2 year-old hair washing

[cityrat79]

My 2.5 year old LOATHES hair washing. She has always enjoyed a bath, but from 18 months or so, just screams and screams and screams when it's time to wash her hair.

We currently lay her back in the bath, then put the shampoo on, then lay her back again to wash it out, but it's a full-on wrestling match and meltdown every single time, and not very nice for any of us.

We have tried using the shower attachment (no go) and a jug of water (also no go). We considered investing in one of those toddler hat-things that is supposed to help, but want to be sure it would work.

We have tried bribing with an extra story, have explained how hair gets stinky, and shown her Mummy washing her hair. No dice.

Any tips? Or alternatively, how long can we go between hair washes before Social Services get involved?

Have you seen the jugs that are soft and flexible so you fill with water and press the jug against the fire head and it moulds into the shape of the forehead and tips back meaning no water goes into the eyes.
Or have you tried soaking a flannel and doing it that way?

Better still offer your dc the flannel to wet her hair herself. Also let her apply her own shampoo

After she has done both tell her 'mummy needs to help a little at the back where your ss can't reach'

Give her lots of praise for applying the shampoo.

Another trick is to let her wash her dollys hair in the bath whilst you do hers.

Can you tell my dc was the same'

Not SS should say hand!

Ds is the same, so I keep his hair short (I woukd cut a girl a cute bob) and wash it with a flannel. This is the only thing that works for us.

And we have that soft sided jug and all types of shield. He hates tipping his head back and the sensation of water poured on his head, so flannel it is..

Can totally sympathise - both mine were like this too. They do grow out of it!

DS is 5, so still waiting on him to grow out it. I expect it's not going to happen soon, as he tends to be generally anxious about stuff.

Recently discovered this

I find it makes it much easier. I put it on dd's head while she sits up playing and don't add water. Then I use a small wet muslin and squeeze it over her head working from the back of her head while she's still playing. Then right at the end when I need to rinse the front I ask her to look up at the ceiling to try to stop it going in eyes. Doesn't always work but I try my best.

Sometimes she barely noticed I'm doing her hair, if she is very reluctant I try to get her to wash her toys' hair in tandem with her own cloth and bit of shampoo. Usually we get there in the end.

If that's all too much or she's really tired I just skip a night or two and her hair seems fine. Probably I leave it 4-5 days sometimes unless half her dinner is in there.

I've left ds's hair for a loong time (nearly two weeks when he has been ill etc.). Does get a bit lanker, but never smells.

Thanks all - will give the flannel a go tonight. I can see how that could work for damping the hair to put the shampoo in, but does it work to get the shampoo out too?

It works for everything. Just have to work at it a while, rinse the flannel a fair few times in between and make sure you don't put much shampoo in. You really do not need more than a dab of it, as the only thing it does is to break the fats down.