Guest guest Posted November 29, 1999 Report Share Posted November 29, 1999 Dear , I don't know if this would help or not but when we transitioned Abby from her infant bathtub we used a huge heavy duty clothes basket in the tub to give Abby the security and safety she needed in the tub. Abby needed to know and feel boundaries all around her. Abby also loves her bath but still needs that boundary and to this day will only sit one way in the tub - that is facing me with her back up against the back of the tub and feet touching the sides in front of her. A couple of years ago someone else in the family gave her a bath and I had trouble with her then not wanting to get back into the tub. I think her routine got disrupted and it upset her. Abby hates to get into a strange bathtub. Perhaps the clothes basket would give her that sense of security for just a short time until whatever is scaring subsides. Appell Proud Mom to Abby and Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 1999 Report Share Posted November 30, 1999 , Never easy to know where these phobias come from. There are several schools of thought about how to overcome. One is to just force the issue. Put her in the bath until she calms down on her own. To me, that's a last resort. Another would be to not give her baths for several days, and then try again. Maybe she will have forgotten her fear. (It might not have even been the bath she was afraid of, but it became associated with whatever she was really afraid of). The third would be to work in small increments. Get her to at least go near the tub with clothes on without shaking. Then when that's accomplished, work on getting her clothes off without shaking. Then maybe a very brief getting wet without shaking. The increments may have to be very small, and sometimes you have to back up. A lot of positive reinforcement is needed along with it. Hope this helps. Let us know how it goes. Tim Father to (10) and others, one of whom is afraid of swimming pools (Seth) and his dad the psychologist has not been able to get him over it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 1999 Report Share Posted November 30, 1999 , Thanks for the tip, I'd tried that a long time ago when transitioning from the infant tub, but it didn't work too well. I think I may try it again as it has been quite a while and it might work. At this point, I'll try anything. Mom to Kennedy 22 mos old CHARGEr, 10, 8, and wife to Graeme New Brunswick, Canada Visit the " Weir homepage " at: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palms/5716 ICQ #1426476 Re: behaviors. From: Hillmanbs@... Dear , I don't know if this would help or not but when we transitioned Abby from her infant bathtub we used a huge heavy duty clothes basket in the tub to give Abby the security and safety she needed in the tub. Abby needed to know and feel boundaries all around her. Abby also loves her bath but still needs that boundary and to this day will only sit one way in the tub - that is facing me with her back up against the back of the tub and feet touching the sides in front of her. A couple of years ago someone else in the family gave her a bath and I had trouble with her then not wanting to get back into the tub. I think her routine got disrupted and it upset her. Abby hates to get into a strange bathtub. Perhaps the clothes basket would give her that sense of security for just a short time until whatever is scaring subsides. Appell Proud Mom to Abby and --------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 1999 Report Share Posted November 30, 1999 Thanks Tim, I remember what Judith Bluestone said in Houston about less being more and not stressing them out. I'm trying to wait as long as " I " can stand it between baths. I might try a sponge bath sitting on the counter with the sink full of water and try to get her to touch the water in the sink. Baby steps. Mom to Kennedy 22 mos old CHARGEr, 10, 8, and wife to Graeme New Brunswick, Canada Visit the " Weir homepage " at: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palms/5716 ICQ #1426476 Re: behaviors. , Never easy to know where these phobias come from. There are several schools of thought about how to overcome. One is to just force the issue. Put her in the bath until she calms down on her own. To me, that's a last resort. Another would be to not give her baths for several days, and then try again. Maybe she will have forgotten her fear. (It might not have even been the bath she was afraid of, but it became associated with whatever she was really afraid of). The third would be to work in small increments. Get her to at least go near the tub with clothes on without shaking. Then when that's accomplished, work on getting her clothes off without shaking. Then maybe a very brief getting wet without shaking. The increments may have to be very small, and sometimes you have to back up. A lot of positive reinforcement is needed along with it. Hope this helps. Let us know how it goes. Tim Father to (10) and others, one of whom is afraid of swimming pools (Seth) and his dad the psychologist has not been able to get him over it! --------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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