Is bath time a battle? Try these helpful tips.
Baths and showers should be part of a routine, so they are expected.
Every night, every morning, every other night, Monday/Tuesday/Friday… it doesn’t matter. Just try to have a default schedule that everyone can predict.
No one wants to stop doing something fun and do something not fun. Schedule showers after something less engrossing than free-play or screen time (e.g., homework, shower, putting away clothes, bath, helping clear the table, then shower).
Make baths and showers easy and fun. Help your kids learn a quick routine for thorough cleaning before the fun stuff (e.g., shower crayons, bath bombs, a rotation of fun toys, a doll to wash their parts too, shower gels, masks, scrubs, water play-dough).
Investigate. What makes showering a drag? Stopping other things? Is it a signal for bedtime? No comfortable pajamas that fit? Is it a signal for school? Always rushed? Too cold when they get out? Not skilled enough at rinsing hair- so it becomes a major process? Observe. Ask. Consider. And then help make it better.
