Anyone's 2 yr old fighting bathtime?!?!

[pbmom]

Hi all...this is so weird.  My 2 yr old (today actually) has fought the last 2 baths.  Nothing different...so much so that I thought maybe she had a cut or something and it stung or that the water was too hot/cold.  But, nothing.  She usually only gets 2-3 baths a week since I have a newborn and it's too hard to get it all going, iykwim.  Any ideas?  I've tried her favorite toys and other new toys and talking her through it.  I would understand if something happened to scare her, but nothing.  Maybe it's just a phase! 

[Angelle]

my DD is almost 21 months.  for the past month or so she fights bath also.  there probably could be several factors - not wanting to stop playing or trying to get your attention since there is a newborn now.  i know that my DD screams when i stick her in the tub but after i show her the toys and play with them, then she doesn't want to get out!

one thing i always do when DD fights bath time is to take a bath with her.  i get in and we play for a minute or so and then i'll start washing her body and hair while she continues to play.  i get out and let her play for a little longer.  i don't know if that is possible with the newborn but maybe either bathe while newborn is napping or put newborn in a bouncing seat on the floor of the bathroom while you guys take a bath?

[pbmom]

Thanks!  I thought of that today too - maybe I'll just get in with her.  DD2 goes to bed an hour earlier than DD1 so maybe at night.  The reason I hestitated this before is that she is spirited and the bath usually winds her all up...not a winddown, that's for sure.  I put her in today regardless as it had been 1 week and she was filthy!  I do a sponge bath when she refuses, but it only goes so far with a toddler.  I wish she would take to her toys - she used to love them.  Today, she cried and fussed the whole time and the second she got out, she was fine.  Weird!

[Angelle]

my DD is spirited also.  and we do bath at night (i work outside of the house so it's the only time we can).  DD's bedtime is about 7.  we have a snack about 5:30 (she has an early dinner at about 4:30) and some water.  then we take a bath from about 5:45 to a little after 6.  then we brush her teeth.  then we go to her bedroom and get ready for bed.  i let her play around her room and then about 6:35 or so, we'll read a few books.  i stick her in her crib about 6:45. 

we've pretty much always had bathtime at night because of my job.  i don't know if DD is just used to it at night that it doesn't wind her up. 

something else we do if i get home early enough is take her bath earlier like about 5:15.  then i wrap her up in a big towel and we sit on the couch and cuddle and watch PBS kids for about 15/20 minutes.  this cuddle time tends to calm her down at least for a few minutes.

[pbmom]

Okay, so now we are in business but only if someone is in the tub with her and with the tub crayons.  I'm going to brave the tub with her alone tomorrow with her new crayons that she loves hoping she will take the bath.  So weird that when someone is in there first, she jumps right in.  I dunno.  Thanks for all your ideas

[lilmonkey]

Does she like blowing bubbles?  Whenever dd refuses to take a bath, I would suggests that we blow bubbles in the tub and she would always comply.  Sometimes I would offer to wash her with the shower head just to give it a change. 

[pbmom]

Great idea!  Trying that today!!!  Plus DH said maybe we should get a watering can and poke holes in the bottom like at her swim class and have her go under...she loves that