DS is 4 and he normally loves the bath, but it takes forever and I’d like to be able to give him the occasional shower. I tried it the other day for the sake of time when he was already up too late...let’s just say that didn’t go well.
What age did your child become agreeable to showering? Any tips to make it fun? Thanks!
nectarine / 2431 posts
DS is also four and hates showers. When we are in a rush, I just have him stand in the bath with the water running, take a cup, pour the water over him, soap him up, and then rinse. I think the water gets in their eyes because they are so small.
apricot / 410 posts
My four year old will take shower occasionally, but only if I use the handheld shower head and can really control where the water goes. She hates water getting in her eyes or on her face, so I give her a washcloth to hold over her eyes and have tilt her head back as far as she can while I rinse her hair. It doesn't solve all the problems, but it's helped some and definitely is quicker than a bath when we're in a hurry.
pomelo / 5621 posts
DS started taking showers at 4. But he would shower with DH. It wasn’t until closer to being 6 that he was ok showering on his own. He still won’t shampoo his hair when he showers alone.
pomelo / 5573 posts
B will be 6 in January and he still hates them. We make him have one once a week (soccer runs late, he's too sweaty to not bathe but baths take too long) but it only works if we use the handheld attachment, he doesn't like the water pouring on his head. We don't use it for hair washing.
On the other hand W, who's three, has loved them for over a year - for a while every night after B had his bath W would demand that we turned the shower on and he'd just stand under it with water pouring over him. I guess it's kid-dependent.
pear / 1599 posts
DD started showers I think at 6 or late 5 cant recall. DS is 4 and hates them. It is because the water gets on his head and face, we are trying to get over it.
pear / 1565 posts
4.5 and 2.5 year old and 4.5 refuses to take a shower and I'm okay with that. She also has trouble/fear putting her head under water for swimming, doesn't like sprinkler parks, etc so I don't want to force it. Def would make my life SO much easier!
clementine / 920 posts
DS is 4 and also not a fan of showers. We occasionally have to force it and use the handheld. I think water in the face is his biggest issue with it but I would love to get away from having to fill the tub up every time.
pear / 1750 posts
Thanks everyone! I wasn't sure if it was a personal issue with him or just his age, but it sounds like it could be either. He doesn't mind that I use the handheld shower on him to wash his hair while he's in the bath, but I guess standing in the cold air is a step too far.
I'm thinking I'll try to fill the bath a little less next time and make the transition more slowly.
pomelo / 5084 posts
@macintosh: Right there with you. My son (3.75) acts like the shower is raining down acid on him. Yet loves baths. Go figure.
nectarine / 2436 posts
Maybe try it when he's in a good mood, like earlier in the day... or even with you? My 3.5 year old likes showers. Not as much as baths but he'll take one.
pear / 1565 posts
@wrkbrk: haha we're not the only one! I'm always like who doesn't like sprinklers?! But mine avoids them like the plague 
persimmon / 1233 posts
My 6-year-old finally started doing showers just a couple months ago when my 3-year-old "taught" him. Peer pressure FTW!
honeydew / 7463 posts
Since you have the handheld I would maybe let him hold it a bit. I also used to take my pouf and get it super sudsy and let him play with that throwing it around and “painting” the wall with bubbles. Then he could use the handheld to rinse it all.
Could also maybe try bath markers (easier to clean than crayons) or another fun thing he doesn’t usually have. Like shave cream or mr bubble makes foam for spraying and playing with. It’s also soap. Whatever you decide on make it ONLY a shower thing. He can’t play with it in the bath.
Let him pick out new character soap/shampoo he can only use in the shower.
pear / 1750 posts
@SweetiePie: awesome suggestions! Last night I filled up the bath halfway and had him stand up while washing and rinsing I’m the shower. The warm water was still there to sit down in, so that kept him comfortable. We also went in plenty early when he was in a good mood. It did speed things up a lot and he didn’t spend much goofing around 
cherry / 160 posts
We started showers at 4 and now my 5 year old prefers them. My 2.5 year old will take them with her, though he prefers baths. Maybe give him some fun toys to play with in the shower? My little guy loves to fill up cups with water and "clean" the shower door with a washcloth.
apricot / 285 posts
Can you make a smaller shower with the handheld? Have it hanging somehow? Our stand up shower has a hook for some random reason so we are able to hang the handheld and make a small shower that is below his head (he is 3.5). We also let him play firefighter after he is washed up with the handheld. Good luck!
pomegranate / 3127 posts
It's a four year old thing. A friend says she got her son this shower visor thing to keep water out of his eyes, and it made a difference. I just use the handheld and try to get the hair washing over with fast, and keep the water on the kids so they don't get cold. Seems to work most days...
nectarine / 2987 posts
Sometimes using a weird name can help too. We do something called a Washy Washy in our house and it can be either a bath or a shower but what it means is you literally just get in, get wet, get soapy, rinse, and get out. There's no playing, but I introduced the idea with like a fun, silly voice and the kids bought it, hook, line, and sinker.
persimmon / 1420 posts
I put a shower mirror in the shower so they could see themselves- it helped a lot to get them showering!
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