Bath Anarchy

I am perplexed-and this might have an easy answer... But my boys LOVED having baths-love them! We moved them from the sink to the big tub and they were splashing fools! It was so much fun to give them their baths-dh would undress them and one would come walking to the bathroom, and the other crawling furiously to get in.

Now? Now? They SCREAM! Anthony actually will only stand! He refuses to sit down. At first I thought it had to do with his surgery area(he had surgery on his penis at the end of October). We saw the Dr. last week and he said he didn't see anything that was open, etc. At this point in time-Nicholas was fine in the tub.

Then we did it last night-and they were both freaking out! The bathroom is not huge-so it's relatively warm-in relation to the rest of the house probably. So-could it be the temperature of the bathroom/water? That's the only thing I can think of. I do not want to make the water too hot. Maybe try putting the heat on high before we go in? Or a small space heater just for bath time? I don't know. Like I said-they LOVED bath time-until last week with Anthony, and last night for Nicholas.

Is it a temp thing??? Or something I am totally overlooking?

 

When you find out, let me know.

Replace Anthony with Alice, bath has gone from fun to traumatic in just the last week or so. (minus the penis surgery of course!)

 

sounds like a normal, albeit annoying and inconvenient, stage in development. Its part of exerting their independence. Maybe letting them do more to wash themselves and having control some things may help. Or, you could get those bath paints or bath wall stickies and make it playtime/bath time.

I don't really know because mine are so little, but I did babysit a 2 yo and his 5 yo brother, and letting them use the wash cloth to wash the parts they could reach seemed to make them like bath time better.

 

Do they have bath toys? Our love to pour water in and out of cups and we just got these great letters and numbers that stick to the bathtub wall when they are wet. Those may be a great treat for them to play with and they may distract them enough!

 

QUOTE(ahmerl @ Nov 24 2008, 09:11 AM) [snapback]1084290[/snapback]
Do they have bath toys? Our love to pour water in and out of cups and we just got these great letters and numbers that stick to the bathtub wall when they are wet. Those may be a great treat for them to play with and they may distract them enough!


We do have some bath toys. However, I am putting that on the Christmas wish list-bath toys. I think it needs some sprucing up! LOL!

 

For the past week or so I have been giving my girls their bath before dinner because it has been so cold here. I have been cranking the heat and the making the water really warm, and now they will play in there for well over 30mins!
I think it may also has something to do with the fact that they are just SO tired after dinner that anything is going to set them off.

 

This was a phase for us. I can't remember exactly when it happened, but it was sometime between 12-18 months. Amy was still usually OK with the bath, but Sarah was terrified and could barely tolerate it. We would have to hold her tightly, wash quickly, and get her out.

This lasted about a month (fortunately they were only getting baths twice a week at that age), and then we finally enticed her back into the bath with some new toys. She was starting to seem a bit less scared by that point.

Then all was well until we had another round of it a few months ago -- but this time around, it was a conscious fear of peeing in the tub. The first time, we never could figure out what she was afraid of.

 

We went through the same phase shortly after 1 year - luckily ours only lasted a few weeks. I was on here posting the same thing as you, and several people reassured me that theirs also went through this phase - and sure enough, that's all it was.

When I was in the middle of it, I didn't see how it could possibly be 'just a phase' because why would they go from loving the bath to suddenly acting terrified of it? I felt like something must have happened to traumatize them, but I never could figure out what that would have been. As it turned out, my fellow TSers were right (as almost always)!

We just got through it by only bathing once or twice a week and just making it as quick as possible. After a few weeks, they were perfectly happy in the bath again.

My unscientific theory is that before they weren't really aware of what was going on, but they just knew it was different and fun, so they liked it. Then suddenly after 1 year, they had the awareness to notice that OMG this is not solid ground, and they freaked out about the water. But it took virtually no time for them to get used to it and become comfortable again.

 

Ours went through it too at about that time- we just bathed them quickly only a few times a week and got them out quick with lots of cuddles. We tried toys, one guy at a time, both boys together, big sis in with them!!, singing, music, etc. -- it just took time - I'd say 3-4 weeks. The best I could get at that age- was one boy at a time and let him stand up (we have a great anti-slip mat that covers the whole bottom of the tub and just held on to him!) and then repeat with the other. For one week or so, one warmed up to it and the other still hated it! We just continued to talk it up and say how clean and cozy they were and snuggle after.
I agree it is totally a phase and will pass!!!
Lanie

 

QUOTE
sounds like a normal, albeit annoying and inconvenient, stage in development.

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We just got through it by only bathing once or twice a week and just making it as quick as possible.

Ditto and ditto. It's a phase, I'd advise you to just plan for really quick baths-pop them in, quick wash all over, get them out.
I hope that it's a very short phase in your house.

 

Good news, it is a phase. Nathan and Brandon both went through it. Nathan's lasted much longer than Brandon's. If I could get him to sit (not always being nice about it) then he usually forgot and enjoyed his bath. Since Brandon was bathing with the two older bros at the same time, it was not a choice but to sit and scream or sit and play. His phase only lasted a couple of weeks.

 

Abigail went thru this also. for about a week or two she hated the tubby (one day loved it and hated it the next)
we would put her in and wash her really quick inless she was having a fit than we would skip it.
and one day she started playing with the toys agains and was back to normal.
I know its hard, i hope its just a phase like it was at our house.