Thanks for reading and responding to my previous post. I really appreciate any advice. I have one more issue I would like advice on.
My son used to love bath time, playing with his toys, listening to his favorite music (little battery operated MP3 Player/Boom box) But as of a couple of weeks ago, he suddenly acted asif he was absolutely TERRIFIED of the bath/bathroom, holding on to the door frame, kicking and screaming and climbing his way out of the bath.
Nothing has changed during our bath time routine, his toys are all still the same... music is still the same... water, still the same...
He loves running water and loves to play with water. I tried letting the tap run a little so he could see water (which he loved to do before) and I tried turning off the tap having his bath all ready by the time we are ready to bath.
The only thing that did change was that he has to go to daycare now full days instead of half days he is used to while I am working. So he sees very little of me at night. Even bed time has become a bit more difficult, he wants me to stay until he falls asleep, where before, he used to go to sleep without much fussing when it was time for me to leave his room.
I am thinking of taking him out of daycare completely, but on the other hand he needs the exposure of being with other kids, doing activities in the morning - so the half days worked well, he came home and took a nap in his own bed, we would then go to the park after his nap.. so that has changed to me picking him up at 5pm and taking him to park.
This is what my gut tells me what is causing his distress.. but there could be something else..
How can I soothe him back in to taking a bath without it becoming a power struggle and a screaming match? I now have to undress him and spunge bath him on my lap next to the bath, while he still screams and cries until I am done, and he is dressed again.
I hate to say it but I am tired and overwhelmed... Every day is becoming a challenge. (I cannot turn to my own mother for advice, she is unacessible (In South Africa) and unable to help me anyway. So I have to kind of rely on internet and advice from friends and online mommy forums. Thank you guys for being so great.. without you, who knows... thanks mamapedia too for this great tool.)
Any advise would be great..
Well.. long story short, he is STILL afraid to get in the bath. Hubby got a paddle pool for $7 at babiesRus and now, when the weather is hot, like it is today, he splashes around in the pool, on the deck, under supervision, and soap, and shampoo, and a toothbrush. He gets out and straight into his PJ's. I pour out the pool so he can't get back in (with his PJ's and all) and that's that.
His therapist recommended that I play with him in the bathroom without bathing him, just to get him used to the room again. I will try that. Then she said have him play in the empty bath with some fav toys..
will let you know if it works.
body paint, bubbles and wall paint that will wash off. Mine used to do that body paint did the trick.
This is VERY common. My son just went though this! my son is 22mnths old and this lasted about 2 weeks with him. from what I read if your child is afraid of the bath don't force him to take one, try sponge baths instead intill his fear is eased, or try letting him shower with you (my son didnt like that either though) what helped mine get over it was to set his kiddie pool outside and fill it with toys. I did not put him in it just let him go up to it and splash if he wanted to. Your son may think that he is going to slip down the drain because he is old enough to understand that the water goes down the drain but not old enough to understand he won't fit. dont worry it will pass.
Sweetheart, its a stage. By oldest is 4 and she did this when she was 3. Everyone of my cousins/nieces/nephews did this. if he isn't over it in a few weeks you may want to take him to the park. I would still sit him down before a bath and ask him why he doesn't want to take a bath. You may have to explain to him how important baths are.
Oh my gosh, I hear you!! I just asked this question a few weeks ago b/c I'm having the same issue with my son who's 19 mos. We've been dealing with it about a month, not quite, and it has gotten a little bit better. The last two baths he actually stood there and let me wash him but refused to sit down. He played with a couple of toys while standing there...it was kind of funny actually but I was just so happy the tears were gone! I did sort of force him to have a bath b/c I didn't feel there were any other options. My son cried during a regular bath, a shower, a sponge bath, you name it...so I just stuck him in there and washed him as fast as possible. I honestly don't know if that was the right thing to do or not, but I did it and we're slowly getting past it. I only give my son a bath every other night, so at least I have a night of reprieve in the middle! ;) Hang in there!
I do agree that this is a toddler phase. It is always best to work with the child and find out the issue they are having. Not sure how old the child is but when my son was about 3 he had the same issue. It was as simple as giving him new toys. He wanted to take his hotwheels in the tub. That was fine with me. He also enjoyed taking a shower. I got one of those removable shower heads (not very expensive) and sprayed him down and he loved it. Later when he did not want me to wash his hair I got a washcloth or a sponge and let him hold it over his eyes. I also got a sponge that was shaped like spongebob for the bath. Sometimes they get bored with the same routine. Don't think it is your fault in any way. I also tell my son, "Let's hurry and get the _____ over so we can read a book, watch TV, or whatever he likes."
I have to agree with everyone else. This is just a phase that probably has nothing to do with the changes you mention in your life. I'd force him to be in the bath at least a couple days per week, screaming or no. The rest of the time bring a small bowl of warm soapy rags into the living room or his bedroom and sponge him down. But do invest in some colored bath writing pencils that write on the tub and bathtub toys. Baths should be fun :)
My son had the same issue when he was just a little younger than 2, and it happened when we were on vacation. I thought maybe it was just the new surroundings or strange tub, but he continued after we got home, and it lasted several months. He refused to sit and like you said, just cried and screamed. So we just washed him standing up in the tub real quick and got him out. And then at some point it just went away and he went back to sitting and enjoying bathtime again! I assume it's just a stage, I've seen several other posts about toddlers suddenly being afraid of baths, so that's my best guess. Just tough it out, he'll be fine and it'll all be OK in no time.
My daughter just did this a couple of weeks ago! Honestly, what I did was just to fight through on nights she actually needed a bath (either dirty from playing outside or on hair-washing nights) and skipped it altogether on the nights that it wasn't necessary. Just wiped her face & hands down with a wipe. We had gotten back from a two week visit with my parents, and that was the only thing that I could think of that was different. At any rate, I fought through the tears on nights I needed to, and skipped it on the others. After a couple of weeks, it just stopped and everything went back to normal. Hope this helps, and hope yours settles back in soon!
I'm not sure how old your son is but if you are comfortable with it you can try taking a bath with him. Put on a bathing suit if you don't want him seeing anything. That way you are right there with him so he doesn't have to be afraid.
It seems all toddlers go through a time when they are afraid of something. My son all of a sudden was afraid of the dark and monsters. It lasted about 3 months and then it stopped.
Hopefully it's just something your son is going through and it will stop quicky.
