How should I deal with hair washing battles?
Almost all toddlers go through a stage of not wanting to have their hair washed. Your toddler may object to it because she:
- Has previously had shampoo in her eyes or mouth.
- Is scared of the water.
- Is unhappy about the position she has to be in.
- Doesn't want her hair to be washed, simply because you and her dad do, in a classic battle of wills.
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Whatever the reason, here are a few tricks for you to tempt your little one into tolerating and even enjoying having her hair washed.
Don't wash it as often
Hair washing doesn't have to be done every bath time. Once a week is fine for toddlers, as their hair doesn't get very dirty. And a few days' gap may help her to forget whatever was bothering her and be open to trying it again.
Tension over hair washing may start to ruin bath times, an otherwise special time for you both. So tell your child that it's not hair-washing night so you can both relax and enjoy your time together.
Problem-solve together
Change the emphasis from whether or not to wash hair to how you wash it. Maybe she's happier if it's done in the shower rather than the bath, or when she can rub the shampoo in herself. Work together to find the best way.
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Work out what your child dislikes
If she is old enough, you can ask her what bothers her most. Maybe she doesn't like water over her face, or the rubbing when you use the shampoo. Once you know which part of hair washing is causing the problem, you can work around it.
If your toddler doesn't like her hair being dampened, try running the bath so it is very shallow. Suggest that she lies down in the bath, so you can wet her hair more easily.
Dolly does it, too!
Try letting her wash her doll's hair in the bath. Seeing how she washes the doll's hair may give you a clue about why she doesn't like having her hair washed. Sometimes you can wash her hair at the same time as she washes the doll's hair. When your toddler wets her doll's hair, you can then wet your toddler's hair, and so on.
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Make it fun
Put a plastic mirror at the end of the bath and help your little one to make shapes with her shampoo-covered hair. Horns and halos, curls and twirls will all distract her and make her giggle. She may then not notice that her hair's getting cleaned at the same time.
Do it together
Have a bath with her, and let her wash your hair and make funny shapes with it. Daddy as a triceratops, Mommy as a unicorn, and then you can make the same shapes in her hair.
Change the scene
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Try using the kitchen sink to wash her hair. Put a thick towel on the counter and let your toddler lie down with her head over the sink, leaning back to keep the shampoo out of her eyes. This way she is safe and secure, and the water is much less likely to go in her eyes. If she has seen you having your hair done at the hairdresser's, you can have fun pretending that your home is a salon.
Distraction rules!
Put a funny picture or mobile on the ceiling above the bath so she has something to look at, to distract her from the job in hand. Sing a noisy hair-washing song, and play a body game where you ask, "Where is your nose, where is your tummy, and where is your knee?" By the time you have worked all round the body, you will have washed her hair, if you're quick!
Encourage your toddler to look at the ceiling when you rinse her hair, so the water and shampoo doesn't drip into her eyes. Consider putting stickers on the ceiling to encourage her.
Are there any useful toddler hair washing gadgets?
- Shampoo rinsing cups prevent water from going into your toddler's eyes and over her face.
- Shampoo shields fit on a child's head like a cap or sun visor and prevent water from running into her eyes. Or you can use a clean cloth or small towel, which your toddler can hold over her eyes as you rinse out the shampoo.
- Swimming goggles keep the water out and allow her to put her head under the water for rinsing while her eyes are still open. Choose a shampoo for toddlers that won't sting her eyes if some gets in by mistake.
