Hair washing drama

ArcticFox

My DD is going to be 4 in March, and the battle over hair washing has become ridiculous!!

Let me say - she took swimming lessons when she was 1, and we were going to do it at 2.5, but we had our second baby, and then shortly after DH started his MBA, so he's not around on weekends to take DD to lessons.  DD has not had swimming lessons or experience. (I don't know if this is part of our problem).

Anyway, DD is getting wrose about getting her hair washed.  I only wash it every other bath or even less frequently.  Tonight you would have thought we were talking about taking her to the Dr for a shot.  As soon as I said she was going to take a bath with her sister, she looked all worried.. "Am I going to wash my hair?"  And then it turned into, "Am I going to have a bath now?"  "Are you going to wash my hair now?" on and on.  She fights me about putting her head back, but even so, I don't get water/soap in her eyes, plus she has a slew of dry washclothes to hold.  

I'm at my wits end.. DH is out of the country for a couple weeks, DD escalated to the point of screaming (in fear?) in the bathroom so loud I'm surprised neighbors didn't knock on our door..  I don't know what to do.  Is this normal at this age?  Do you think she's just terrified of the water?  She loves bathtime and the girls sit in the bathtub on average 45 minutes.

luvmagoldn

One of my (almost) four year olds does this too!  He tells me he doesn't want his hair washed.  He gets mad a whiney when I wet his hair in the mornings too. 

I've tried a few different things...letting him wear swim goggles to keep the soap out of his eyes, letting him decide whether I rinse out his hair or he uses the faucet to do it...nothing seems to matter.

He cries like I am washing his hair with hot oil.  I just have to get us both through it.  Even after I'm done he keeps crying.  When I ask him why he says, "I don't want you to wash my hair mama."  BUT WE ARE DONE I want to yell.  

I think it may be an age thing - lack of control?  I dunno.  I'm hoping he grows out of this stage - soon! 

brightning

My DD goes through cycles of being fine with hair washing, and totally freaking out. Right now, she's in a freaking out phase.

Her bathroom has a handheld shower attachment (we bought it for our dog, but it was in the "people" section. It's an extra little piece that screws in behind the shower head. From there you can attach the handheld shower, and remove it when it's not in use).

Anyway, I now use that for DD. It's easier to direct the water, and even when she's crying, it goes a LOT faster than cups of water. Also, it has really helped to have her stand up in the tub with her head down. She has always hated looking up - I think it made her feel like she was going to fall.

Shelly203

DS used to be horrible about washing his hair.  It was a nightmare!!  We ended up getting one of those handheld shower attachments.  It works like a charm.  We don't have to deal with him standing underneath the water from the regular shower.  We just pull down the attachment and wash his hair while he is still playing in the tub.  Also, when he does take a shower, it is helpful in getting all the soap off!

April37

We have hair washing drama too.  We also use washcloths which help a lot.  I have one of those rinse cups and when I go to get her hair wet I say "3 pours to wet your hair" and we count so she knows exactly when it's over.  Then I wash and say "5 pours to rinse your hair" and we count again.  I think it helps her to know exactly how many pours she has to endure.  The most recent thing I've done is take her to Target and let her pick out her own special shampoo.  She picked out some strawberry shampoo and it helps to have something special for her to look forward to. 

I like the idea of the hand held shower head though. 

jen5-03

Ugh. Been there too.

For a long time the only thing that worked was to take a shower and she would play with toys and get her hair wet without thinking about it. I would swoop down and rub some shampoo in and then she just played until the shampoo was all out. When she finally figured out what I was doing, then it became hellish again.

I tried a special rinse cup. It was a no-go.

Then I got this shampoo splashguard (got mine at Target I think, maybe at BRU). For a long time this didn't work for us either, just because she didnt trust it.

But a couple weeks ago I decided to try the splashguard again. It had been so long that she didn't remember it and I called it The Magic Hat. First I had to hold my head out over the tub, put the hat on and let her pour water over my head. I grinned like a fool and got soaking wet, but it proved that it worked. Then we used it on baby brother (who has never minded hair washing), and she got to pour water on him and saw that it worked. And then she let me do it to her and we've doing it ever since.

And over Christmas, my mom gave her a bath and convinced her to just look up and hold a washcloth on her eyes (JUST like I told DD a MILLION TIMES) and DD did it and it worked. And now she's let me do it that way a few times too.