Lest I sound too positive, let me complain a little. Bathtime with David the last couple months has been a nightmare. Here’s how it usually goes…
-I take a deep breath and gear up for a struggle. I tell myself, “I can handle this. Just stay calm.”
-We enter the bathroom and start the warm water running. David begins to cry.
-He fusses while I undress him but REALLY gets mad once I put him in the water.
-He is screaming and arching, I’m trying to wash him as quickly as I can and hold onto his soapy body.
-I pull him out and try to dry him off, By this point I am soaked, his reflux is acting up and I am yelling at Matty to stop splashing water all over the bathroom.
*sigh* To end on a positive note, I have to say, I love a clean, yummy David in striped jammies with monkey slippers.
Hi, so this is an old post, so I hope you actually see this, since here is a new suggestion: I always get in the tub with my daughter. She still doesn’t particularly like getting her hair washed, but aside from that it’s the difference between playing in the tub and screaming. Oh but, ahhh.. nothing like a clean babe!
I just found your blog, and love it and your jewelry. I read about bathtime, and wanted to let you know that I have a daughter who had the same problem. She is not disabled except for profound hearing loss, but bathtime was a nightmare for more than a year. You just get through it… I don’t know if it will be the same for you, but my daughter grew out of it. It was a slow process of learning to like the water, after a sudden hate of it. GOOD LUCK!
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for sharing your life with us. I thought that I would begin to look around at other blogs (I am new to this) and found you and your family.
I don’t know much about David but I would try bathing him in the kitchen sink or some other place other than the bathtub. sometimes a change of scenery can make a big difference – and the sink is a lot easier on your back. Let me know how it goes!
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for sharing your life with us. I thought that I would begin to look around at other blogs (I am new to this) and found you and your family.
I don’t know much about David but I would try bathing him in the kitchen sink or some other place other than the bathtub. sometimes a change of scenery can make a big difference – and the sink is a lot easier on your back. Let me know how it goes!
My daughter who has sensory issues prefers the water nearly cold. She cannot stand warm water. I have a granddaughter (step) who must have it very, very hot. Have you tried different temps?
Also, I’ve given her bowls of shaving cream to play with in water and that makes it more interesting.
Hope it improves soon. Remember, not neccessary to bathe every night. Perhaps a break for a few days and him watching his brother enjoying the bath might make him interested again?
(((hugs)))
Have you tried a bath in the kitchen sink? I put a blanket in the bottom of the sink for some comfort. This works to wash my guys when otherwise the struggle was too much to handle. Giving them some kitchen tools while they’re in there is too much fun. Also Jack LOVES to take a shower with me. What really happens though is that I get the shower and he just plays on the shower floor, with his little cars and gets washed by default when the soap comes off me and onto him. Hope it gets worked out or that you adjust to the fiasco. Sometimes life is just about adjusting…
P~
such a good mom..hats off to you
Lisa, you are a wonderful mommy as Joy pointed out…bathtime can be frustrating…my oldest hated it…used to scream and turn red literally from head to toe…showers with either myself or my husband were the answer for us…and a wonderful bubble bath called Overtired and Cranky by California Baby (Whole Foods carries it)…it came with a bubble wand and smells wonderful!
Those slippers are so adorable!
I can relate, bath time for my Jenelle is not fun for me. She doesn’t cry, but loves the water, and get very excited, wiggling, splashing, etc. And now with her size, it gets very difficult to lift her in and out. But I love drying her hair, and the way she smells when she is clean!
oh lisa. what a good mommy you are! bathtime is one of my least favorite parts of the day. but, you’re right, when the kids are clean, it does feel good and you know they must feel good, too. wow–once again i am reminded of how strong you are.
That is so hard because a good bath can be so much fun for both of you! Do you think it would help to try a sponge bath a few days? I know David has unique issues, but one thing that helped us in a situation like this was to let Lucas take a shower with my husband or me. He stood in the back so didn’t get too wet but we were able to do a quick clean. He thought it was so funny that it broke his bad association with the bath tub. Good luck!!
I love the way that you are always so positive. I wish I could always look at things through your eyes.
The slippers and PJ are cute!
Hello!
I’ve been reading your blog now. I love your jewellery, your pictures, the words. I like the way you share your heart with us, your faith in God. (I’m a believer too)
Thank you for sharing!
My three-year-old fusses about bath time too. Sometimes getting his hair washed is the biggest challenge of the day. Seems it just gets worse with age. What will I do when he’s ten???
I hope you don’t mind my doing this, but you’ve been tagged! Please tell us 7 things we don’t know about you. Thanks!
Aw, you’re such a good mama. It’s so hard to have to struggle, but I’m sure it will get better, and he knows that he’s loved.
Sorry it’s such a struggle, but the end of the story is adorable.
As far as the struggle goes, can I say…”social story”
Love you friend!
David used to LOVE bathtime and would splash and play. He had a virus with abdominal cramping last month and since then he hates it. I think he associates it with the pain and then it’s such an awfl experience that it perpetuates the problem. Tonight I got him to sit for a little bit without arching. baby steps…
side note–robeez rock! he keeps them all night and they don’t slip off. It’s great if he kicks his covers off.
thanks for all your sweet comment.
That sounds rough! Too bad baths must be pretty frequent. Poor guy.
I have no idea if this would be something David would notice, but when our kids start protesting baths we grab the food coloring and let them decide what color the bath should be. It only takes about 4 drops of regular food coloring to make the whole bath blue or green or red, and ads a lot of fun. It doesn’t stain anything either since it just isn’t that much color. Now that Shannon is getting older the play with mixing colors to make purple, orange, etc. The only bath color that just isn’t right is yellow…for obvious reasons… !
Poor Lisa! Did David enjoy baths before and just decided he didn’t like them anymore? I hope he learns to enjoy them again. So far Ben loves bathtime. He cries when I turn the water off because he knows he’ll be removed from the warm water into the cold air!
BTW, I love the slippers. I’ve never seen anything like them before…
The reward of sweet smelling little boy hair is so worth it!
I always tell my Joe that all the ladies at school will love to sit next to him if he smells good. Honestly, he doesn’t care. Just don’t mention a shower around him or we have a complete meltdown. I so understand!
Anne
Lisa,
I don’t know if it applies to your son David with a Sensory Integration Dysfunction in regards bathing.
http://www.sensorysmarts.com/tips.html
It takes patience. Soon or later, it will pay it off just like David succeed in walking.
Wish you the best of luck.
Can I just tell you how much I love love love Robeez. My sweet boy has now grown out of them but they were the best, because regular shoes were so hard for him to walk in for so long. I wish they made them in bigger sizes. Sorry about the bath, that is too bad, why doesn’t he like it?
My son has those exact same Robeez!!
Sorry to hear about the bathtime struggles…that’s no fun at all!
super punko slippers. Love the jammies too! What can you do? Are there any other CdLS parents that have experienced something similar? I don’t want David to hate bathtime. =(