DS is two and screams the house down while hairwashing - advice please!

[QPootle]

We do it with him sitting in the bath and I go very gently at it. When his whole head is wet he is screaming blue murder and rinsing off the shampoo makes me feel so cruel it's not true. He hates getting water in his eyes and I sponge shampoo off with DH nearby ready to dry his face or cover it with a flanel if it's ll going so badly we have to go fast. Have just started wetting the back of his head every night during every bath in an attempt to get him used to having his hair wet and then to move to wetting his whole head every night, but on a very gradual basis.

Help!

[Desiderata]

I went to Woolworths last week and they had these 'things' that go on their head (like a one-dimensional baseball cap) which keeps the water out of their eyes.

You'll find them by the bathing/potty training/general bath stuff aisle.

[brimfull]

ah -ds went through this phase..nothing worked,he's better now,just, because of swimming lessons (he's 4.5).
Try swimming goggles.

[Hathor]

Earplugs and a stiff drink?

[QPootle]

Kept looking at those hatty things but DS has a BIG head and they never look like they'll fit him. Glad they grow out of its but, blimey 4.5 - that's a long wait. Think maybe swimming might help and the drink of course!

[bodiddly]

My ds is exactly the same so you have my sympathy! He doesnt even like getting water on his face ... to be honest we rarely wash his hair unless it is really dirty. We used to do it all the time when he was little but then realised it just didnt need doing. I am hoping that one day he will grow out of the phase or be old enough to be reasoned with! He is the same at the hairdressers!

[francagoestohollywood]

Dc wnet thorugh a phase like this. They simply grow out of it. I also wash their hair once a week, when the weather isn't too hot.

[beansontoast]

my boy was like that.

i kept his hair v.short and washed it with flannel (not giving this as advice necessarily)

i think he simply got over it in time...about the time he turned three.

we did do a bit of a gradual thing...wet th eback of his head first ,then a bit more,let him do as much of it as he can,no pressure,no shampoo at first.. etc

[QPootle]

Patience then - darn it. Have only been doing it once a week prety much since he was born unless he's wiped something in it and worreid if I'd done it more often maybe things would have been different.

Would love to take him to the hairdressers, have been cutting it myslef all this time, bit at a time while he's watching telly etc, haven't braved hair dressers as his other thing is he really isn't into unknown grown ups. Maybe will try that as on recent holiday abroad, he seemed so hot with long-ish pudding bowl and I'm just not brave enough to cut it short myself.

[3littlefrogs]

It is a phase, it is normal, it will pass, and while it is happening the best thing is to keep his hair very short and sponge it - much better for everyone's nerves.

[MrsBigD]

QPootle, ds is was exactly the same. It's a phase don't you just hate that phrase???

ds has a no. 1 haircut now so normal splashing in the bath and a wash mitten do the trick. Much easier ;)

[katelyle]

Don't wash it. Not being facetious, honestly, but it really doesn't get dirty at this age and he will grow out of it.

[Denmark]

My DD 3 year old was screaming like mad until just a few months ago. She did not like to get her hair wet (has long hair), and rising out shampoo meant that i was holding her in one arm and then just rinse, rinse rinse.
The I suggested that maybe her teletubbies, fifi, and other teddybears needed a wash, and she could bring one every night. She was/is in charge of making the teddy wet, then shampoo and then rising, all while I am taking care of her hair. Since then no screaming at all. Just a lot of wet teddybears.
Advise: do not was favourite teddy because I will neeed a whole nigh to get dry.