Ezra is generally a pretty mellow dude-monkey. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I'd never seen him go completely bonkers about anything. Sure, he has his fits and his melt-downs, but I could always tell that he was holding back a little- that he had more "oomph" that he was choosing not to exercise...
That was, until a couple of weeks ago.
Since being home from our Christmas travels, Ezra has been terrified of the bathtub. He used to love soaking in the tub with his bubbles and his rubber duckie. He would run to the tub and wait for the water to hurry up and fill his porcelain palace so that he could climb in and talk to the little upsidedown baby smiling at him from the shiny water spout. He would try to climb in before we could finish getting all his clothes off. He would play peek-a-boo with his own toes hiding under the bubbles.
But now, oh... now. When we even mention the word "bath" to him (now lovingly referred to as the 'B' Word in our home), he FREAKS OUT. "No! No! No! No? No? No!", he says as he runs to the nearest piece of furniture and tries to wedge himself behind it. After that, actually getting him in the tub is a miracle in itself, because he contorts and twists his body in ways that seem cat-like and it takes the strength and reassurance of both Chris and I to get his rubber band legs onto the water side of the tub. Once in, he screams and cries. He tries to escape. His bath has become a stressful event lasting no more than 45 seconds.
Wet. Lather. Rinse. REMOVE! REMOVE! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY! REEEMOOOVE!!
I've read that this is not completely abnormal. That toddlers sometimes develop fears of things such as the bath, or the potty, or going to bed.
But still, I hate to see him like this. It breaks my heart. I again find myself desperately wishing he could find his words and tell me what it is that is scary to him. Every night as we're putting him to sleep, we pray that God would take away his fear and cause him to feel brave. We bathe him less often. We bathe with him. We try new toys, new tactics. Nothing helps. He's fine playing beside the tub, but the second we try to put him in the water, he loses it. So, I don't think it's the actual bathtub that's spooky to him, but the water itself.
I'm not sure what to do. I want to protect him from his fear, but even more than that, I want to help him conquer it.
I know, I know... welcome to motherhood, right?
Any advice? Common experiences?
5 comments:
i'm still afraid of water. and showers.
have you tried...oh i'm sure you have...putting him in the tub with out water and letting him turn it on and fill up while he's in it? or maybe if you let him stand on a chair at the sink and play with cups and spoons in water with bubbles and bath toys he'll start to be more interested in water again. that is if he doesn't run from that in fear as well...without those words it is so hard to tell...i feel your pain!
I read in one of my mom magazines that you can use a cute watering can to rinse them and what this mom would do is say okay now we have to water you to grow and her kid loved the idea that she was getting watered and would always run to see if she had grown. I also put brandon in the tub empty and let him play around with his toys in there fully clothed and then you might try putting him in naked and then work on putting him in and then turning on the water. i also got a really cute plastic seal dolphin squirrel thing that covers the spout and at home depot i got a really fun shower attachment that made the shower come down the his height. also if he has a favorite toy, maybe try letting him see his toy get a bath and then he can see that his toy is in fact safe.
Mr. Cheatwood has mules and when they get spooked he makes them go back to what spooked them. I would say just keep it up he well learn to not be afraid because he trust u nd he well see u wont put him in harms way.
maybe try something crazy like getting in with your clothes on.
I have no idea.
It will pass though,
Hopefully.
Maybe eat in there??
I'm thinking....
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