To put my threenager in the bath fully clothed?

[AveAtqueVale]

He was utterly covered in chocolate ice cream, and refusing to get undressed. He did get several warnings. I think he thought his strategy was bulletproof, so was most unimpressed and flummoxed to be plonked in the bath anyway, but within two minutes had asked for help taking his wet clothes off and was happily playing.

DH says it was mean and ott. I think it was preferable to:
A) spending the next half hour negotiating, pleading and wheedling as we all get more tired and overwrought.
B) pinning him down and stripping him while he screamed blue murder and fought me every step of the way.
C) letting him go to bed with chocolate ice cream dried in his hair.

DH is now sitting with him no doubt commiserating about my cruel regime. But AIBU?

Dd once threw her school uniform on the floor and refused to get ready for school. I told her I would throw it out of the window ( upstairs flat) and take her to school in her pyjamas. Which I did. She had about 20 seconds scrabbling round the front garden picking it up before I bunged her in the car, and then about 5 minutes to frantically put it on before we drew up at the school gates. I remember chucking her shoes out onto the pavement after her saying "you'll need these". I felt terrible afterwards but Boy, did her behaviour improve.

Following through on threats is the best. This is great parenting, almost into stealth boast territory.

My DM did this to me when I was 4-ish. It was an epic tantrum over not getting in the bath and continued for some time once I'd been dumped in. It didn't occur to me I could get out. I still remember the feeling of the wet jeans 30yrs later. She warned me she was going to do it, but I didn't believe she'd follow through. I can't say it's done me any lasting damage OP (although it is still sharp in my memory!), so I don't think YABU

Never mind the toddler, I’m feeling shocked and awed OP! Parenting win as far as I’m concerned

I've done it :)

The merest hint that I might repeat it gets him undressed very quickly...

One of my earliest memories is my mum putting me in the bath with my shoes on because I couldn't undo them! I have a muscle condition that means I have weak hands and I genuinely couldn't undo them! I survived - not sure the shoes did!

Erk I wasn't expecting so many replies! Pleased I am not unreasonable - I will tell DH that mumsnet has spoken .

Though it turns out that he mostly thinks IWBU because I gave DS the (giant) chocolate ice cream (to eat in the car) in the first place, so it's my fault he needed a bath. In fairness that may have not been my greatest parenting decision to date - currently wishing carseats could also go in the bath...

I did this with my 2.5 year old only last week. She was mid-tantrum and it broke the tension. She thought it was hilarious.

Well it wouldn't have hurt him to go to bed with ice cream in his hair, but I agree sometimes shock and awe is useful from time to time. I would have probably just let him go to bed and tackled bath the next day.

I thought you'd somehow managed to put a smelly teenager in the bath fully clothed too!

A certain redhead called Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Longstocking (Pippi for short) would enjoy having a bath with her clothes on. Swimming too, to stop her clothes being eaten by passing cows.