Seeking Help on Bathing..

Has DD tried bathing with him? Maybe he will see it as a bonding time and realize, hey Dad wants to have fun and enjoy this vs. just bathe me! I don't know though because I have yet to encounter this.

That is a hard one because I am sure that it is helpful when he can give him a bath and give you some rest time, and probably hurts him a little that he doesn't want daddy. He needs to find something, a toy, those coloring sticks that is special for just daddy, something that he really enjoys and daddy can give it to him, and say lets go play with this in the tub. Then when you give him a bath he doesn't get that special thing, it will be just daddy and his toy. That might help, and it would make those times special for the two of them.

I agree with Sarah that Daddy should bring home a special bath toy, make sure Dad gives it to him. Only use that toy when Dad gives the bath. Even before that, you and your husband should give a couple of baths together. Let Dad wash and you just stay in the bathroom to talk to both of them. Good Luck!

Try doing it together for a while. This would be a wonderful "family time", and it will get your son used to the idea of Dad being there. Plus, it will guarantee that Dad knows the routine your son is attached to with you and can follow it exactly. After a while, start out bathtime together and then tell him you have to go do something for a minute. Leave the room, and come back a minute later. Make your absences longer and longer, eventually leaving the room for good. This may take a week or two, but it may help make the transition easier. The only other option, I think, is to just give that job to Dad every night with no alternatives for your son. This will be tougher on both of them (probably you too!), and he will continue his fits for a while, but he'll eventually figure out that it doesn't do any good and he's missing out on his bathtime fun, so he might as well give in. Kids are smarter than we usually give them credit for, and right now he knows that he has you both "trained" in that area, so you just have to re-train him one way or the other. If you are consistent and persistent, he'll come around to you.

Hi C.. My name is S.. I am a stay at home mom with a 2 year old as well. I know what it is like at bath time but the oly difference is our son wants daddy and not mommy. We usually let daddy spend that time with him. Does he usually spend time with daddy when its not bath time? If so then I don't think it is anything to worry about. Some kids do have their prefernce who they want to bathe them.

I hope this helps.

C. --

I am wondering, only because of my own dear-husband, if perhaps your DH has a different disciplinary approach to your son. Whether your DH is more or less strict disciplinary-wise, your son picks up on that. My experience has been that my husband is more lax with my boys, so they act up during bath time. They fight him on washing their hair, sharing etc. When I step into the room its a different story. Not that I'm more strict, I just set up the boundaries with them. If they cry, scream, hit, protest -- they know they will have a consequence (mostly no shower,or getting out early, right to bed etc). I try to keep an extremely positive attitude when setting the boundaries and not allow it to be a "Hitler moment." Don't know if this will help -- but I have seen a difference in my own experience with bath time too -- you're not alone. :)

C. i have a 2 year old that seems to cry scream or act fretted a lot of times when his father is doing something necessary. i have come to the conclusion that it has something to do with the way i treat and respond to my son opposed how his father does. and i try to explain to my sons father that he likes to be talked to nicely and some men in my life actually fret male children by " making them tough." i dont know if this is the case with you though. i agree with others as far as try doing it together and see how it goes. please let me know. good luck

Maybe you AND your husband could bathe your child together for a while. Then, after a week or so of this, you could try to leave the room after the bath has begun and see if it bothers your son. Maybe you could just leave for a few minutes and come back in to let him know you are still in the house. Then, try a little longer next time, etc.

Hi. We have a 2 1/2 year old daughter and up until a few months ago I was the only one to ever give her a bath. So....one night I went out to dinner with some friends and was out at "bath time" so I asked my husband to give her a bath that night. Well...she told him she was not taking a bath until momma got home. We let her get by that first night, but the next night it was "dad's turn" again. My husband put on his swim trunks and got in the tub with her for a few minutes and I left the bathroom. When I came back in a few minutes later Dad got out and went to get dressed. He came back, finished the bath and all was fine after that. Now we constantly continue taking turns so that she doesn't get used to one or the other giving her the bath all the time. Good luck, C..

Hi C.,
You may want to have your husband shower with him instead. It's a great bonding experience since your husband holds him skin to skin the whole time. My son actually loves showering with my husband and bathing with me. I think if he had his choice he would choose showering with Dad over bathing with me! He really loves it. My husband also brings a few toys into the shower and let's him sit on the floor and play while they are in there together. It's truly quality time alone with Dad!
Good luck with that,
Y.

I had the same problem with our son he depended on me to much and would not let his dad do anything for him.What we did and yes it was hard on me was i just let dad take over on most things including baths.Have your husband get toys lots of toys and try playing toys with him if that dont work he might have to do what my hubby did and get the tub with the kid(i would recommened dad stay in his underwear)when my son seen that dad was having fun with out him he joined in and before i knew it they where having a blast.And a word to your hubby yes he will be a daddys boy someday just be patient mine has been attached to his dad for awhile now it just takes time.Goodlck

I, too, agree w/ the other moms. Get together for baths for a week or two, then have daddy introduce a special 'daddy' toy, like a dollar store water gun or something :)

2 is a hard age. It'll pass!

I was going to suggest to do it together several times, as others have. Another suggestion: ask the son to give Dad a bath, make it fun and into a game, and then Dad can return the favor and give his son a bath. Might be worth a try.

My husband was actively involved in giving baths and we took turns from the very beginning, so we've never really had to deal with that issue, but him learning your routine now,for the transistion, and developing something fun and interesting that will only hapen with Dad sound like great strategies.

Good luck!