When my son was a baby taking a shower was a no brainer. I could wake up before him and shower, or place him in a safe place like his rocker to grab a quick shower. Then as he got older I could just take him in the shower with me and let him play with some bath toys while I showered, easy peasy! A few times he was even content to just sit in the bathroom with me and play on the ipad.
But now, as time goes by it gets more and more difficult. Three year olds are a whole new world and as he quickly moves past toddler-hood into the preschool years, many things become more challenging. Three year olds can, and love to, speak their mind, disagree and a flat out refuse your request! Therefore, it become clear that I needed to set up a new routine for showering and today I’m going to share my easy 11 step process with you!
Step 1: Decide to shower. Warn preschooler that you are about to take a shower.
Step 2: Scan the room for any and all possible devices that could be used for coloring- markers, pens, crayons, paint, chalk etc. The last thing you need is to step out of a refreshing shower to find your little Picasso has decided to create a new masterpiece on the white kitchen walls.
Step 3: Make sure all snacks are finished and no reachable food is out – no choking during shower time!
Step 4: Tell kid you are going to take a shower, you will be in the shower if he needs you.
Step 5: Start undressing for shower. Kid yells “mommy!!!!! I NEED YOU” from the other room. Run into room in your underwear to see what the emergency is, only to find out he dropped his toy on the floor – one foot from where he is standing.
Step 6: Head back to bathroom, turn shower on and get in.
Step 7: Start washing hair. Wonder “what is he doing out there? Why is it so quiet? Did the iPad die? Is he tormenting the dog? Why is it so quiet? Did he figure out where I hid the markers? WHY IS IT SO QUIET?”
Step 8: Jump out of the shower, shampoo still in hair, to check what is going on. Run dripping wet into living room to discover that he is happily watching Peppa Pig on the iPad.
Step 9: Return to shower. Wonder if you have enough time to shave legs. At that exact moment, kid yells “help me, help me, HELP MEEEEE” from the other room.
Step 10: Run to other room, shaving cream in hand. Kid is sitting there, still watching the iPad like nothing is wrong, not a hair out of place.
Step 11: Sigh loudly and return to shower, finish showering at record speed and hope for a more relaxing shower tomorrow.
The next day, rinse and repeat!
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