Dd 16 months old cowers in terror at sight of a sponge..........Why?

[fizzbuzz]

Sat her in bath yesterday with new natural sponge instead of manky old man made one. She went ballistic and cowered screaming into a corner

Tried again tonight, initially leaving sponge in bath for her to "come across" Same reaction

What is it all about?? I have never done anything horrid to her with a sponge. Has now taken against man made sponge as well, and now cowering away from flannel.

Any advice?

They can sometimes get funny about the texture of things. I remember when ds was about 9 months old if I gave him toast made with brown bread he'd physically start shaking! He's fine with toast now though. It will just be a funny stage.

she prob thought it was a weird animal!!

aww bless her

It is a phase. She doesn't know it is just a sponge - she has very little experience or understanding of these things.

Just wash her with your hands. Put the scary sponge away. In a couple of months you could let her play with it out of the bath and let her get familiar with it, then maybe take it into the bath.

Yes, thought of turning it into a toy......did end up washing her with my hands in the end. But she was covered in pen which doesn't come off easily with a hand. It needs some friction!!

Feel this is building up to a hairwash problem which she hates

my DS eats his sponges

have to use a flannel - i think as Ledodgy says that can sometimes take fright at all sorts of things and then calm down

If it bothers her I wouldn't bother with any of them.

Yes, dd used to be a great sponge snacker, which makes this even weirder

lol at sponge snacker!

i think it will pass - like most things baby related it will be a phase

Hide all the pens!

Ahh I can still remember how nice the bathwater used to taste as a child when I sucked it through a sponge!

I wish I hadn't been reminded of that i'm pregnant and now have a really weird craving!

My 15 months DS is terrified of.....

TWIGS.

at ledodgy!

I have to pmsl a bit on that one. DS (2.4) has some odd fears. first is that he still won't eat food off a spoon. NEVER had any weird spoon experiences, but he would never let that spoon near him when we started weaning (thank god for the BLW advice on here!). And secondly, one day he loves his bath, next day it's blue murder for running it. Never understood why.

Just a phase I'm sure. But equally, I'm sure she can avoid sponges most of her life so I wouldn't stress if it's something bigger.

Oh, ledodgy someone mentioned that as a pg craving when I was pg with DD and it started me off too!

I can't think about anything else. I think i'm going to have to go and get a bath...

I can't touch sponge, it makes me shudder and goosebumps come up even at the thought of it. I've got them now.

Perhaps your dd is the same way?

Use it!

Ds3 (2) is terrified of wee willy winky. When he pisses around at bedtime and won't go to sleep- guess who will ring wee willy winky...

DS1 (8- but severely autistic- he has an excuse) is terrified of duvets. So when he wets his bed on purpose (as he did earlier today) I tell him if all the sleeping bags are gone it's duvets all round.

Yep was going to say it might be a sensory thing- it is a funny texture.

(I was half joking about the using it thing btw- although I do use 'if you don't to x then y will happen' with ds1 as its the only reasoning I have and I don't want to spend another year washing wet beds every day....

i'm sorry - is it mean of me to giggle over this a bit?

No useful suggestions except - see if she wants to pick her own next time you're at the shops - but don't blame me if you both have to flee the shop

We have a flannel mit in the shape of a frog - he's called Monsieur Frog (sorry for the stereotyping) and speaks to the girls in a terrible French accent - perhaps something like that would help - we got it from Tesco if that's any help.

Hmmm flannel mit sounds good idea. Had repeat performance again tonight.

Can understand horrid sponge texture, but doesn't like flannel either

In fact stood there looking pathetic clinging to side of bath tonight. Would take her to choose one, but she's too little to know.

Thanks for all tips, will persevere with flannel mit