Being nice works!

Not going to be the post you expect but it's clearly the most fitting title... So tonight as I prepare for our 6:45 bath time I expect the worst because for the last month something has came over my son that has him terrified of the bath or all water for that matter..He will get in there just fine but he will not sit down and relax which can be quite the challenge and quite frankly it's scary (slippery). Every night I am very firm with him that he needs to sit down with my serious "mom look" and my stern voice which apparently never works. When I sit him down he gets furious and so sad so I choose my battles and wash him standing up and get him out as fast as I can. Just two months ago I couldn't get him out of there and we even had story time in the bath since it was the only place he sat still.. Well tonight as I sat on the floor next to the bath with washcloth in hand I smiled at him and casually said "can you please sit down honey" and he smiled back and sat down as if he was saying "thank you, being nice works mommy". He played, I washed, we read two books, brushed his teeth and when it was time to get out he said goodbye to the bath tub and that was that. Once again my son has taught me another lesson.
His first bath 18 months ago.