Avoid hair washing woes

Cut back on hair washing

• Lessen the frequency of hair washing to once a week.
• If you let your child know that it's hair washing night, you can prepare him so that you can both relax and enjoy bath time. 
• At this age it's not really necessary to wash hair often.

Problem solve together

• Ask your child how to wash his hair.
• Maybe he will be happier in the shower rather than the bath, perhaps he hates having his hair rubbed and wants to do that bit himself.

Dolly does it, too!

• Let your toddler wash a doll's hair in the bath.
• When he makes the doll's hair wet, then you wet his hair. When he puts shampoo on the doll's hair, you put on his and so on.

Make it fun

• Put a plastic mirror at the end of the bath and help your little one make shapes with his shampoo-covered hair.
• Horns and halos, curls and twirls will all distract him and make him giggle.

Do it together

• Have a bath with him, and let him wash your hair and make funny shapes with it, then it's his turn and you can make the same shapes in his hair.

Change the scene

• Try using the kitchen sink to wash hair.
• Put a thick towel on the draining board and let your child lie down with his head over the sink. 
• This way he is safe and secure, and the water is much less likely to go into his eyes. You can pretend this is a hair dressing salon and let him play at having his hair done.

Distraction rules!

• Distraction works well with toddlers.
• Put a funny picture or mobile on the ceiling above the bath so your child has something to look at. Sing a special hair-washing song- something very noisy so that he can join in.