My 22 month old daughter has all of a sudden taken an extreme disliking to having a bath !!!
She used to love it, playing with the bubbles and toys but always hated getting her hair washed as she hates the water going over her face !!! I even tried the visor that goes round her head but over the past month she screams her wee lungs out and grips on to me utterly terrified when i take her in the bath !!!
I don't know why the sudden change !! She is absolutely petrified !
I feel i can't put her through this anymore !
It's easy enough to was her down with a sponge but it's the washing the hair thats a problem.
Has this ever happened with your kids ??
Is it a phase ???
Any advice ??
She won't even let me hold her head over the sink or a basin !
2006-11-29 19:55:27 · 25 answers · asked by tinkerbell 7 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
A phase.
there should be ways to condition/encourage her back.
Try some of thwe books, like "Little Angels" series from the BBC. May have something in there.
2006-11-29 19:58:45 · answer #1 · answered by jinz 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it's quite common in girls and if she has longer hair now!
My wife says she was a nightmare at bathtime as a child!
She said it was because she knew her hair would get knotted up and need to be combed and that it hurt her!
You are doing all the right things trying the visors etc, but have you considered that the whole event has become a big fat trauma for her?
Does she need here hair washed so often?
The harder she makes it for you, the more stressed everyone gets too and the longer it all takes, she knows how annoyed you are and it becomes a vicious circle, and you keep on about it cause you dread having to do it yourself!
You feel bad afterwards and it's time consuming and difficult.
For the next few months, make it a quick bathtime dip, quick as possible, and make it all pass over as soon as you can, with minimum fuss, a small amount of water and only use tiny amounts of shampoos and only if feel you can do it easily! Open the caps of the bottles beforehand so she doesn't hear them! Get a small toy water wheel for the bath and a small jug to distract her.
Or for now, just sit her in a dry bath and shower her gently, shower her hands first and make it a bit of a game, see if she can catch the magic 'raindrops' etc, although not getting her head wet, make sure the water is just the right temperature too!
Try not to make a big deal out of all this!
Gently wipe her hair with a damp clean sponge, no drips!
Good luck
2006-11-29 20:16:44 · answer #2 · answered by My name's MUD 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My 2 yr old went through the hair washing phase but she's fine with that now, I tell her to keep her eyes shut & her head back & it won't get in her eyes. Right now though she's got this thing about fluff in the bath! She has a bath with her 11 month old brother & sister & because they crawl around the floor they collect fluff which then floats around the bath, anyone would think it was a shark in her bath the way she screams at it so the last couple of nights I've been telling her to try to catch it which seems to be working!
As for your daughter not wanting to get in the bath I would try making it more fun & exciting, maybe tell her that the little people that live on her need a bath & if they don't they'll be upset. That's how I get my daughter to eat her tea, tell her the people in her tummy are hungry!
2006-12-01 22:18:45 · answer #3 · answered by C Greene 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YES YES YES!! my toddler was the same, he went through phases of loving the bath and then if had the slightest little slip or water splashed in his face that was it!! he would scream his head off everytime the bath was mentioned. At first I thought I would give him a bit of time and leave off the bath for a couple of days because to be honest I didn't know what else to do, then I thought sod it and bathed him regardless and tried my best to ignore the screaming. Not easy! I found that letting him see me in the bath rinsing my hair let him know it wasn't a big deal, i found that speaking very gently saying 'tip your head back' over and over very quietly seemed to make him calm a little.
it took a while but he is two and a half now and loves his bath even when things don't go as well as expected! it just takes time and patience and trying not to let yourself get mad, show her it's no big thing and she will realise it.
2006-11-29 20:37:48 · answer #4 · answered by Smoochy Poochy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes children do go through this phase however this sounds quite extreme you need to first find out if maybe something happened to her in the bath or swimming when maybe she was with another adult that might of frightened her.
Once you find the cause the problem should be easier to deal with, start by saying she needs to have a bath but make it playful tell her for now you wont wash her hair, let her sit and play in the bath also you could bring her doll in and let her wash her dolls hair with you and show her how do to it properly.
after a while i would say she will settle back in, also try putting her in the shower whilst you're having yours
good luck :--)
2006-11-29 20:11:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had to resort to washing my sons hair before he went into the bath. Holding him like a baby over the wash basin and using my hands talking and reassuring him as i was doing it i even told him after a couple of times that it was the way i used to wash his hair when he was a tiny baby. He soon got used to having his hair washed in the bath again.
2006-12-02 06:21:07 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, been there, I started taking a bath with my baby and it helped. I got out of that habit fast and would turn on the wiggles or favorite cd and just distract them from the running water. I think it's the running water that gets them. I read to him and just made it as fun as possible. I know this is messy but give her some shaving cream and some cups and let her make ice cream sundaes,
and when it's time to wash her hair make sure she has something in her hands and is occupied and just get a washcloth and wet her head, slowly don't stir her up. You will find something that works
Good luck
my son is 3 now and we can't get him out of the tub lol
2006-11-30 04:37:04 · answer #7 · answered by momma whitley 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Let her play in the bath for a few minutes before you start washing her down. Wash her head at the end and make it very quick . Wash the back of the head first, and use a sponge for the front. Good Luck!!
Or why don't you try taking a bath with her. That's what i do with my lill one and she loves it.
2006-11-29 22:05:35 · answer #8 · answered by Aqsa G 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hiya
My son went through this too, he is two and half now. he used to scream when i put him in the bath and would sob his heart out when i washed his hair. To resolve this i started lettin him have baths in the kitchen sink which he found hilarious and i gave him a little jug and encouraged him 'wash' his hair, this worked well and know he loves his baths again and doesnt mind too much having his hair washed.
2006-12-03 11:52:40 · answer #9 · answered by ILBW 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it sounds like a phase my daughter was like this for awhile at around 20 months but she changed - i thought maybe her head went under when she was in the bath with her brother. Dont worry about wshing her hair alot. My son might wash his hair once a month!! and he is six. Little ones dont get very dirty hair. Let her go for awhile she will be alright
2006-11-29 20:24:08 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, my kids all went through it. I also found the sudden change distressing! You can try to get her in the shower with you or otherwise i found letting them wash a dolls hair helps. Buy a cheap one at the $2 shop and tell her if she lets you wash her hair, you'll let her wash dolly hair"all by herself" Make sure you go first though. Other than that don't panic, she'll pick up on your tension and be more scared!! it will pass.....
2006-11-29 20:02:15 · answer #11 · answered by blahblahblah 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋