How to get toddler out of the bath!

[LilyandBilly]

DS 2.5 has recently begun refusing to get out of the bath. I’ve tried giving plenty of warning, tempting him out, threatening to remove bath toys (and seeing it through). He doesn’t care. Will lie on his front with no water in and wait it out. He’s very heavy and I’ve got a back problem, the few times I’ve tried to just lift him out he starts thrashing around and really hurts me.

This happened again tonight and I’m in tears, both because it hurts but also from shame as I lost my temper with him and was rough - he started screaming that he was cold when I forcibly lifted him out and I just lost it, shouted that no wonder and it was his own fault for refusing to come out after the water had gone. Then we were both crying. It’s pathetic I know.

What do I do?? I have a 6 month old who is waiting lying on the floor while this is happening so I can’t sit it out and wait until he decides in his own good time to stand up. It’s really upsetting me and spoiling what used to be a favourite time of day :(

@LilyandBilly

All these suggestions involve leaving him or lifting him, neither of which I can do

I’m not being obstructive, but it needs to work for me in practice - really appreciate taking the time for your suggestions

Pull the plug out! And he might score around for a bit but he'll get out as it will be cold And you'll be there with a nice warm towel Always worked for mine

My son is similar. I pretend I'm fishing. Sometimes I catch other things first like bath toys but then I get the big fish (my son).
I also drain the water while my son is in the bath sometimes.

My daughter loves a really warm towel and I just have to say - right I've taken your towel off the radiator now, the longer you are the colder it gets a d she soon hops out 🤷🏾‍♀️

@TheProvincialLady

I used to let the water out and if they wouldn’t come out at that point I started running the cold tap ‘to start cleaning the bath’. It’s a Victorian house, they soon shifted!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought run the cold tap! As a last resort, anyway. Guarantee you wouldn't have to do it more than a couple of times.

Toddlers aren't rational enough to be reasoned and negotiated with all the time. Yes, it's great to give choices when the different options don't really matter.

Fannying about when it's time to get out of the bath, not a time for choice.

I do agree it might be that cold feeling though. Do you drain the water before asking him to get out? I find that a horrible feeling. Would he get out OK straight from the bathwater into a towelling robe rather than towel?

Hmm maybe I'm a really mean mamma but I would tell my kids that if they don't get out it is too stressful for me, they don't need a Bath every night it is a nice to have, so if they can't get out when I need them to and it's is making us both upset then we need a different activity. Maybe just have a bath once or twice a week or so ( or however often they actually need it) until they can get out when you ask. And then find an alternative like no bath but we have an extra story tonight or play a game or wherever instead so they know it's not a punishment, they can help to pick.

I would say the cold tap is turning on to clean the bath in two minutes and your PJs of choice won't be available after two minutes. Then put the timer on.

Honestly though, so much of this is about having A Look that they know means they lose all control over their own destiny at such and such a time. If you have this look and it works at other times it will then also work in the bath. My dh can't work out what I do when I'm apparently being lovely but still have a controlled environment. It is because the Look is a resource and no one wants to see it, including me! I was disabled when Ds was younger and we had to have discipline because he could easily have outrun me and needed to sit still. He got it.

I do remember a day when nothing on earth would induce DD to pick up her banana skin though. Nothing worked. But you have the cold tap!

Take the plug out. He'll soon get cold and bored when there's no water in there! Works for my 3yo dd.

Have you hell got one of those towels with a hood? They come in different designs, such as a dinosaur.

Perhaps if he was getting into his dinosaur towel straight off the radiator and warm he’d be more likely to get out quicker, especially once the plug is pulled out and it’s no fun anymore. You may have to play a dinosaur game right enough…