How do i convince my sons that water over their heads (showers and rinsing thier hair) wont hurt???

Question

they are 5y 4y &3y the 3y old dont seem to mind much but the 5y old freaks out when ever i try to rinse his hair and the 4y isnt much better.
and they have never layed down in the water! you know to rinse thier hair in a bath.
inordrer to rinse thier hair i got a shower hose so i could just turn it on and chase them around the shower as they run and scream to get away from it. (cause a cup of water over the head winds up over MY head instead.!!!
But this is puting us all under alot of stress i would like to figure out another way. I have tryed all i can think of!

oh and as far as using the kitchen sink thats out of the question i tryed that once!
(they will not lean backwards near water!!) and they thought i was going to drown them when i tryed to get them to lean forwards!!)
I know ya'll are trying to help but sinks dont work any better than the bath tub!
I do the whole "tell me if theres anything on the ceiling thing to get them to look up but the moment the water touches them they spazzzz!

Answer 1

I have 4 children. They are now 27, 24, 21, and 9. All of them hated showers and the accompanying water in their face until they were about 7 or 8. My youngest only switched from baths to showers last year. I don't believe there is anything you can do to convince them that the water on their heads and faces is OK. Each will get used to it at their own pace. I believe I tried every trick, bribe, and reasoning in the book and nothing really worked. So, we didn't wash hair in the shower. Washing hair in the kitchen sink has worked as has getting one of those caps with a hole for the head - you can order them from those mail order magazines like Harriet Carter. Even when my youngest moved from baths to showers, she still wore the little hat until her head became too big for it! My husband always had the best luck with rinsing hair, he'd have the kids lay with their shoulders on his arm with their heads leaned back. He'd keep their heads out of the water, tell them to look at the ceiling and he'd use a cup and a washcloth to rinse their hair. My middle daughter hated having her hair washed and she'd scream at the top her lungs, "DON'T mom, you're hurting me. STOP! DON'T" I was sure the neighbors were going to call the cops one day.

Answer 2

I can't imagine... what a ruckus at bath time!! I feel for you...

It's still pretty warm outside, maybe put everyone's bathing suits on and play in the sprinklers one day? Try that a few times and make comparisons to the shower. Visit a public pool where they require the pre-swim rinse... Don't force them under the water, just let them get used to it and see you do it (with a swimsuit on, of course). (For any refusals, seat them on a bench beside the pool and don't get mad... calmly repeat, "The shower's over there, sweetie, feel free to join us as soon as you shower off. I can help you if you decide to do that." Then swim a bit and look utterly happy and unstressed. If you have another adult to assist supervision, that will help.)

At home, keep a stack of wash cloths beside the shower so they can dry their eyes and teach them how to wipe the water off their eyelids before they open their eyes. Patient and calm, no stress or they'll pick up on that. Plus, you know how kids resist what they think you want them to do (especially boys...lol). So just be patient and tell them whenever they are ready to try the grown-up shower, let you know. Bet it will only take a day or two. Once one of them caves, they'll all do it out of brotherly competition. Just keep it light and not angry.

Good luck!!!

Answer 3

Try getting a plastic animal or action figure and "give them a bath" and show them that it doesn't hurt. It should work with the 3 and 4 year old an once the 5 year old sees that his little brothers aren't afraid then he should do it too. Or try getting one of those toy watering cans and use that to rinse their hair. The water comes out slower and isn't as scary as a shower head or a faucett.

Answer 4

My daughter doesn't like having her head wet or standing under the shower either. To rinse her hair I get a washcloth good and wet and put it on her head, then squeese the water out, being careful to let the water run back not toward her face. I have to repeat several times to get her rinsed but it works.

Answer 5

My daughter went through a similar phase, it's sooo irritating! We even got the pool toys in the tub with her at one point, thinking that she wouldn't mind it and think it was like the pool, which she had no problem with getting her hair wet. Didn't work. We figured the problem wasn't so much getting her head wet, but water getting in her eyes, so we gave her a thick wash cloth to hold over her eyes when we rinsed her hair, and presto, problem solved! I think it gave her more control in the situation as well as kept the water from her eyes. You might want to try it and see if it helps. Good luck.

Answer 6

You can talk them through the process and let them watch you wash your hair. When my kids were 2 years old I layed them down on the kitchen counter like they do at the beauty parlor and their heads were back instead of forward so the water never touched their faces. We enjoyed being able to talk with them and ocassionally singing songs while they were getting their hair washed.Until they are old enough to understand that the water will not harm them.

Answer 7

My daughter used to scream bloody murder if water got near her eyes...she still freaks out a little...she got my son to freak out by example...he likes spiders....alot so i tell him to see if there is any spiders on the ceiling and he'll look and i put my hand on his forehead to block the water, if a little gets down we have a dry washcloth on hand for quick eye wipes...my daughter still has to wipe her eyes in the bath. My son is 3 as well ... my daughter though the psycho bather is almost 7 and she is still a little whiner if water gets in her eyes.....I just keep a dry cloth at all times and just tell them hurry and wipe up the water, once they knew they could wipe up the water quickly and I wouldn't just let them drown in the drippy water they felt much better. I'm sorry if this doesn't help!!

Answer 8

Ask him why? He will probably tell you the truth, and then you can go from there.

My little brother (5yr old at the time of the memory) used to hate being in the shower, and would scream and yell and cry until he fell asleep in the bed.

Found out that soap and shampoo were getting in his eyes and it burnt... he hand't figured out to close his eyes.

After we talked to him, he didn't have any issues.

Answer 9

Try to keep it calm. Something that helped my kids was giving them a wash rag to cover their eyes and reminding them that if they sit still and tip their heads back they'll get less water in their faces. I would tell them to "tip your head back and see if there are any stars in the sky. Do you see them? Count them for me" to distract them. Then use the sprayer or a watering can or cup or something to pour the water, using your hands to help keep it away from their faces.

Answer 10

hehe! I'm still not convinced it doesn't hurt!
Seriously, try getting a wet washrag and let them hold it too their eyes while you pour water from a cup over their heads. They won't see it, they won't feel it, and they won't hear it too much.
Good luck!