Article: Bath Time

For many kids, bath time is their favorite time of the day. For others, it can bring about temper tantrums and sheer terror. Why would a simple bath cause such turmoil?

There are many reasons why your child might be against bath-taking. Here are a few possibilities:

- Bath time means bed time, and many children resist sleep. It may be more about not wanting to end the fun of the day than it is about the bath.

- Some children are afraid of water because it causes them to feel out of control.

- Getting water in the eyes is painful for many children. All it takes is one experience to turn them off to bath time entirely. If your daughter has had the sting of shampoo in her eyes, she may simply be avoiding a repeat.

- Some kinds of bubble bath can be too harsh for a young one's skin. This is especially true of the vulnerable genital skin. Be careful when choosing soaps and bubble bath products.

- You may have inadvertently made the water too cold or too hot for your child. Test the water with your entire hand for several seconds before putting your little one in the bath, and never ever run the water while your child is in the tub.

- If you're stressed out around bath time, your kid may be mirroring your emotions. Take a deep breath and calm yourself before beginning bath time.

- If you've ever forced your child to take a bath, you may have inadvertently initiated a power play. The rule of thumb is to never force a young child to bathe. You're just setting yourself up for problems in the future and potential injuries. You can always do a sponge bath until you resolve the bath time issues.

- If your older child is resisting baths, it could be a modesty issue. You might want to allow a bathing suit in the bath if your child isn't old enough to bathe alone.

- Older children also sometimes resist baths because it's simply a way to assert their independence. It may have nothing to do with bathing at all; it may just be an opportunity to say no to you. If this is the case, you will simply have to discipline your child as you would in any circumstance. Again, this is only for children over the age of five.

Tactics to Resolve Bath Time Issues

Whatever your child's reason for hating bath time, there are lots of tactics you can try to alleviate the problem. First of all, here are the DON'TS:

- Don't try to manipulate your child into taking a bath. If you tell her she'll smell bad or might get sick from germs, you could inadvertently create a new issue – nightmares!

- Never leave your young child alone in the tub – not even for a second. A toddler can drown quickly in as little as one inch of water.

- Don't keep any razors or electrical appliances out in the bathroom, and make sure you have covers on all electrical outlets.

Here are some things you can try to take care of bath time problems:

- Only use about six inches of water in the tub for young children. If there's too much water in the tub, your child will feel insecure in the water.

- Place a mat or adhesive appliqués on the tub bottom to help your child feel even more secure.

- If your little one is afraid of getting water or shampoo in his eyes, make bath time a scuba diving game complete with goggles. Put some toy fish in the water, and preoccupy him by asking him how many he can catch and put in a bucket.

- If your daughter throws a tantrum when it's time to shampoo her hair, let her take her favorite doll into the bath with her. Ask her to show you how to shampoo her doll's hair. Chances are, she'll be so busy mimicking you with her doll's hair that she won't notice you've already finished washing and rinsing hers.

- Sing songs with your child while in the bath. Choose a song that your child loves, or find a new song that will be your special bath time tune.

- Make sure the bathroom is warm so that your child isn't cold while in the bath or when getting out of the water. Your little one may not be able to articulate this, but it could be the reason bath time is a struggle.

- If your toddler refuses to take a bath, you might gently say, "Okay, you must be ready for bedtime. You can take a bath now and go to bed after, or you can go right to bed now." Don't say it as a threat. Use it as a simple and harmless manipulation. It still gives your child a choice so that you're not using the manipulation negatively.

Remember that your child may simply be going through a phase, and before you know it, the bath issues will probably resolve themselves. In the meantime, stay calm, and try to make the bath a game.

Tip of the Week: Making Bath Time Fun

Special dyes made especially for the tub (find them at toy stores) are a great way to interest your child in the bath. Each night, your little one can choose what color the water will be, and you can learn all about making new colors by mixing yellow and red for orange or blue and red for purple.

Buckets and cups for stacking, filling with water, and pouring into each other are a great way to keep your child occupied in the bath. You can teach her how to hold her head back while she empties a cup of water onto her hair. If you let her feel she's in control of what's happening, she'll be less afraid of the water.

Turn bath time into a fishing expedition. Get one of those toy fishing sets with a little fishing rod and fish that can be picked up. You'll be finished washing every inch of him while he's busy trying to get the toy fish on the hook.

I hope you enjoyed this article.