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Original poster

Hair washing nightmare!

32 replies

McMoo · 11/09/2005 19:53

Having real trauma with dd (21 months) and hair washing. Tried washing it in the shower a few times to get it over with quickly but then she got a shower complex and wouldn't come in the bathroom. Also do it in the bath which causes a big commotion far too close to bedtime. Tried washing it in the morning in the bath still the same. She has got lots of hair so I can't just leave it. Any ideas or suggestions would be gladly received. It is becoming a real issue!!

OP posts:

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wheresmyfroggy · 11/09/2005 19:58

Having same with dd1 at the mo (it all started when she was about 20 months) sorry i can't be of any help (she is still doing it) but will watch this thread with interest!

We bought one of those visor type things from mothercare which supposedly stop the water going in their eyes/face but it didn't help much

Whizzz · 11/09/2005 20:01

My only advice is to either make it into a hairdressing game or if she's too litle , take it very very slowly so they aren't scared of the water on their face.

Cooperoo · 11/09/2005 20:03

DH gets in the bath with dd and washes his hair a the same time. He lets her rinse it and spray water in his face etc. It is one of the few things she is OK with (you should see us trying to cut her toenails!). She goes swimming quite a bit too and so is used to water on her face which must help. Hope you get a solution that works for you.

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wheresmyfroggy · 11/09/2005 20:04

have tried the slow approach and it only lengthens the 'torture', have settled for getting as much shampoo out slowly from the sides and back whilst distracting with bath toys/singing etc then just going for the remaining with a couple of swift cups of water and then immediate distraction again afterwards!

waterfalls · 11/09/2005 20:06

I do exactly the same as wheresmyfroggy, have done since they were very young, not much fuss at all now.

charellie · 11/09/2005 20:18

In the past I've tried the visor but they didn't like it on their heads.

At the moment what is working is them holding a rolled up towel against their eyes while I rinse. The towel gets soaking wet but no tears and they find it quite fun. They used to be hysterical

Carlk · 11/09/2005 20:21

We had this with DD at about 9 months and were advised by the HV to just do it once per week and in a very short space of time it was fine and back to daily in about a month.
Now DD is 17 months and from time to time she says no! and waves her arm in that dont come near me way, but as I usually bath with her, getting her to wash my hair and then putting shampoo in her hand (most in her hair) and letting her do it too seems to work.
She also likes having a wrung out flannel handy to wipe the soap from her eyes.
With most things, washing, teeth cleaning, eating etc. it seems to be the lack of control that she really hates so involving her and giving her a certain amount of control often helps.
Two spoons at dinner (one for her, one for her designated feeder) two toothbrushes you get the picture

lucy5 · 11/09/2005 20:34

When dd was little I bought a visoor from wilkos, stopped the problem straight away as she realised the water couldnt get into her eyes.

lucy5 · 11/09/2005 20:35

or even visor, still doesnt look right.

eidsvold · 12/09/2005 00:41

the only thing that worked for us was to for it more often and then dd1 became so used to it that generally she does not complain. I also have a big container so it takes just two lots to rinse the shampoo and conditioner out of her hair. She hated it but has to have her hair washed fairly regularly as it is long and she manages to get dinner etc through it even though it is tied back. I also have to condition it with adult conditioner as it just gets so matted if she has had a restless night's sleep.

She wasn't bothered about the water over her face - just hated having her hair washed. I tried one of those shower roses that attaches to your bath tap - worked for a little while but then it was back to the big container. I also find telling her I have to do one or two or however many lots of water over her head and counting it helps.

mummyhill · 12/09/2005 08:11

We wash her hair as soon as she gets in the bath by giving dd a flannel and get her to tip her head back as well then do it with a large container so as to get it done as soon as possible. Straight afterwards lots of praise and her bath toys.

Original poster

McMoo · 12/09/2005 08:31

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will give anything a go at the moment. She did wash my hair once which only worked the one time. Next time we tried it she had worked out the game. I did think about the visor idea but she has a thing about having things on her head! We'll get there in the end. It has to be washed so we'll just have to get on with it in the most painless way possible for us all!

OP posts:

sanchpanch · 12/09/2005 09:15

my daughter is much the same, she is 2 and i still have to wrap her up in a towel and wash her hair over side of bath before she gets in, like they show you to do when they are babies,

katiemum · 12/09/2005 09:20

We had just the same with dd (2.10) with her even scrabbling out of the bath to get away and us getting soaked in the process. Then last week, after a few better sessions of some lying back before the hysteria break out, she lay back in the bath to wet her hair - she does that herself - wanted to rub the shampoo in herself, and then lay back again for rinsing. It couldn't have been easier - and she had a smile on her face at the end! She and dh had been talking about it all for a while prior to her bath and maybe she is now old enough to really understand that if she gets up while we are rinsing her hair she will get water in her eyes but if not she won't. There was a bit of treat for breakfast the next morning though - a small price to pay for a dry bathroom.
I have found that time with these little ones just seems to be what they need to overcome fears like hair washing and little that we do makes any difference at all!

sansouci · 12/09/2005 10:18

We have the same problem with ds (2.1), who screams & thrashes, especially with the shower. We now never, ever use the shower around him & have a plastic beaker of warm water on hand to wet his hair & rinse after washing. Splashing in the baby pool this summer has also helped his fear of water.

TrulyScrumptious · 12/09/2005 10:33

Same here, DD now 2.5 hates having her hair washed. Tried everything, now resort to holding a dry towell over her eyes while I rinse shampoo out. She refuses to tilt her head back and screams the pace down. Only option is too make it as quick as poss because as soon as it's over she's fine!

I tried one of those Boots visor things and are IMO a waste of space. My DD won't even have it on her head.....

Caligula · 12/09/2005 10:37

I feel like murdering my kids every hairwash time. The hysteria just irritates me now, I have no sympathy.

I've found the only thing that works is menace, violence and tantrums (from me), along with a choice of rinsing options - tap, jug, or shower attachment and the threat that "if you don't stop screaming, I will wash your hair tomorrow as well".

It's hell. And noisy.

westerngirl · 12/09/2005 10:39

Hi McMoo,
I have a 2 yo (nearly 3) with a recent shower complex. He is MAD about spiderman and we resolved shower issue by bringing spiderman into the bath and son giving him (and me!) a rinse with the shower. We could only rinse his hair with great difficulty before this (using beaker).

MrsMills · 12/09/2005 10:51

What about giving her a doll in the bath so she can wash her hair whilst your doing hers?. It worked for a friend of mine whose daughter screamed like a banshee when the shampoo came out.

sansouci · 12/09/2005 10:53

Caligula, you really are well named! Maybe I should be Caligula2?

edhj69 · 12/09/2005 12:21

DS 21 months much the same, discovered if I tickle him and roll him through the water he thinks it's hilarious whereas prior to this was just giving up and dumping jug full over his head, three seconds of screaming and then he was fine. He's been going swimming for a few weeks on DW's day off so he's used to going under water just seems not to be so keen on the shampoo/water straight in his eyes.

"No tears formula" my ass.

Amai · 12/09/2005 12:51

Get her hair cut short. By the time it grows back she might be more mature and put up with the torturous hair washing scenario. How you are going to cut her hair is a nother story!

momt2 · 12/09/2005 14:25

hi all
not been on this site b4, i had same prob with ds. i bought some swimming gogles and the mask type 2 and he loved it. hope this helps

auntymandy · 12/09/2005 15:50

I am afraid I am cruel and just do it!!!
Trying to make it fun..looking for spiders on the ceiling etc..but at the end of the day it has to be done so I just do it!!!!

alison222 · 12/09/2005 16:10

I too am just cruel and get on with it. I sit them in the bath wet hair with hands get the shampoo on which is fine - and get it off with a few swift measuring jugs.
DD (2.5)who has very long hair,is now happy to have it done in the shower and doesn't mind the soap on her face but DS aged 4.85 is just getting the hang of tipping his head backwards to keep the water out. We used to have hysterics with him to the extent he vomited in the bath, but you can't never wash hair so we persevered and gradually it got easier.
Oh and the showers after swimming at the pool were ok to wash hair in for some reasn. Perhaps because they were soaked already?

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