How do you wash your toddler's hair?

amother

Blonde

Tue, Jun 09 2015, 10:02 pm

I have a 2.5 year old boy. He likes to play in the bath, but he absolutely hates it when I have to wash his hair! I tell him to close his eyes and place his hands on his eyes while I wash his hair in the tub, but he doesn't listen and then he just cries and tries to get out of the tub! So I end up holding him like a baby and washing his hair in the sink so it won't go in his eyes. But now that he's big, I tell him that he needs to cover up his eyes because he's getting too heavy for me to hold while washing his hair in the sink.

Any ideas what to do?

mommyla

Tue, Jun 09 2015, 10:10 pm

Tell him to tilt his head back, and hold a rolled-up washcloth over his forehead so that the water doesn't get into his eyes. Not foolproof but it works better than just dumping water over his face.

If he won't do that, get him goggles!

gp2.0

Tue, Jun 09 2015, 10:11 pm

Give him a washcloth or little towel to hold over his eyes and tell him to look up (bend his head back slightly, gently.) If he won't hold the towel there, you hold it there with one hand and rinse with the other.

busydev

Tue, Jun 09 2015, 10:21 pm

I tell him to look at the ceiling and then hold a washcloth over his eyes. it usually works.

(he holds the washcloth not me)

Last edited by busydev on Tue, Jun 09 2015, 10:41 pm; edited 1 time in total

seeker

Tue, Jun 09 2015, 10:38 pm

Another vote for tell him to look at the ceiling, no eye-covering needed (that could make them more nervous), hold a firm hand or washcloth right under the hairline (again, not over the eyes but between the hair and the eyes to catch the water so it doesn't go near the eyes at all) and talk soothingly the whole time. A loooot of talking. If you already have issues with this, then talk about it before the bath also. 2.5 is old enough to reason with, they can understand that if they cooperate they are LESS likely to get water/soap in their eyes.

gp2.0

Tue, Jun 09 2015, 10:42 pm

Oh right, yes to the talking.

When DD was 3.5 I would tell her that I'm putting pixie dust into her hair so she could fly to fairyland when she went to sleep. Smile

So maybe say something funny to distract him that's a subject he's interested in..."here comes the dump truck with a giant load of dirt! vrooom!"

scrltfr

Tue, Jun 09 2015, 10:42 pm

[quote="ra_mom"]We use this
http://www.amazon.com/TOOGOO-C.....quote

I use this too. Never had an issue.

gp2.0

Tue, Jun 09 2015, 10:52 pm

I've never seen that cup, thanks for the tip. Think I'll add it to my next Amazon order. I love gimmicky items especially if they actually work.

amother

Aubergine

Wed, Jun 10 2015, 12:32 am

Use the faucet. Tub water is dirty.... The kid just bathed in it...
And while you're rinsing, use your hand in a "c" shape to block the water from running onto the forehead, at the hairline.

Sewsew_mom

Wed, Jun 10 2015, 12:40 am

I use this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/.....Srch. I didn't buy it here I think I got it in home Depot or Lowe's. Now they make all sorts of cute patterns. Clean water and u can control the pressure.

amother

Blonde

Wed, Jun 10 2015, 7:00 am

Thanks for all of the suggestions! I'll try to convince him to look up the ceiling and hopefully he'll do that because he's stubborn and afraid from water! But I also like the idea of wearing goggles.. he likes his sunglasses, so he might like wearing goggles.

lizard8

Wed, Jun 10 2015, 8:47 am

Instead of using a cup, you can use a handheld shower head (if you have one). It takes less time to get out the shampoo, comes out evenly, and the water is clean. (as apposed to what they just bathed in)

sweetpotato

Wed, Jun 10 2015, 9:08 am

I just rinse my toddler's hair with water. It actually gets it as clean as soap/shampoo, so I stopped bothering with them. Try that if the issue is fear of soap getting in eyes?

Scrabble123

Wed, Jun 10 2015, 9:22 am

Some kids can get used to the idea that adult have: soap gets in your eyes but you make sure to rinse it before opening, but other kids are too scared or uncomfortable for that. There is a bath visor which is really helpful. My neighbor uses them all the time.

chilax

Wed, Jun 10 2015, 10:07 am

I put my kids favorite stickers high on the bathtub wall and tell them to look up at it, while asking questions like "which fish has the longest tail?"
They get distracted and their head is tilted up

Sanguine

Wed, Jun 10 2015, 10:19 am

Had that problem till I realized that my son had no problem putting his head under water in the pool. The trick was the goggles. I let my son wear his pool goggles in the bath and never had a problem again.

seeker

Wed, Jun 10 2015, 1:27 pm

Sanguine wrote:

Smart lady! I bet my kids would love to wear their goggles in the bath, they are new for this year and they can't wait for pool season!

Sanguine

Wed, Jun 10 2015, 1:37 pm

seeker wrote:

Smart lady! I bet my kids would love to wear their goggles in the bath, they are new for this year and they can't wait for pool season!

Just quoted cause she called me smart lady Thumbs Up

(and I know she only did cause I voted for her children's clothing line name Wink

)

another swimming goggles tip - I wear goggles when I have to peel onions. If you wear soft contacts you don't understand that need.

BTW - I never swim but I own good watertight goggles Very Happy

israelgirl

Thu, Jun 18 2015, 1:09 pm

We sing a song I made up "up up up to the sky and they look up and then Down down down to the ground when we take a break in between washing so their neck doesn't hurt. I also hold my hand right by the forehead to catch any water that rolls down. My baby on the other hand.....no idea how to wash him.