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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Won't sit down in the bath

12 replies

Baba · 15/07/2003 14:33

My ds will not sit down in the bath, no matter what I do.

I put lots of toys in the bath to entice him to sit down, I have a coloured bath mat to encourage him to play with it whilst sitting down but...

no, he wants to stand up and screams at the top of his lungs when I wash his hair and (of course) the water goes over his face.

What to do????

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

codswallop · 15/07/2003 14:38

Give him a shower!

Original poster

Baba · 15/07/2003 14:42

ha ha ha

never thought of that!!!!!

you are a genius

OP posts:

dot1 · 15/07/2003 14:43

Hi,

My ds is a bit like that, but loves the bath, so if he's standing up I tell him it's time to get out, and he sits down immediately!

codswallop · 15/07/2003 14:48

ps showers cheaper on water meter too

Bron · 15/07/2003 18:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SofiaAmes · 15/07/2003 21:44

And, a child in a shower doesn't need to be supervised to the same degree as a child in a bath, as there is no water sitting in the bottom for them to drown in.

sparkle · 15/07/2003 22:08

I could have written this myself, my DS, nearly 2, has just started refusing to sit down in the bath saying the water is too hot (it isn't ).

The only thing that gets him to sit own are some animal bath stickers I got from Asda for 57p. As he peels them from the tiles and sticks them somewhere else he sits down without thinking. Worth a try.

Oldmummy · 15/07/2003 22:38

I'm having the same problem with my dd (1 year old) - used to love her baths, now screams, cries, stands up and clutches at my clothes to get out. I could understand it if she had been traumatised in some way, but no! Have tried a shower, but she screamed so much at that, I thought she might be sick. I found an old thread on this topic, and several people suggested either getting in the bath with baby to restore confidence until the phase has passed, and/or only using a little bit of water, and gradually increasing the amount back to normal each night. I'm going to try both tomorrow!

Ghosty · 15/07/2003 22:44

We had this problem when DS was about 2 - 2 and a half. We worked out that he was frightened of plug hole and that he thought he was going to go down it.
So for about a month he had showers and then he went back in the bath but with only an inch of water in it and then we gradually increased to amount. We also got in the bath with him and sat at the plug hole end ...

Oldmummy · 17/07/2003 21:59

Have tried an inch of water, and getting in the bath with her - dd still screaming and climbing out of the bath... Will try a shower again tomorrow, with one of us in the shower with her. If that doesn't work, I'm stumped!

dinosaur · 17/07/2003 22:21

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

floops · 18/07/2003 23:00

Every night is different in our house. Dd has no probs going in the bath (18mths and loves playing with water). Ds (3yrs) gets in some nights and not others. Best thing that works is Bubbles - the kind you buy in a bottle! I only let him have them once he is in the bath and sat down. Works wonders. I also agree letting him pour in the bubble bath seems to help. I'll check the temperature of the water and then get him to and say ' do you think it needs a little more cold?' and let him turn the cold tap on ,swirl the water round and turn it off again. He loves that bit.Sometimes we take the teapot and cups and saucers and pretend to have tea and coffee.(with water out of the tap not the bath water of course!).I don't make getting in everynight an issue. Sometimes he just has a stripwash. He has his own little nail brush and enjoys washing his hands and nails. Talking to friends they have the same problems so you are not on your own. Good luck though and hope it gets easier for you.

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