What to Do to End Your Child's Bath Time Blues

Bath time can be a parent's worst nightmare. Some children dread the bath tub as it usually means that bedtime isn't far behind. Others have a fear of the bath tub. Both problems can be easily overcome with some creativity on the parent's part.

First and foremost, if a child has a fear of bathing, your best approach is to bath with the child until he or she overcomes the fear. You'll want to make sure that it doesn't become a habit, though, as sooner or later, your child will need to learn to bathe by themselves. One way you can go about this is to start the bath in the tub with your child then get out and bathe him or her from beside the tub. Over a period of time, your child should become more relaxed with bath time and will bathe alone.

Bathing your child in the early evening will put an end to the bath time blues when he or she knows that bedtime doesn't immediately follow. Of course, you'll probably want to wait until after they've finished their supper, but offer them the chance to get their bath and then they can play until bedtime. It may sound as a sort of bribery, but sometimes a trade off can work for the best for both child and parent.

There are all kinds of activities you can include with bath time to make it a fun experience for your child. Taking a bath doesn't have to be all work and no play. Any water resistant toy can be carried to the bath for the child to play with while they bathe as long as you ensure the toy will be safe in the tub. Obviously, you wouldn't want anything electrical in the tub, but other toys may not fair so well either. For example, toys with metal parts or fasteners will rust and ruin the toy. Plastic toys will usually survive the bathtub more than anything else.

A bubble bath will lure even the most stubborn of bathers to the tub. Your local drug store will offer a wide variety of bubble baths to choose from. Take your child with you and let the pick out the one they would like to use. Having them choose which one they want will make taking a bath more of their choice than it is yours. For a more economical approach, simply put a cap full of shampoo in the bath while the water is still running for them to create their own bubble bath. A bottle of bubble liquid and a wand will add to the enjoyment or a battery operated bubble gun can be used to fill the tub area with floating bubbles. Just make sure the bubble gun doesn't make a splash in the water as it won't survive the submersion.

The Crayola company offers an extensive line of bathing and personal care products, starting off with bath time crayons and a floating desk. Children can mix their bathing with the artistic abilities, drawing on either the floating desk or the sides of the tub. The artwork is easily cleaned with soapy water and the desk has suction cups on the bottom to attach it to the wall when not in use. They also offer scented bubble bath for lots of bubbles and your child can mix the scents to create new ones. Next are their color dotz that are added to the bath water to change the color of the water. Let your child choose the color of their bath water to get them involved with making their own bathing decisions.

Although bathing seems to be an ongoing battle with your child, turning it into more of a play experience instead of a chore will make it easier on both child and adult. When you include them in the decision making process, they are the ones choosing to take a bath. It won't be long before they are asking you to run some bath water turning the nightmare into a pleasant dream.

*Bath and Personal Care, crayola.com

*Crayola Company, crayola.com