I didn't say a word.

I used to make my son go straight into the shower after football when he was about 10. All he did was sit in the shower tray with the water running, and warm up -there certainly wasn't any soap involved. When he came out he still had dirty knees so he had to go back in to wash.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Oh Jilly, I remember my son being the same, I could hide money under the soap.

I've had the kids here this week and I really nag about tooth brushing and hair combing. Showering is suggested but remains optional as a couple of days being dirty won't do them any harm.

When I was a child in the 1920s and 30s although we lived in a new modern house we only had a bath and hair wash once a week with bar soap. Hair was dried in front of the one coal fire. Underclothes were changed once a week and outer garments less frequently.
When I was in the WAAF during the war I was in a private billet with a wash basin and jug of cold water. Had to break the ice to wash. I then had to cycle three miles to headquarters in order to get something to eat.
When starting caravanning in the 1950s sites only had toilets or Elsan disposal points.
I well remember when all the toiletries first came on to the market.
For the sake of the environment I have now gone back to bar soap but couldn’t do without my daily shower and frequent clothes wash.

My father used to call me 'Crocketts the Dry Cleaners'! Flannel just as dry when I came out of the bathroom as when I went it. Then in my very early teens I stayed over with a school friend and I was stunned at how thoroughly she washed. A revelation. Turned my ablutions through 180 degrees!

I couldn’t understand why my teenage son took so long in the shower, years later he told me he used to run the shower, lean against the wall and go to sleep ?

My son spent hours in the shower, setting off the smoke alarms with all the steam and propellants from his Lynx deodorant, he used a can every week and he was only 12!