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Original poster

Toddler refusing to sit in bath

30 replies

GetToHeaven · 25/08/2024 19:49

My 2y3m old has always loved the bath but recently (about the last week) he won’t sit down at all. If we ask him to sit he just wants to get out, and when we put toys in he just bends down and picks them up, so the 2 main tips I’ve read online don’t seem to help!

My feeling is that it’s just a phase to ride out but DH gets really wound up by it, and I’m due to give birth any day now so it’s likely he’ll be doing more bath times for a bit. Any tips on getting him to sit would be appreciated!

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Littletreefrog · 25/08/2024 19:51

Just let him stand up or give him a shower, life is too short.

moppety · 25/08/2024 20:00

DD prefers to stand too and play with her toys. Is it that big a deal? I just wash her with her a

moppety · 25/08/2024 20:00

*with her standing.

I remember DD1 went through the same thing at that age too!

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Icanttakethisanymore · 25/08/2024 20:01

Our lb went through this phase. Who cares? As long as they have a wash.

otravezempezamos · 25/08/2024 20:02

Shower!

AreWeNearlyHairnet · 25/08/2024 20:04

We had this, for months and months! And he refused a shower too. 🙄
In the end, we allowed him to sit on a small step stool in the bath and then he was happy. And it turns out later (when he was old enough to articulate himself better) that he just didn't like sitting on the bath mat as he could feel the suction cups underneath and it was hurting his bum.

HDready · 25/08/2024 20:05

I found “can you put your bottom on the bottom of the bath” was more successful than asking them to sit down.

TemuSpecialBuy · 25/08/2024 20:05

dd did this for about 4-6 weeks
We just went with it she sits again now

we just used one of those hugs to wash her down a bit and focused on playing with bath toys. bath crayons got her crouching / more in the water

nettytree · 25/08/2024 20:07

My son went through this. We just sat him on the draining board with his feet in the kitchen sink. He happily played with his toys, while we gave him a quick wash.

AlwaysFoldingWashing · 25/08/2024 20:07

Our son also had a phase of this at 2. It last a good few months. I changed all of his bath toys for new ones and he was happy to sit again and play with them. I bought flashing light up dinos so may be worth a try.

TizerorFizz · 25/08/2024 20:10

Do a stand up wash in the bath? Won’t hurt him. Chuck a bit of water over him. It will do.

Babychewtoy · 25/08/2024 20:12

It’s just a phase. But I agree with others, does it matter? Just wash him standing up with a flannel and a jug of water or the shower.

I think this is a pick your battles one where it has the potential to become a conflict every time the more you push. If you just go with it he’ll probably get bored and go back to sitting down, or just have quick showers.

KittenOnTheTable · 25/08/2024 20:13

Is the water on the warm side? I find with my boys they won't sit if it's too warm

Original poster
GetToHeaven · 25/08/2024 20:17

HDready · 25/08/2024 20:05

I found “can you put your bottom on the bottom of the bath” was more successful than asking them to sit down.

That’s what we’ve always said to him, funnily enough, but now as soon as we say it he asks to get out.

OP posts:
Original poster
GetToHeaven · 25/08/2024 20:18

KittenOnTheTable · 25/08/2024 20:13

Is the water on the warm side? I find with my boys they won't sit if it's too warm

At first I thought the water might have been too cool but I’ve tried warmer and cooler and it hasn’t made a difference.

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Original poster
GetToHeaven · 25/08/2024 20:20

Thanks all. I don’t think it matters and I’m happy to do a quick standing up wash (which is what I’ve been doing) but my DH is getting really annoyed by it so I wondered if there were any tips.

OP posts:
Littletreefrog · 25/08/2024 20:23

GetToHeaven · 25/08/2024 20:20

Thanks all. I don’t think it matters and I’m happy to do a quick standing up wash (which is what I’ve been doing) but my DH is getting really annoyed by it so I wondered if there were any tips.

Oh dear poor DH needs a lesson in dont sweat the small stuff if he's going to have a toddler and a new baby.

itsgettingweird · 25/08/2024 20:25

My tip is to tell your DH to stop having a tantrum over it.

He's not the 2 yo 😂

Seriously though yore about to have a toddler and newborn. It's a really good time to start working on picking your battles. Sitting in a bath is not really a fight that needs to be had as he's still having a wash.

Plus it's human nature to find it harder to do something you're finding hard when everyone keeps making a fuss about it.

Babychewtoy · 25/08/2024 20:31

I read something about 2 year olds that said before 2.5 they want to do everything to please you and get your approval… and after 2.5 they want to rebel. It seemed to be true for my DS.
So I’m afraid your DH might have to learn to let the small stuff go…

SErunner · 25/08/2024 20:33

It's normal, we've had this phase a few times. Just ride with it. The worst thing you can do is stress him out about it and make him hate being in there at all. If you think about it - why does it matter if he's standing up?! I struggled with it the first time too, but it's really not anything to be bothered about.

coxesorangepippin · 25/08/2024 21:40

Poor DH

He's in for a rough ride

Makingchocolatecake · 27/08/2024 14:38

My 2.5yo does this, doesn't really bother me but she has a bubble coffee machine that suctions to the side and she sat when I moved it down

endofthelinefinally · 27/08/2024 14:43

It is a normal phase. As pp said, just give him a quick stand up wash and rinse him. In many countries people don't have baths and children are washed standing up and rinsed using a barrel of water and a scoop. Tell DH to pick his battles.

mathanxiety · 27/08/2024 15:04

GetToHeaven · 25/08/2024 20:20

Thanks all. I don’t think it matters and I’m happy to do a quick standing up wash (which is what I’ve been doing) but my DH is getting really annoyed by it so I wondered if there were any tips.

My tip is to sit your H down and tell him to chill.

This is not the last time DS's behaviour will be challenging in the next few weeks and months.

Your H needs to avoid taking the toddler's challenging behaviour personally. DS is not the problem here.

There are all sorts of work arounds for this, including showering with DS, a little step stool in the bath, swimming trunks and swimming armbands, swimming goggles (to pretend he's swimming), being allowed to splash to his heart's content, etc.

Even if nothing works, no toddler ever suffered any harm from being washed standing up.

The only really concerning element of this situation is your husband's response to it. That has the potential to do a lot of damage to the child and to the relationship between you and your husband. You will find yourself experiencing a great deal of unnecessary stress if your H's immature response is allowed to continue.

mathanxiety · 27/08/2024 15:04

coxesorangepippin · 25/08/2024 21:40

Poor DH

He's in for a rough ride

And sadly, so is everyone else if he keeps this up.