Refusal to wash hair - not washed for WEEKS - ugh...

[Bryony]

Anyone got any ideas?

Katie is 2.5 years - never been a fan of having her hair washed - but the last few weeks she's completely refused. We used to do it in the bath, but have also tried the shower, doing it with me holding her over the sink while DH gently puts water on....    We've tried different times of day, we use a mild baby shampoo that doesn't sting her eyes...  have tried letting her wash my hair while I wash hers...  .. and am now out of ideas!

I try not to have a "I will do this whether you want it or not" parenting philosophy - other than the real safety things like crossing the road - and to be honest she's so strong and stubborn I don't think I could hold her down to do it even if I wanted to

So, so far it's been several weeks since her hair was washed... it doesn't look as horrible as you'd think it would - but at some point she will put food in it or something and we will *have* to wash it - a day I dread.

Any ideas anyone?

Bryony

[Ennypen]

Woo went through this and now will only allow Tony the Washmit Tiger to wash his hair.. Tony talks to him about it and does the whole process. He's 4 now and still falls for it lol.. Do you think she might go for that sort of thing?

Another thought - could she wash a dolly's hair in the bath maybe so she can see exactly what you do and might want dolly to do it for her too.

Short of this I think you can get dry shampoo for people who are in hospital etc which may help freshen her hair up in the meantime.

Helen xx

[Bryony]

Thanks Helen xx

I was just saying to DH that maybe we could get a dolly who can go in the bath so that we can wash the dolly's hair together. Katie's dolls are all rag dolls and I suspect wouldn't take kindly to going in the bath so we need to go shopping.... 

I like the washmitt idea too

Will see what I can find next time we are in town!

And I hadn't thought of the dry shampoo - that's a great idea - thanks.

This is one of the many reasons why I love this site - someone can always come up with a new idea that I haven't thought of!

Bryony x

[Ennypen]

Thats cus there's rarely a challenge that kids throw at us that other kids havent thrown at their parents before.. lol..

Woo also will only let Tony the Washmit Tiger clean his teeth lol..

Hope the mit or dolly works... if not have fun with the dry shampoo lol xx

H x

[Canwi]

Is it warm enough to go outside in a sprinkler on the lawn (if you have access to some) or would she go to the swimming pool so that at least some water goes on it?
Another 'sneaky' tactic you could use at the pool is that 'the pool people say we have to wash our hair after swimming to make sure we don't get sick from the chlorine' or something to that effect?
Dunno if either of those will help.

The "dry" shampoo that I've had experience with is supplied in the form of a hat, kinda like a shower cap, with a cloth interior that is saturated with the "dry shampoo".  You need to warm it in a microwave and then put on the head for a period of time until the hair absorbs the 'shampoo' from the cap.  Then take off the cap and towel dry.
Not the greatest, especially on long hair, but as Helen said better than nothing.

[Sarah - Enfys' Mum]

Yeah, I thought to take her swimming as well.  At least you'd get her head wet

[Bryony]

Thanks everyone!

unfortunately the refusal to wash hair has been accompanied by a refusal to go swmming, go in the paddling pool etc - and it's pretty tricky getting her in the bath and she refuses to sit down, just paddles around.  I think she hates the feeling of water on her face.  The nearest we get to washing her face these days is a babywipe....

Helen - the only way K's teeth get cleaned is if one of her teddys does it!

Bryony

[Mashi]

I think LUSH does a dry shampoo that seems a bit less complicated than the one Deb described -- sort of a rub in, towel out type thing, but as they change and discontinue products often it may not be there anymore.

[deb]

If hair gets really stringy and oily, you can always rub some baby powder thru it! (Use the corn starch kind, NOT the talc kind, 'cause talcum powder in kissie lungs is BAAAAAD news!) Not perfect, but it's OK in an emergency

[Bryony]

Have got to go into London tomorrow for a meeting (rather than my usual place of work) so I can see an eclectic shopping trip coming on my way home:

1. Dry shampoo
2. Dolly to wash hair in bath

Wish me luck!

B

[aisling]

Also with not wanting water on the face it stems from water getting in the eyes. Water does irritate the eyes even without shampoo, and it bugs lots of LO's. Have you tired swim goggles for paddling pools, pools and yes, the bath! Saved our friend's lives. They had this with their DD and it worked.  They also had her lay down in the bath to wet and rinse her hair with the goggles on.  She is 6 yrs now btw and swims like a fish and no longer has to wear goggles in the bath but does when she swims.

[deb]

If she saw someone else go first, might she consent to lay down in the tub on her back and have it done where it can't really get into her eyes? The doll might be the perfect demo model!

[Maeve]

I had this problem 3 years ago. The doll didn't work for us, although I am sure she was grateful. In the end there was a long struggle and every so often I would tell him it had to be done, which he accepted, grudgingly. Easier with a boy, I suppose, with less to was.
But in the end, only about a year ago, I hit on something that worked, I got him to look at the ceiling and I held up some of my fingers and got him to count them. That wouldn't work on a 2 and a half year old but I wonder if you put only a tiny amount of water in the bath, like an inch or 2, and put sometihng on the ceiling, like stickers, might that work?

[~emmalou~]

There's a special jug in mothercare that has a seal around it esp for washing kiddies hair and guarantees no water in eyes. Its on their website I think. Could you use it on her dolly and show how it doesn't get in her eyes etc. We are getting one for dd as she freaks when water gets in her ears x x

[skatty]

Bryony we are going through the exact same thing! Leorah wont even go swimming because she knows she gets her hair washed afterwards! She has now caught on to the paddling pool trick so wont get in there either  She has for the last 2 weeks laid down on the kitchen counter and laid back so I can wash the ends of her hair but I have been nowhere near the scalp and we have to alternate between myself and DH having water poured over our heads too She has really thick curly hair so we put leave in conditioners and serums in it daily so it has to be washed. Leorah doesn't like dolls but we had a My Little Pony and she got in the bath the first time I tried that but not again. Her fear is definitely the shampoo, she doesn't care about water in her eyes or over her head but if she knows there is any shampoo likely to be nearby she will refuse to cooperate and she wont even listen when I try and tell her I will be careful and she can hold a cloth over her eyes. We tried goggles too but she acts like she is having a panic attack with them on. I still remember my dad pouring water over my head and letting shampoo get in my eyes as a kid, I would have a butterflies and feel nauseous all Sunday as it was hairwash day and I would dread it, I don't want that for Leorah