Need ideas about washing LOs hair

[Melej]

DD absolutely loves bathtime and would happily play in it until the water turned cold if we let her! The problem starts when its time to wash her hair . I only wash it once or twice a week but she hates it, she struggles, cries, gets really distressed then tries to climb out.

I have tried various things to help her including washing her baba's hair, using an eye shield, singing and playing with all sorts of toys (favourites and new to distract), looking at herself in a mirror with "funny" hair, using a flannel to gentle wet her hair so not to soak her too much and laying her back (whilst holding her) to rinse her hair all of which have ended up with her getting upset and trying to get out.

I keep telling myself its just a phase but has anyone got any ideas or great tricks that would help to just make hair washing more enjoyable?

Thanks

Mel x

[Alibobs]

We've done loads of different things over the years, and our touchy/spirited dd still has issues with it. We swap and change about each night. I ALWAYS do dd's hair first though, so the yucky bit is out of the way and she can play happily afterwards.  Things we have done - 'what's that up there on the ceiling/curtain' etc, to get her to look up while we rinse. How far down her back can she get her hair if she tips her head back and tickle the spot it gets to, can she get it further etc - all whilst rinsing her hair. Counting my eyelashes. Standing above her and making faces, so she's looking right up as we do it. Closing her eyes and getting her to hold the flannel over them really tightly - count how long she can do it for. Someimes she likes just lying in the bath, (it's shallow enough for her to be able to do this) and that gets most of it out to make the job easier. Sometimes though, it's had to be just do it as quickly as possible.

HTH

[clh]

I read somewhere recently about pretending to be a wolf/coyote & howling with the head thrown back.  I have boys though, so don't know if she'd go for that. 

[Pens Fan]

hi ya- do you go swimming at all?  Or have you used the shower?

With our little ones we started from a very early age to make sure they have water on their faces.  We started swimming at 12 weeks old with them and they have always had water on their face.  However they don't always like it.

I would try to take them into the shower with you and make it fun and get them used to having water on their faces.   At swimming to get them on their backs the teacher tells them to look at the monkeys on the ceiling and that works.  (there are no monkeys- but you could always put something on the ceiling)  i like the idea of washing it first to get the bad stuff out the way.

[Melej]

Thanks ladies, definately some good ideas to try. We have been swimming in the past and she was ok with it but we haven't been for a while so will try & start it up again. She wasn't too bad with the swimming pool shower but didn't like it in the enclosed cubicle on hols last year but again that's not recently so will try again now she's a bit older.

Thanks again
Mel x