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Parenting

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Original poster

Washing toddlers hair

31 replies

Angeliz · 07/12/2003 15:56

After reading the bath thread i thought i'd see if i could get any tips on this! My dd 2.8 has lots of hair and HATES having it washed. I have tried to do it in the bath but that was worse. At the moment i have her on my knee backwards over the top and tail bowl but i think it hurts her neck. Then we have to "go to the hairdressers " in mammys room, it's all distraction! Basically, i wonder if anyone has any miracle tips as there must be an easier way to do it

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boyandgirl · 07/12/2003 16:18

Does it really need washing? We wash our ds's hair once a week, in the shower after swimming, and that's all that seems necessary.

Original poster

Angeliz · 07/12/2003 16:21

i only wash her hair once or twice a week, that's what i meant!

OP posts:

roscoe · 07/12/2003 17:07

Which bits does she hate most? If it's getting water in her eyes there are loads of rings you can buy that go round the head. If it's the combing maybe you could cut her hair a little to thin it out.

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Original poster

Angeliz · 07/12/2003 17:10

i think the fringe is the worst! i can wash the back in the bath, it is when it gets in her eyes too! i haven't tried any of the rings as i assumed they wouldn't work very well! might give them a go........just wondered how others did it with lots of hair!

OP posts:

lailag · 07/12/2003 17:16

I have the same problem with ds (3Y). I try to rinse his hair with a beaker of water but as soon as it gets into his face/eyes he screams. Will look foreward to other tips!!

popsycal · 07/12/2003 17:22

my ds is only 16 months so probably a bit different
but if he has his toothbrush and is 'brushing' his teeth he is fine

roscoe · 07/12/2003 17:22

We used to get ds to hold a flannel over his eyes. It blocked the water and gave him a feeling of control. It might still work if you held it on their forehead if they don't like their eyes being covered.

Cha · 07/12/2003 17:29

My dd used to hate having her hair washed but I found a way to make it easier. She has an action man (don't ask) who lives in the bathroom so we went through this ritual of her washing Action's hair first, rinsing it with a cup, even using the flannel to keep the water out of his eyes. She then seems quite ready to have hers done. I also get her to look up at a candle holder we have high up when rinsing so that the water falls back and not into her eyes.

janh · 07/12/2003 17:31

Angeliz, it is possible to wash their hair in the bath if they lie right back, with one of your arms under their shoulders, but they have to have complete faith that water/shampoo won't get in their eyes, otherwise you get the struggling/trying to sit up thing which makes it worse.

You could try just getting her to trust you by leaning her back and wetting her hair (I used to use a big plastic mug of bath water) but not using shampoo to begin with, and making sure water goes nowhere near her eyes - then lift her up a bit higher while you shampoo it, with her fringe pointing backwards (IYSWIM), and lay her down again to rinse most of it out under the bath water - being very careful to keep water/bubbles away from her eyes. (I used to use a flannel to rinse the front - you could give her a dry flannel to hold over her eyes too.)

Eventually you might be able to convince her to sit up and hold her head right back (with the dry flannel over her eyes again) while you do it - much easier for your back. I did try the rings but they didn't work - water used to trickle through - your hand on her forehead is a better shield.

It probably won't get rinsed as well as with clean water, but once she's more confident you can use a shower spray - always keep your hand on her forehead though to help stop the water running down her face.

This all sounds much more complicated than it is! HTH.

SoupDragon · 07/12/2003 17:33

I am a cruel and evil mother and simply up end a toy bucket of water over both DSs. I've done this from a very early age. Having said that, both DSs did baby swimming from a very early age too so water-in-the-eyes doesn't freak them out in the slightest.

popsycal · 07/12/2003 17:33

supiy - i do the same!!
but having the toothbrush helps

popsycal · 07/12/2003 17:34

soupy even!

lailag · 07/12/2003 17:37

well soupdragon, that is the funny bit. When we go swimming he jumps into the water without thinking and also afterwards enjoys the shower there. However when at home in bath or showers he hates it.

SoupDragon · 07/12/2003 17:49

Children are completely unfathomable aren't they!

Original poster

Angeliz · 07/12/2003 17:50

thanks all, will try it in the bath again and try her lying back WITH the flannel! Thanks all for answering

OP posts:

popsycal · 07/12/2003 17:50

would it help to pretned you are at the swimming baths....?
would she go for that?!?

Original poster

Angeliz · 07/12/2003 17:55

afraid not popsycal, she loves the baths but will not entertain the showers!!!

OP posts:

popsycal · 07/12/2003 17:56

never mind....good luck then!

janh · 07/12/2003 18:06

soupie, DH is a cruel and evil father and used to do much the same as you when he washed the dds' hair, they used to sit in the bath and howl - he just ignored it!

whymummy · 07/12/2003 18:14

we use goggles,the kids love them and they don't get water or shampoo in their eyes

Jimjams · 07/12/2003 18:26

Both of mine hate it. I just chuck the water over them as quickly as possible and ignore the screams. DS1 didn't used to mind (he did baby swimming from 4 months) but he hates it now. Ds1 moans if he gets a drop of water in his face in the pool so we have no chance with him!

kayleigh · 07/12/2003 18:57

I'm with Jimjams. Have tried most other ways and its all a big faff with the same result. They always end up with some water in their eyes.
In fact I can hear the screams now as dh does tonights hair washing !!

zippy539 · 07/12/2003 19:16

DS hates having his hair done too. We use one of those things which looks like the front of a baseball cap (got it in a chemists) plus he looks up at the light on the ceiling while getting rinsed - this all keeps the water out of his eyes (usually...). Could you get a picture of a favourite tv character or something and stick it high up on the wall/ceiling then get your dd to look at it while you quickly rinse?

Tissy · 07/12/2003 19:35

Dd's hair is fairly short and I wash it with a flannel- get it damp first, then lather a tiny bit of shampoo on a flannel, rub it in and then rinse out the flannel in clean water and wipe the lather off. I do the last bit a couple of times. If you keep the flannel from getting dripping wet, you don't get the water or shampoo running down into the eyes. My dd is 21 months, and sits still quite happily. Worth a try?

Davros · 07/12/2003 23:51

I do a souply too and just plough on with a BIG bucket of water over the head to start. I also do running commentary. Don't know if this helps him but it keeps me going! In fact he's not resistant to it at all now but goes through phases....

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