Mom Hacks: What to Do When Your Kid Refuses Bath Time

This article was born because one of my children also hated bathing and we had constant problems. I fully understand the difficulties faced by those moms and dads who are struggling with similar issues, so I would like to share some helpful tips now to help them. Or rather, not only will I help, but I have asked our regular readers from all over the world to write their own stories if they have any. If not, then recommend those who I can reach out to and who can share their experiences and solutions with us. Maybe, dear reader, one of them will help you too. 😊

But before I copy the received letters here, I will talk a little in general about the importance of children’s evening baths and their physiological and psychological effects.

The Importance of Bath Time

Numerous advantages of this little daily routine. One of these is the daily routine. For children, and I’m not just talking about very young children, it is very important to have a regular routine, with daily recurring and predictable routines. These give them security and calm them down.

Skin diseases

Then there are the hygiene aspects, the prevention of various skin diseases. Such as diaper rash in little ones, but skin problems can also occur in schoolchildren due to improper cleaning after going to the toilet. Eczema can also be a problem. In such cases, it is recommended to use soaps and various moisturizers prescribed by a doctor or dermatologist. I won’t go into further detail on this part, as it’s not the main topic of this blog, but we can see that there are many positive physiological effects of daily bathing.

Bath time is a real intimate, screen-free time

Bathing is not only a necessary hygiene routine, but also a fantastic opportunity for parents and children to strengthen their bond. Think about the special moments you can experience while bathing! The warm water, the bubbles and the toys all contribute to the children feeling good and relaxed. There is no phone, no tablet, just you two. You can also read my article on the subject: https://pixikidzone.com/blog/real-moms-strategies-to-reduce-kids-screen-time-readers-letters/

This period is ideal for parents to really pay attention to their children. If the child can already speak, then there is an opportunity to talk about what happened that day, to share the little joys and sorrows. Children are often more open and willing to talk at this time, as they feel more relaxed and safe while bathing.

The emotional bond that develops during joint bathing is very important for the development of children. This intimate period helps children to understand that their parents are always there for them, they can count on them, and they can feel safe. The shared laughter, the games and the loving touches all contribute to strengthening the family bond.

And although you may not think about it, these moments are not only important for children, but they also help parents to slow down and enjoy the time together. After a long day, the laughter and joy of the children in the water can be a real refreshment and a reminder that spending time together is the most important thing. So, the next time you bathe your child, don’t just think about cleanliness, but enjoy this special occasion to get even closer to each other.

So much for the theory! 😊 Although everything I have described so far is true and beautiful moments, not everyone’s life is so simple. 😊

Why does my child hate bath time?

There can be many reasons for this problem. I will list a few of them now, from which I hope you will recognize yourselves, because recognizing and speaking out the problem is a step on the road to solving it. Then I promise we will get back to the readers’ letters. 😊

• Maybe some water got into their ear, nose or they slipped and hit themselves badly. These can be unpleasant experiences that children do not forget for a long time and weigh them down.
• Children are often tired and fussy by the end of the day, which makes it harder for them to handle bathing.
• Water that is too hot or too cold, soap or shampoo that gets into their eyes can all cause discomfort for children.
• Bathing can seem boring to children, especially if there is nothing fun about it.
• The child tries to draw attention to themselves by throwing tantrums and being stubborn.
• New apartment, new bathroom, new bathtub

Dealing with the challenges that arise during evening bathing requires patience and creativity on our part. It is important to understand the fears and needs of children and find solutions that make this important daily routine easier and more enjoyable for them.

As our dear readers have done with their own children and found the solution, let’s move on to the readers’ letters 😊

Reader Letters: How We Overcame Bath Time Fears

We love reader letters because they showcase real-life experiences and complement the scientific discussions on the subject. We often ask our readers to share their experiences with us, and this topic is no exception. We want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who wrote to us 😊

Some contributors preferred to remain anonymous but were happy to share their opinions. In these cases, no names will be mentioned. We apologize in advance for this!

In some instances, for the sake of readability, we corrected errors and rephrased words, but always with the sender’s knowledge and permission. Naturally, these changes did not alter the content of the letters in any way 😊

“Giulia Bianchi – Perugia | My daughter is already 7 years old, but we also had problems with her evening baths. I used the four-step technique. 😊

First, I asked her what toys she wanted to take with her to the bath. This was the introductory phase. It rarely worked, but really only very rarely. It was more of an introductory phase.

The next step, if the previous one didn’t work, was when I told her that we could play for 10 minutes before the bath, but then she had to promise to go afterwards.

Then came the “threat”, if you don’t go for a bath, I’ll put you in and wash you! I mostly achieved my goal here, but sometimes even this didn’t work.

In the last step, it was time for action, I took her and put her in. It is very important to be consistent here and to really put her in by force. There is a tantrum of course, but it doesn’t last long. Bubble bath, toys and everything is fine.

I used these four steps to ensure my child’s evening bath. One of them always worked 😊”

“Chiara – Rimini | We have 5 children, so the story is a bit different. Fortunately, we managed to introduce a system where before bathing everyone writes their name on a piece of paper and we draw one out. The one whose name is drawn goes first to the bath. The good thing about this is that I can playfully introduce them to bathing. When the first one is in, then the others know that they are next and they accept it.”

“Elin – Uppsala | After many unsuccessful attempts, I came up with the idea of taking my small portable speaker into the bathroom. My son loves music and when he heard his favorite music playing in the bathroom, he went in immediately. I told him that if he gets into the tub, we can dance too. He jumped in 😊

It was very effective. Since then I have also taken in some of his light-up toys and they flash while the music plays. We haven’t had any problems with bathing since then 😊”

” Ananya – Pune | Unfortunately, I can’t give any really working advice on when what worked for us. Sometimes it was persuasion, sometimes dad came to solve the problem if nothing else worked. But one thing was common at every bath, there was a tantrum when you had to go in and of course a tantrum when you had to get out 😊”

“Emily – Nottingham | We’ve been going swimming with a float and a water pistol for a long time. So it goes without saying, try it 😊”

“Elira – Shkodër | My daughter will only go for a bath if I bathe with her too. I don’t mind, I’ve adjusted my daily routine to this. We have good conversations while we’re there. In the bathtub, she somehow opens up to me more, so we can talk about what happened to us that day or what’s bothering her. These are great occasions, I really love them and I’m used to them by now.”

“Maria – Kalamata | I told my son that if he doesn’t take a bath, the goblin will come at night and sneak into his bed 😊

I said this in desperation, after many tears, I didn’t even think he might be scared of it in bed at night, but imagine, it worked. In fact, he wasn’t scared of it at all, but he still went for a bath every night on his own. According to him, because only he fits in his bed and he wants to sleep comfortably 😊

This is our little story, but don’t try it at home 😊”

“María González – Puebla | For a long time there was a tantrum before the evening bath. Then there was a tantrum before bedtime too. I didn’t know what to come up with anymore, I even brought toys, but they didn’t work either. Then I realized that the problem was that he and I too associated the evening bath with sleep. I tried taking him for a bath much earlier. Even before the afternoon game. Because we always play a big game together around 6 o’clock. Either with Lego or toy cars, which he loves very much. I told him to come and let’s take a quick bath before the game. And I was just amazed that he came without a word. And so there was no more trouble with bedtime. He grumbled a bit of course, because at this time we finish the daily things, games, but he didn’t produce as much as after the bath. So for us, separating sleep and bathing was the key.”

“Ana – Coimbra | My little girl loves the bubble blower. I never let her use it in the apartment because we always slip on that soapy water, especially if she spills it and I hate cleaning it up. We also had a lot of crying before the bath. I tried a lot of things too, but they didn’t really work. Finally I gave in 😊
I asked her what would happen if we blew bubbles while we were bathing. You can imagine what happened, we rushed to take a bath 😊”

“Sofia Ivanova – Plovdiv | Bath bomb and moldable foam. I knew the bath bomb before, but not the moldable foam, a friend of mine recommended it. Something absolutely brilliant, even I can play with it, let alone my little girl. We play with one or the other every day, it’s very funny and she enjoys it a lot. In fact, I used these to stop the constant tantrum before the evening bath.”

“Maya Andersen – Aarhus | We have an interesting story. When my son couldn’t talk yet, he always had trouble with the evening bath. Then, as the months went by and he could already say words, he started to say that he hated it and pointing at the tub and the tap from which the water flowed. I had an idea and my husband and I went to buy him a small plastic tub, a small pool-like tub. He is willing to bathe in this. I also bought him some toys and we’ve been doing great ever since 😊”

“Hanna – Debrecen | My little girl loves to dress up and look at herself in the mirror, a real little girl 😊
But she has always had a lot of trouble with the evening bath. I don’t know why, but she didn’t want to go. One time, when I didn’t know what to come up with, I told her that although she will have a nice dress on tomorrow at kindergarten, you will be stinky and the others will smell you. 😊
We rushed to take a bath immediately 😊
and it has been like this ever since. 😊”

“Jessica – Columbus, Ohio | I bought about 10 different colored watercolors that are specifically for coloring bath water. Every day my little girl can choose what color water she wants to bathe in that day. It’s a lot of fun and it absolutely works. 😊”

“Camille Lefevre – Paris | It may sound drastic, but I believe in actions. When you tell him to come for a bath and he resists and you don’t take him because of that, instead you keep begging him, you are basically just having a conversation. He knows nothing will happen, he just needs to resist a bit and throw a tantrum. I ask him twice, the third time I tell him if you don’t come, I will take you! The fourth time I grab him and put him in the tub. Don’t waste time! After 3-4 times, he gets used to it. At least that’s the only thing that worked for us. We tried all sorts of games, but nothing helped. 😊
Be determined! 😊”