gotti Report post Posted February 27, 2008 Hi all, any of you have difficulty in getting your kids to care about their appearance. Getting my 12 yr old to have a shower or bath, do her teeth, brush her hair is a constant battle. Ant ideas, I'm all out. But for some reason she does wear make-up probably seen other girls doing it at school. Diane Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
llisa32 Report post Posted February 27, 2008 Hi - my son is 8 and has no interest what so ever in washing, or cleaning teeth etc We keep his hair fairly short, and it's a bit curly if it gets longer but it's never brushed If left to his own devices he'd ask for a bath only when some toys need a battle, and even now when we get him in the bath he has to be enticed to actually wash anything - or we do it for him. I've got no great ideas, but just thought I'd let you know you're not alone <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gotti Report post Posted February 27, 2008 (edited) Thanks. Once I tried the your a young lady now and should be bathing yourself etc... so left her alone in the bath. 5 mins later she was screaming, i ran in the bathroom to a lot of blood in the water. She had decided to have shave. I'll leave the rest to your imagination. Won't be doing that again Diane Edited February 27, 2008 by gotti Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pookie170 Report post Posted February 28, 2008 OOOH, ouch! I remember my first attempt at that, I shaved my leg like a kebab!! I blame my Dad's old wilkinson sword razor- you had to put actual blades in it!! Not a wise choice-your daughter has my sympathies!! My Cal is ten and is appalling at taking care of his own personal hygiene- I wondered why I wasn't finding any socks in the washing I cllected from his room, then discovered he'd been wearing the same pair for days because they were "more comfy" that way!!!So we had a little chat about that (I wonder what the school thought?!?)and two dyas later he's doing it again, only now it's furtive!! He also has difficulties with cleaning certain areas after extended bathroom visits, if you know what I mean. And although I feel most uncomfortable- it's like invading his privacy- I have to step in and assist so we can avoid using creams in the aftermath. Poor guy, he hates it! I'm thinking about putting up checklists- you know 'Have you?....' type of thing, so that he can go through the list in the morning and make sure he washes, etc. Has anyone tried this, or something similar? Think it might work, but fear the written word will become an extension of my voice- well-loved, well-used and well-ignored! Esther Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted February 28, 2008 My DDs use a nice strawberry smelling hair removal cream for legs, etc...less traumatic than shaving! Bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted February 28, 2008 My DDs use a nice strawberry smelling hair removal cream for legs, etc...less traumatic than shaving! Bid me too! What? Whaaaat??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frangipani Report post Posted February 28, 2008 Hi all, any of you have difficulty in getting your kids to care about their appearance. Getting my 12 yr old to have a shower or bath, do her teeth, brush her hair is a constant battle. Ant ideas, I'm all out. But for some reason she does wear make-up probably seen other girls doing it at school. Diane I had trouble once with my daughter and with sheer frustration I ran a bubble bath, picked her up and carried her fully clothed in 'sports uniform' and placed her in the bath fully clothed. We both cracked up laughing. Problem solved and closed the door. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nic m Report post Posted February 28, 2008 This is not so much of a problem in my house now. My dd is very conscious of being the same as everyone else just now so she is showering every night, and we are working up to doing it in the morning too. If she is having a difficult time cleaning herself after the toilet she now goes in the shower. I still help her now and again but now that she is going to secondary school after the summer i need to push her a wee bit. We use flushable baby wipes as well which have helped her clean a bit easier. She will not leave the house now without brushing her hair, and is getting much better at cleaning her teeth, i would say 5 days out of 7 we are there now.So much better than our stig of the dump days. Good luck nicola Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
soraya Report post Posted February 28, 2008 I have a very smelly 14 year old!!! I honestly dont think he realises that he could do with a shower, l am hoping once he discovers girls he will change!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Enid Report post Posted February 28, 2008 My 12yr old son has just started refusing to bath or shower, I think its all part of control with him at mo, I am ignoring it for now but its soo annoying. Enid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScienceGeek Report post Posted February 28, 2008 I used to be a bath/shower refuser. I cringe at the thought of how long I managed to go without them and only finally getting in there because a parent locked me in the bathroom and wouldn't let me out until I did. I think the longest was something ridiculous like 3 weeks. Now I can't stand to do longer than a couple of days without a bath or a shower. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gotti Report post Posted February 28, 2008 Thanks for all your comments. it s nice to know we are not alone. To science geek, what changed? Did you simply grow up and felt being clean was important? I'm interested to know how you or your parents solved the problem Diane Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dooday24 Report post Posted February 28, 2008 hi reece hates having a bath i think 2day was the 9th day again without one gets a bit wiffy in our house too have to force him too have a bath which i hate doin and still only get him in there every 9 to 10 days!!! he also wets alot at nite which is not good and it worrys me that the children at scool will start calling him names well one bonus they hav started swimming again at school so at least he gets near water at least once a week lol sorry not any help love donnaxxxx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScienceGeek Report post Posted February 28, 2008 Thanks for all your comments. it s nice to know we are not alone. To science geek, what changed? Did you simply grow up and felt being clean was important? I'm interested to know how you or your parents solved the problem Diane It wasn't really anything that my parents did, just that I got fed up with having really greasy hair. I did swing the complete opposite direction for a while afterwards to being really clean obsessively so. I've only in the last few years found a happy balance between the two. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites