2 Year Old Scared of the Bath

I take a shower with my son, who is not a bath child. Not certain why he never liked the bath, cause he liked his swim lessons.

My daughter goes through this every few months it seems.

You could spend several days in a row showing him his toys getting stopped by the drain and how they don't go down. Or maybe not with his toys, but some of your items, and have him play with water in the sink and show him how water can move down the drain and other things cannot. THen after he is comfortable with the concept in the sink, show him in the bath tub with the same thing.

Also look for fun things to do in the bath tub, like water paints or bubbles so he has something else to do.

The other suggestions of taking him out before you drain are good too.

In the mean time, sponge baths work. :) I did those for a couple weeks as well to help my daughter get past her fears as well.

Have you ever seen those large circular plastic or rubber drain covers? They look kind of like this: http://www.azpartsmaster.com/Products/Sink-Stopper---Rubb...

Maybe if you completely covered up the drain, so that he couldn't even see it, his fears would be alleviated? You can still use your normal bath plug/stopper, just use one of these flat covers to conceal it completely. You can even tell him its magic (like, take him to the store when you buy it and pre-arrange with the hardware clerk so that he shows you where the magic bath tub drains are that make the drain not work/disappear... or do a magic spell with him--get a some wands, bubbles, some bathtubs crayons for him to decorate the inside of the tub beforehand, and some bathtub tablets (or use drops of food coloring) that color the water. Let him decorate the tub to his heart's content (as in, make it a "fun" place) and get a couple new toys that only can be used in the tub. The bubbles and colored water should help hide the drain also. The point being: out of sight, out of mind.

And of course, he should be completely out of the bathtub and bathroom when you drain it. I know its kind of dangerous for the bathtub to remain filled... Maybe your husband and drain it while you put on pj's? Or close the door and don't go into the bathroom until he out of the area and drain it yourself.

I will also admit that on a few occasions, I got in the bathtub with my daughter. It was a short-lived phase... But having mama in the bathtub with her made her more comfortable.

Good luck!

Have you tried a Mommy and Me swimming class? Our 1 year old never really gave me a problem during bath time but he never really liked it. We started in a parent/swimming class at 6 months and he now loves the bath! Good luck!

Take him out of the tub before you pull the plug on the drain. Maybe even get him dried off and out of the bathroom. Or maybe he'd like to watch the water go down while he is safely outside the tub (you'll be a better judge of which way might work best for him).

If he is upset just watching water go toward the drain, maybe plug the tub but don't put any water in, and just do the pouring /rinsing thing you are now doing, then pull the plug when he is out.

Could you do sponge baths outside the tub? have him stand in a basin? he could wash his hair by hanging his head over the side of the tub (with your help of course).

You could try explaining that some of his toys are too big for the drain, maybe even show him they don't go down, and remind him he is bigger than they are--but I don't think the logical thinking is that well developed yet at his age.

Good luck

K. Z.

This is actually a really common fear for toddlers and I think a great example of how complex their little brains are! What a rational fear. ;)

I like the idea of the oversized rubber drain plug so that he can't see the drain at all. That might make him feel safer until he really gets that he won't drain with the water. Also teaching him that his toys are even too big to go down the drain and he's even bigger than the toys might help.

Here's a link for you to look at too with some ideas:
http://pbskids.org/rogers/R_house/waterplay4.htm

Mr. Rogers did a whole thing on this very topic, teaching kids not to be scared of the bath because they are too big to fit down the drain. Good luck! Sounds like you have a smart little guy on your hands. :)

You didn't specify type of drain, but I'd guess that it's the type you raise/lower a lever. May I suggest a fitted tub plug?
Then you can tell him the bath is over, get him(and any toys) out of the tub, then pull the plug.
I have one in my tub, and let my little one remove the plug when he's out of the tub(and wrapped snugly in a towel) to drain the bathwater himself...making him in control of the situation.
Hope this helps.

Have you tried letting him take a shower? At first my twins would shower with me at that age. Now they will shower on their own. Sometimes they forget the drain is there when they don't hear the water going down it.

Otherwise you will just have to show him that he won't fit down the drain. I think for my kids, a combination of the two worked.