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Parenting

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Original poster

Bath time Hell! Help!

31 replies

SingleMama · 19/04/2013 20:22

Ok night time baths are hell for me. If anyone has any tips, please advise.
Hair washing first hurdle- usually crying & fuss from Youngest. Eldest messing when asked to get out and shouting at top of voice. Then when wrapped in towel- shouting and screaming 'I'm cold' when Im trying to get youngest dried... Youngest not letting me fully dry hair & running away. Then once they're dry they're delighted and Im a crumpled nervous heap!!!! :-(
Slightly better in morning as I have more energy but still leaves me drained!
Any tips much appreciated!!! :-)

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cruxible · 19/04/2013 20:30

You sound like you are doing things far too thoroughly. Don't wash hair (or very rarely if you insist) don't dry them.

Run bath. Put them in together. Ignore unless splashing becomes flooding. Take plug out. Hand out towels. Ignore again.

Ten minutes later pyjamas and bed.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 19/04/2013 20:37

And no need to wash hair more than once a week unless it has got paint or something in it.

domesticslattern · 19/04/2013 20:43

Don't bath them everynight. It's not the law. When my DD1 went through a difficult phase I used to just give her a quick flannel wash.

Does that help?

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iPadTypo · 19/04/2013 20:43

What crucible said. That's how I used to do it. Now, ds' 6 and 7 go up, turn on shower (temp controlled), wash their hair if needed, out, dry and pjs. All I have to do is tell them and occasionally yell up the stairs to stop them punching each other!

Benign neglect is the future!

DorisShutt · 19/04/2013 21:03

Hooded towelling dressing gowns.

Only way I get DS dry some nights.

MousyMouse · 19/04/2013 21:11

as previous posters said. don't bath everyday if it is so stressfull to you. would a warmer bathroom help? agree with bathrobes or huge beach towels, get them dry quickly and use the hairdryer for extra warmth.
my dc like to huddle next to the radiator until they are dry, I also put thrit pj's onto the rad before putting them on.

Original poster

SingleMama · 19/04/2013 21:23

Oh wow thanks you are all amazing!

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Original poster

SingleMama · 19/04/2013 21:28

Well I don't know how all these parents bath kids every night. I certainly don't and never have. Hair wash with bath twice a week (mainly because my girl has long hair.)
This week it has only been once as we had such a busy mid-week but needs to be done twice a week.
Thanks so much for those tips! Yes, warmer bathroom I have already planned. Wasn't really warm. I think my eldest is just a bit spoilt. His daddy insisted on drying and dressing him way past the age he needed it (for easiness sake of course.) They are 3 & 6 now.

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Brownowlahi · 19/04/2013 21:30

Cruxible, that sounds like bath time in our house. We have a 7, 4 and 2 year old and just put them in the tub, leave them for a bit until they ask to get out, wash faces, get them out, let them mess around in their rooms for a bit while they dry off, then get pjs on. Done. They go in the bath every day, only chance I get to sort out their rooms/put washing away etc. the younger 2 still fit in the hooded towels which make things easier too.

Original poster

SingleMama · 19/04/2013 21:32

Hooded towelling dressing gowns is ingenious! (my two have fleece ones.)
I also move them from bathroom to bedroom in their towels, which is prob not ideal. Should just get dried & pjs in bathroom.
At what age should they be able to dry themselves? Excess wet rubbed off hair etc? Honestly my eldest just screams when asked to dry himself it's infuriating!

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orangeandlemons · 19/04/2013 21:32

But my dd gets an itchy bum unless she has a bath every other night. I would love to bath her twice a week, but alas we are ruled by her bottom in this house!

Original poster

SingleMama · 19/04/2013 21:38

iPadtypo that is funny re:benign neglect!
I am in awe of anyone who gets their child (mine is 6) to stand under a shower let alone wash their own hair!!!!!!
Swimming lessons were an eye opener let me tell you!
My son (and I have to point out that he's really capable and smart with most things!) stood under the communal shower squealing. Needless to say we don't do swimming lessons anymore! Will have to get him used to it at home first!

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Original poster

SingleMama · 19/04/2013 21:41

(So if any of you have any shower tips that would be so good too!) :-)

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GreyWhites · 19/04/2013 21:44

"Needless to say we don't do swimming lessons anymore! "

No! You just need to persevere. Our boy freaked out at the communal showers at first (doesn't have showers at home) but he got used to it soon enough. This also made i far easier to wash his hair at home as he is more used to having water running over his head.

Original poster

SingleMama · 19/04/2013 21:48

BrownOlahy: Hmm yes I can see the sense in that. Maybe I should do it more often for some extra peace. How long do they stay in the bath in your house? I think my two might need some more bath toys too to stop the inevitable splashing and flooding.

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Original poster

SingleMama · 19/04/2013 21:52

Greywhites: Well that's not the only reason for not doing the swimming lessons. There were lots of them! But I am a big swimmer & will bring him & on his own & teach him myself every Friday morning this summer instead :-)
Those lessons- at 5pm on a Friday evening!- with my daughter in tow playing hide & seek in the lockers- were horrible!

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Doilooklikeatourist · 19/04/2013 21:54

My two loved bath time , just used to create when they had their hair washed ( just ignore them and carry on )
They used to hate showers too and scream the place down I just ignored the screams and now they're teenagers and stay in there for hours .
Shakes head trying to work out which is worse , Teens ? Toddlers ? Infant school age ?

FunnysInLaJardin · 19/04/2013 21:58

my two are like dogs at bath time. A nightmare. So we bath them 3 times a week max. They run about shrieking and get so over excited, they are 3 and 7

humblebumble · 19/04/2013 22:01

My approach to bathtime is the same as cruxible and brownowlha. It is the only time I can put the washing away, etc. Our bath isn't very deep and both of them love the bath. The floor gets flooded most nights though ...

My two are 5 and 3. When I want them to get out I take the plug out and walk off and wait for the bath to drain otherwise it's a battle to get them out. Then I leave the towels out and let them dry themselves (or I help dry the youngest, he likes playing hide and seek).

Both of mine love showers as well the oldest will wash the youngest's hair. I basically have a similar approach except I turn the water off after a 5 min warning.

Doilooklikeatourist · 19/04/2013 22:02

Oh and I work in a health club , that does children's swimming lessons , some of the children that go create the most tremendous fuss when the Mums are there making them wash their hair and stand in the shower , the children get on much better when the Mums ( or better still Dads ) just give them their shampoo and tell them to get on with it , and come out when they're dressed .
Step back a bit , and let them sort themselves out .

Ledkr · 19/04/2013 22:04

I bath every night but like this.
Infa care in bath. Plonk in baby with toys.
Drink coffee or wine while sat on the toilet seat singing songs and ooccasionally helping with bath toy workings.
If hair wash needed do at last minute whilst ignoring protests.
Get out wrap in big towel and plonk on front of the night garden while get her dressed. Bottle bed.
Easy

DoodleAlley · 19/04/2013 22:06

We use goggles in the shower after swimming. It's not a great life lesson but I work on the basis that DS will stop needing then to shower before he leaves home!

Tigresswoods · 19/04/2013 22:11

Ledkr- I like you

iPadTypo · 20/04/2013 00:25

With the hair washing, get them to sit facing you cross legged. Then get them to hold the side of the bath while they tip their head. Back. This stops them feeling like they will fall backwards while you use a jug to rinse their hair. That's how I got mine used to it before they did it themselves. Also, give them a small dab of shampoo/conditioner on their palm to get them used to washing their hair.

Original poster

SingleMama · 20/04/2013 08:10

Ledkr- I like you too! Lol

Ipadtypo- yes this is what I do re: hair washing my son but my daughter (3) says no she doesn't want her hair washed and stands up crying so that I have to just hold her arm and tip the water over her head, reminding her to close her eyes.
I think you're all right. I need to have the attitude of Ledkr and step back, relax! ;-)

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