[momof8]

Yikes! Janna is 3 now, and baths have been a challenge ever since she came home. I am no rookie either, she is our 9th child! But, lately she gets hysterical when I wash her hair. And she has that sweaty head that needs a good washing. Any one else in the same boat? Or have any great tips on hairwashing? None of my other children have had this phobia. I wonder sometimes if some trauma from her past made her so afraid. Thanks!!

[Mindybeth6]

YES. This is Alec. He has TERRIBLE phobia of this and for him it is just water in his face. It has been abattle for YEARS now and I have to say, it's not getting much better. He has total fits about it. I am lucky if I can fight him into washing it twice a week. It's bad...but I can't help it! He cries! AND HE IS ALMOST SIX! I am no help...but you are not alone!

[nathansvolunteers]

When Camille first came home she didn't like getting water in her face when we rinsed, but I bought a Shampoo Rinse Cup (I know for sure they have them at Wal-mart and Babies-R-Us). It has a soft flexible edge that you place against their forehead and it keeps the water from running in their face.
I LOVE mine, and now Camille loves getting her long beautiful tresses washed!
Hope it helps....


Cindy

[Mindybeth6]

OMG Cindy that's what I need for Alec. LOL.

[KKR213]

John is 2 1/2 and has hated baths since he came home (I have posted about it before) but lately he is ok with baths. Still hates hair washing but I give him 2 cloths to hold on his eyes and that has been working lately but I need to rinse really fast! I think I will look into one of those buckets. The visor thing doesn't work at all.

[saranbr]

My three year old is exactly the same. She gets so hysterical and wigged out that she wouldn't hold the wash cloth on her face-- just screams and yells about water in her eyes and puts her head up so it gets worse. I've taken to holding the wash cloth on her face and her head back with one hand and rinsing with the other and even that has been met with only variable success.

[joyloo]

DS also freaks when I wash his hair. He hates it when I pour the water over his head. Interestingly though he LOVES it when his swim teacher fills the toy colander she has with water and pours it over his head during swim class. He also loves putting his face in the water. I might try one of those shampoo hats but first I need to get him over his phobia of hats

[kelceesmom]

Kelcee hates it now too. I have resorted to laying her on the kitchen counter and washing her hair in the kitchen sink then giving her a bath. No crying at all now just and extra step for me.

[mama.2.seven.kiddos.]

I have three who hate getting their hair rinsed but we let them wear swim goggles and tell them, "hold you nose, time to go for a swim" and then take the shower hose and spray it all out in one shot and they are fine. This works well for us as they LOVED picking out their swim goggles.

Mommy to seven very strong willed children

[JustPeachy]

I had trouble with hair washing as a kid and I will tell you what worked for me. My mom was very impatient, and would rush through it. Also, I was a tenderhead (still am) and she was just too rough. Finally, my dad started washing my hair. He talked to me very gently, and slowed the whole process down which calmed me greatly. I think I could sense my mom's anxiety and that worked me up a lot whereas my dad was just relaxed about it. He was just very gentle with the washing (and even with very dirty hair/scalp, you don't have to scrub or be rough), and for the rinse, he had me tilt my head back while he shielded my forehead with his hand and sort of guided the water away from my head/face. No more problems after that.

[KELLYZSKY]

Skylar loves to play in the bath but hates when I wash her hair...well RINSE her hair..It has improved with the bucket with the soft edge but its still pretty traumatic for both of us. I think I will try the slow and relaxed way...maybe we can both chill out.

[jaymo]

Hey,
Kenna has a hard time with it too! She HATES to get water in her ears .... not sure how to alleviate that problem as we TRIED the bucket, the visor, the gentle rinsing ... everything! Ella is fine, she screams during the rinsing but just because she is startled by the water then she stops.
Perhaps one day bath time will be fun!
Maura.

[SKL]

One of my daughters hates it too. I only wash their hair once every three days, and on hairwash day, I do it first thing and get it over with as quickly as possible. (She only complains while her head is being made wet - via any method.) I agree that a dad's gentle touch might be a help - my dad was like that - but there's no dad here and my daughter doesn't respond to me in that way, no matter how slowly and gently I take things. I can either have ten minutes of screaming or one minute. I'll take the one minute. Then there is peace for the remainder of bath time and until three days later . . . .