# How do you give a two-year-old a bath? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 27, 2002, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046 "2002-10-27T00:38:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leifsmama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a698b9/32.png) [@Leifsmama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leifsmama)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/1 "2002-10-27T00:38:11Z")
Damned if I know, and I’ve got one! The problem is washing his hair. It’s gotten to the point that when I tell him it’s time to take a bath he cries and throws himself down. He use to run to the bathroom and cry if I took too long to get there and start the water! I’ve tried everything I can think of: he won’t look up while I’m pouring the water, he won’t lay back and let me pour the water, he hates the shower running, and won’t let me run the foset over his head. He struggles so hard that sometimes his foot slips or his slip out of my hands and hits his head. I _DREAD_ bathtime. Does anyone have a suggestion? Oh, and swimming lessons are out. No money and no transportation. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/2 "2002-10-27T00:46:46Z")
Someone needs to design a “car seat” for bathtubs! When I didn’t like the faucet running over my head, my mom gave me measuring cups to hold over my ears. I was fascinated by the sound. It worked! Also, consider getting into the bathtub with him and soaping him up as he is held against your tummy. ---
**Author:** ![Edlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8797f3/32.png) [@Edlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edlyn)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/3 "2002-10-27T00:50:24Z")
This may sound simplistic, but have you asked him why he hates it so much? Is the problem because he’s getting water in his eyes or ears? A small child might find either one very uncomfortable. ---
**Author:** ![dragongirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@dragongirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragongirl)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/4 "2002-10-27T00:57:27Z")
Oh, **Leifsmama** , I remember those days. I know you said your 2 year old didn’t like the shower running, but maybe he would like to play in the shower with a rain coat or something to help him get used to it. I did that with mine, we would sing the “raindrops are lemon drops” song and “Singing in the rain” It helped some. Good Luck. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/5 "2002-10-27T01:03:02Z")
Put a shower cap on him. What he doesn’t know is that there’s a hole in it. A quick, diverting “Hey, lookit that!”, a jug full of soapy water, a funnel, and WHOOSHKA! 😃 Ok, that might only work once. But if the seal is enough to spare his eyes and ears, he might actually be ok with it in future. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/6 "2002-10-27T01:03:22Z")
My solution will explain why I’m not a parent: Toss the kid in the washing machine at the laundromat, and throw in 4 quarters. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/7 "2002-10-27T01:07:03Z")
Typical non-parent! The quarters would hurt his head, of course. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/8 "2002-10-27T01:10:00Z")
From the time my youngest was two, he would have absolute _hysterics_ when I tried to wash his hair. We tried everything humanly possible to make it more palatable, but he was just plain phobic about getting his head wet. Basically we kept hair washing down to once a fortnite (accompanied by screams of terror), and t’ween times, a dampened face-washer had to suffice. He never looked truly gross,(bung a hat on in cooler weather to stop the disdainful looks from strangers!!) and his hair surprisingly didn’t fall out for lack of care! Nor would he dunk himself fully when we went swimming…until one fateful day when he was about 6, and he took a flying leap off the edge of the deep end at the pool. Seeing he survived it, I guess he figured it wasn’t so bad after all…he’s 14 now, and while his personal hygeine routine leaves _much_ to be desired…(Hey mum, it’s a ‘shower in a can’ as he sprays his body and clothes with Lynx)…he doesn’t cry when he gets his head wet anymore!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Slainte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Slainte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slainte)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/9 "2002-10-27T01:17:12Z")
**Leifsmama** , what about a pair of those little-kid goggles for the pool? Have him wear those during bath time. ---
**Author:** ![Leifsmama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a698b9/32.png) [@Leifsmama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leifsmama)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/10 "2002-10-27T01:29:25Z")
Some very good ideas, thanks! I’ll let you know how things work out in 3 or 4 days when I work up the nerve to bathe him again! Oh, and **yojimboguy** have you ever seen the cartoons of someone trying to give a cat a bath? You know where the cat always manages to brace against the edges of the tub no matter how the persons tries to hold him? That’s what happens when I try to put the kid in the washing machine. However, he gets into the dishwasher of his own free will, but it just doesn’t do the job. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/11 "2002-10-27T01:39:37Z")
We went through this, and in fact Kirk still cries occasionally about hair-washing. We bought one of those little shampoo hats which was marginally effective, but a couple of other things worked better. One was buying mousse shampoo (made by Suave) that he could play with and enjoy. Of course, he could ONLY play with it when his hair was being washed. We also had several dry washcloths to hold over his eyes (above the brows) to take care of the unpleasant feeling that he hated of water cascading down his face. Finally, we bought some kick-ass tub toys that he could really enjoy. It gradually got better. I have never done the “nightly bath” thing. Call me a bad parent. But I use the excuse that Kirk has dry skin (he does). ---
**Author:** ![NotWithoutRage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotWithoutRage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotWithoutRage)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/12 "2002-10-27T02:27:36Z")
I agree with **Cranky** about the kick-ass bath toys. Distractions are always good, and having great toys that you can ONLY play with in the tub provides an incentive. Especially cool are the sharks that swim around the water, and those color pellets that turn the water blue, red, green, etc… ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/13 "2002-10-27T02:41:08Z")
Something I remember reading maaaany years ago was about a family who were on an extended tour throughout the outback of Aus with a couple of little kids. Water being at an absolute premium, they would 1/4 fill a large plastic rubbish bin with warm water and bubble-bath, pop a kid in, and rock the bin too and fro, sloshing soapy water ALL over them…and I guess the abrasive actions from the side of the bin helped get the ‘bulldust’ out of every bodily nook and cranny. The kids LOVED it, and would come out grinning and gleaming. (Mind you, they even got to love it when the lid was clipped on, and they were ROLLED around in the bin!!) Maybe worth a try? Your little bloke might also consider it a game rather than as a way to get clean. Even better if you do it well away from the dreaded bathroom so that there is no association with the evils that you have subjected him to within THAT room! ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/14 "2002-10-27T02:50:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Leifsmama \* > \*\*_yojimboguy_ have you ever seen the cartoons of someone trying to give a cat a bath? You know where the cat always manages to brace against the edges of the tub no matter how the persons tries to hold him? That’s what happens when I try to put the kid in the washing machine. However, he gets into the dishwasher of his own free will, but it just doesn’t do the job. \*\* Heh. When my brother and I were little, we saw a cartoon where a cat went through a washer, came out all fluffy, and floated around like a piece of thistledown. We thought this was Very Cool and attempted to apply the process to our cat . . . It’s _amazing_ how large a cat gets when you’re trying to stuff it into a front-load washer – certainly bigger than the washer can accomodate. Luckily, Mom heard the ruckus and persuaded us the idea was Not Cool at all. ## DD _We now return you to the topic at hand._ ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/15 "2002-10-27T03:26:35Z")
When our youngest was small, she too hated baths. I think it was the water in her face, or even the possibility. My husband finally started giving her a washcloth and letting her “wash” the bathtub while he was washing her. Partly her idea, I guess. It seemed to give her some feeling of control and made the whole thing bearable. Maybe you can do sponge baths for a while until he gets the idea you’re really not trying to kill him? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/16 "2002-10-27T05:59:30Z")
Have you tried a removable shower head. I’m gonna take a wild guess here and say that 75% of what he hates about bath time is the leaning back part. That other 25% I would guess is water in his eyes and face. With a removable shower head you could just hose him off. It would proly’ be less threatening for him too. btw I was too lazy to read this entire thread. So if this has been mentioned already you have my permision to beat me over the head with a sack full of shower heads. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/17 "2002-10-27T07:21:29Z")
This thread caused me to have a flashback to something that was pink, and plastic, and went around my head. A little googling revealed the [Shampoo Eye Shield](http://www.thebabycatalogue.com/products/BA108_No-More-Tears.htm). Depending on what exactly is bothering your son about the shampooing process, it might be worth a try. I just can’t believe that I remember it. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/18 "2002-10-27T08:51:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zoe \* > **Someone needs to design a “car seat” for bathtubs!** “Car seat”, hell. What’s needed is a full-body mesh straitjacket. We tried the shampoo shield on totnak, incidentally. He hated the shield almost as much as he hated getting shampoo in his eyes. Worth a try, but don’t pin all your hopes on it. Just remember, in another decade you won’t be able to get 'em _out_ of the shower. ---
**Author:** ![Leifsmama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a698b9/32.png) [@Leifsmama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leifsmama)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/19 "2002-10-27T14:02:17Z")
**SpoilerVirgin** I’m pretty sure that the shampoo shield wouldn’t float for my kid. Hat’s are really _NOT_ his thing. The only way to keep one on him in winter is to get one with ear flaps and double knot it under his chin. **SHAKES** Removable shower head is something I hadn’t thought of, that may just work. **flodnak** That brings back memories of my brother taking a shower when he got up, before he went to the gym, after he got home from the gym and then again before bed! I’ve never seen anyone wash so much in my life! Mom used to complain about the water bills all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046/20 "2002-10-27T14:44:35Z")
As the mom of a three and four year old, I’ve been there (still am there) Here’s what’s worked for me Wash as little as necessary. We take baths alot because the kids enjoy them (although not every night). But we only wash hair once a week at most - maybe every two or three weeks if I can get away with it. Use Suave’s foaming shampoo, the kids get to play with it in their hair. Rinse by lying them on the kitchen counter and using the sprayer. It may take two people, one to hold and one to spray. Rinse with a wet comb. Just keep combing the shampoo out until its good enough. It will take awhile. Finally, what is getting us over the hump - swim lessons. The kids have been spending more time in the pool - water readiness. So they are learning to get their faces wet and lie back. Suddenly my son washes his own hair - rinsing it with a little tiny cup. Takes forever, but he is more comfortable. What hasn’t worked - dumping water over their heads (although I’ve done it for months on end). Eye guards, goggles havent’ worked. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-give-a-two-year-old-a-bath/134046.md?page=2)