially as he learned to like swimming better!

IT wasn't much of a chore for a few years anyway!

And now this year..... when he needs it the most- he's 10, and a boy, and sweats, and plays outside all the time.... yeah you can imagine!!

So, we've been working hard, trying to motivate him- it's a very delicate thing... because if we push "too much"... he will explode at us... and well, that's not good.. we are not trying to induce stress on him, more on the importance of taking care of one's own body..... it's a very important skill he lacks and needs to learn!

So, a few times this fall, paying him was enough motivation for him to shower... with a dog in there with him of course which is fine... he washes the dog too!

But lately he is more resistant than usual... don't know why... we can't push the subject... this week he has "promised" he will, and then backs out...

It's interesting when you think about it... there is clearly something holding him back, something that he considers too much of a challenge

but who knows what!

But this morning, he did it!

He took a shower... even without a dog!!!

Hallelujah!

Why today?????

Still no idea, however he saw that the movie Dolphin Tale 2 was now out for rental

he wanted to watch it... he tried over and over to convince me to "just get it" for him

and HE eventually came up with the idea, he would take a shower if I rented it for him!

Now this is actually how his thinking goes... he would watch it first

AND THEN

take a shower!!!

Oh, I don't think so little man... mom is no fool (at least usually - lol!)

So it was enough motivation for him today to take a shower so that he could then watch the movie!

Thank goodness....... Now let's just hope he doesn't go another long stretch before the next one!

......As if we have any control over that!!!!

Believe me, we try (in the most delicate of ways.... trust me- we are pretty good)... but ultimatley- it's up to him!

And sometimes there isn't a damn thing we can do about it..... no matter how hard we try..... it's not little anymore!!!