Suggestions Please - DS and hair washing

[MrsFish]

Hi I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions please...

Never used to have a problem washing ds's hair, he would quite happily lean himself back onto my waiting hand and let me wash it no problem... Now though its a different matter, the past couple of months he has started crying whenever we have tried to do it, I don't know what's changed, not putting any blame anywhere but DH has been doing baths for a while so whether he has been less than careful I don't know.... but even when I try and do it now we get a screaming/crying fit whenever we try and lean him back, despite assurances to him that he is ok and we have him safe.

We are very careful not to get water or soap in his eyes or ears, hence leaning him back, otherwise trying to do it when he is sitting up is a hundred times worse. I have tried one of those plastic shields you put on their head to stop water going in their eyes but he hates that even more... I am at a loss but DH asked me to post here as he thinks ds is starting to get panicked when we do it and we don't want him to go off baths altogether as he does love them other than the hair issue.

Is it a phase, he has just turned two?

Any help or thoughts appreciated

Thanks for the other suggestions, will give them a go. I really do need to wash his hair at least once a week though as it is white blonde and he gets really sweaty when asleep so his hair does show the dirt. He loves all other aspects of a bath which I don't want to spoil so will try the no shampoo route a couple of times and see what happens.

Thanks

how old is he (have i missed it?)

with DD1 (3.4) i get her to lie in the water and wet her hair, then i use a tiny bit of shampoo and for the rinsing she tips her head right back and holds a dry flannel over her eyes and i just rinse as quickly as possible with the shower

DD2 (20m) i just go for it and do it all as fast as poss as she is too young to get the whole tip your head back/hold flannel combo.

i only wash their hair twice a week - it does seem to be enough, esp as they get it "rinsed" (no shampoo) in the shower after swimming at least once a week.

you only need to use the tiniest bit of shampoo btw. we generally tend to use far too much. my hairdresser has her own shampoo range and she said to just drop a tiny bit in a small beaker of water, swish it around and that really is enough for children.

He was two in June, and yes I am definitely using too much soap, will rectify that at the next bath

Hiya

My DD is only 11mo so I've not actually used these suggestions myself, but here are a couple I read in a book recently and stored away in my head as possibly useful in the future:

1. Make it into a game by shaping the hair into funny spikes with the shampoo on it and let your lo see the results in the mirror

2. Also on the treating it as a game theme, you could use different cups/ bottles/ watering can for the hair rinsing, pretending your lo is a "little flower"

As I say - not had occassion to try these out, but thought I'd share them anyway in case they are of any help