Bath time is a joyful bonding moment for me and my kids. We play with our favorite toys, play games, and share the highlights of our day while bathing. Things were not the same when one or two of the boys were toddlers. There were good days and then there were the days when everything was a struggle from taking them to the bath. If you are a parent who has a toddler that suddenly hates bath and bath time, you know what I am talking about. The little one who loved the bath yesterday hates to talk about it now.
Many psychological changes happen when your baby moves from babyhood to toddler age. They demand more control over their daily routine and grow quirky habits as they pass the age of twelve months. The parents have to move through these sudden changes of interests and behavior. Bath time is a regular element of your toddler’s schedule. Hence, you do not want to force him every day for that. What can make your baby suddenly hates the bath, and how can you fix it? Read this article, and you will find the answers.
CONTENT
1. Why does my baby suddenly hate the bath?
2. How to help a toddler who suddenly hates the bath?
1. Why does my baby suddenly hate the bath?
Can you explain how your flow of thoughts works? I know it is impossible. If you cannot plot your own thoughts, it is not even imaginable to predict what is going inside your baby’s mind. There are thousands of things that can evoke fear for bathing in a baby. Unless your baby tells you what bothers them, you will not know the exact cause of their fear. Below are some potential reasons for your baby’s reluctance to bathe.
The babies curiously explore the surrounding of them. They notice every little thing and learns from them. Your baby might have noticed something in your bathroom, and it may have scared him. Water flowing down the drain? A spider in the bath? You will never know unless he decides to tell you.
Your baby remembers almost everything that happens to them. Do not worry about that one time you accidentally hit his head in the door while he was three months. Of course, he does not remember that. But, he might remember the pain from getting water or soap into his eyes. If your baby or toddler got hurt in some way during a bath, he will grow a fear of the bath.
We read books and stories to our babies from the youngest days. It makes their imagination expand faster than we think. Although imagination is a brilliant skill that a child must have, it can lead to unnecessary fears. If your child reads stories about monsters and wild animals, he might be scared that such a monster will come through the drain. This is just an example because imagination has no limits.
If you are fighting to bathe a toddler, there can be a different reason. Toddlers love to have control over what they do. When you decide the bath time, put him in a tub and take him out when you want, he might feel it as losing his control over the situation. Toddlers will resist anything that does not let them do what they want.
2. How to help a toddler who suddenly hates the bath?
A fancy bath
Make the bath extraordinary. So, he will forget what fears him. Arrange a bubble bath with his favorite toys in it. You can also throw in a new toy or two to boost his excitement. If you want to be extra, play your baby’s favorite song in the bathroom. Remember your goal! Make him forget his fears.
Bath together
Bathing together with an adult helps your baby to feel secure. If that is his imagination bothering him, pass him the idea that it is safe when you are around. Play with the toys and be silly so he will be comfortable during bath time.
Focus on the fun.
Interpret the bath time as a playtime, not a serious event in the schedule. Use phrases like “let’s go play with water” instead of forcing the baby to a bath. Let the baby play in the tub for a while and then get the water running.
Do not force
Older babies and toddlers hate to do whatever they are forced to do. You should allow them to have control over the tasks when it is possible. Ask questions like “ Do you want to bath now or in five minutes” “What toys do you want in the bathtub today?” They are unlikely to resist a task that seems to be under their control.
Ask for help
Join your little one in the process of preparing the bath. Ask him to watch the tub and tell you when it is getting full. Let him decide if he wants bubbles in his bath or not. When your baby knows how the bath is prepared, it will also help him to get over the fears related to imagination.
Talk with your toddler
Toddlers can express themselves. Talk with them and try to find out the reason that made them hate the bath. If you find out the reason, you just have to work on controlling or eliminating the cause of the fear.
