Hairwashing - nightmare of epic proportions

[GetDownYouWillFall]

Sorry this has probably been done loads before, but can't see any previous threads and we are desperate for advice!!

DD is 2 and she's never particularly liked getting her hair washed but it was always do-able.

Now the last couple of times have been nigh-on impossible. Got the soap on the hair but when it came to rinse it - she stood up in the bath and refused to sit down, screaming at the top of her lungs and getting extremely angry if I so much as touched her head.

Any advice? I had a plastic halo thingy when I was a baby but can't find any in the shops?

@ cory.

another mean mummy here. 3.2 DS just gets the water poured over his head despite the hollering (from both of us ), funnily enough 16mo DD doesn't make a fuss at all.

I tend to shut the bathroom window so the whole street doesn't hear.

Had this problem with DS1 and in the end had to have his hair cut very short so I could literally just rub his head with a soapy flannel, then again with a non soapy flannel to wash his hair - not an option with a girl though eh?

Before we cut his hair a couple of times I got to the lather up bit then he would stand and not let me do it and after 10 mins of reasoning I ended up dumping 2 cups of water over his head to rinse it out. He then refused to get in the bath altogether....

It did pass, but as others have said, I ended up only washing his hair about once a month and in between using spray on conditioner to pep it up as and when.
I said to playgroup if his hair reeks it's because.... and they were very understanding about it all. Said loads of kids were like it so I worried much less then.
He is fine now though (4) especially if i ask him to show his younger brothers what a big boy he is and how to have their hair washed nicely. (DS2 is 3 and loves it and DS3 is 1 and doesn't care a jot!)

googles to hold over her eyes and I made it fun - was they realise it doesn't go in there eyes it seems to be better.

it took soem convincing so I put them over my eys and it worked better she saw and tryed

DD went through months of fuss about washing her hair between 2 and 3. It basically made no difference what we tried - the only thing was to be as quick as possible & get the tears over & done. So I started using the shower (even though at first she didn't like that either and would try to climb out).

But actually it helped. It was getting her face wet that she hated but she soon learnt that as long as she sat still with her head back I could rinse it like at the hair dressers without getting any on her face. If she didn't co-operate then she got her face wet.

And have towel ready so if any does go on her face, she can dry it straight away.

Hope it gets easier for you!

Haven't read the whole thread so apologies if someone has already suggested this but just wanted to add that hair washing (primarily the rinsing) was a nightmare with DS until we discovered that he LOVES the shower. So we just take down the shower head and rinse that way, maybe it is worth a shot for you? HTH

Have to admit I am of the tough mummy ilk like rasputin. If mine wouldn't put their heads back for easy rinsing, I rinsed them anyway. I also told my one offender that if she persisted in screaming every time her hair was washed, it would be washed morning and night until she behaved. Two days later, there was no problem.

The way I got DS over this was - I sat in the bath with him. We used some of his bath toys and took turns to pour or squirt water over each others heads he found it hilarious to get me wet.

Within two baths we'd progressed to using the bucket from his bucket and spade, and again he though it was great fun.

Then I encouraged him to do it himself. I think he liked the 'control' when he could pour the water over his own head.

I only used a dab of shampoo too, and then only twice a week, small children don't need any more than that.

thanks for all your help everyone, lots of good ideas here. I will try and buy some toddler sized swim goggles and give that a go, also offer her a little flannel that she can hold over her eyes.
We have done the lay back in the water approach until now, but this is out of the question now with all her tantruming and thrashing around.
Glad to hear I'm not the only nasty mummy who gets exasperated and just ends up pouring the water over her head! Would like to come to a happy solution though.
I will give your ideas a go....

Hard way or easy way in this house too.

DS1 has to look at the ceiling to check for spiders...if he does this niccely then i rinse nicely...ie make sure none on face, talk to him thoroughout etc etc.

Hard way if he wont look up is to tip water over anyway.

I can confirm that he pretty much always tips his head back now. However downside to this is that the hard way is actually much quicker!!

We also have easy way and hard way for tooth brushing too, as ds2 is currently finding out!!