So, we have a bathtime issue in my house. Truth be told, we’ve had this issue for a little while now (3 weeks? 6 months? time is a blur…).  Specifically, it involves water, shampoo, and a ridiculous amount of screaming.

Rebecca has never liked getting her head wet. No amount of trying to teach her to tip her head backwards or close her eyes has ever really helped. And she certainly has a flair for the dramatic, so recently the screaming about hair-washing has really escalated.  At the first hint of bathtime, she immediately starts with the slightly-frantic “no shampoo! no shampoo!”  Good times.

Daniel used to be no problem at all with hair washing. He listened reasonably well when I told him to look up and put his head back, and it generally just didn’t phase him.  Now, oh lordy.  He literally wails with the exact same tone in his cry as though he’s just gotten three shots at the pediatrician’s, or has somersaulted down the front stairs.  Pain, horror, fear. It’s really quite something.

Naturally, we’ve cut down the frequency of shampoo in our house to once every 3 or 4 days. But even still, the screaming (which is very nearly as bad even if I just do a quick rinse with water and a washcloth) has got to stop. Entirely too much stress and drama at the end of the day.  So I have decided to implement our very first sticker chart.

A few minutes in word processing, and this is what we’ve got.  They’re taped up right outside our upstairs bathroom, and we did our best to really talk it up over the weekend.  The deal is this: no crying in the bathtub, and you get a sticker (and a whole lot of fuss from mom & dad). That’s it.  I’ll even let you slide if you require a reminder or two while in the bath, as long as any whining and pre-crying stops. I even ramped up slowly. The first night involved no water anywhere near the hair. The second night was just water, no shampoo. Tonight, if I’m feeling brave, I might go all the way.

The results after the first two nights are interesting, though probably not surprising if I stop to think about it. Rebecca, who has always hated water on her hair, is also generally less defiant and stubborn, as well as eager to please and into rules (and stickers).  Stickers earned both nights, and throughout the remainder of bedtime, she kept talking about how she didn’t cry in the tub, and got a sticker. Sweet!  Daniel, on the other hand… oh, Daniel.  First night with no water was OK, but last night he most definitely did not earn his sticker. Wailing, complete with his trademark blue lips from not breathing enough while freaking out.  Still, I’ll hold out hope for a few more nights, especially if he really starts to notice that his sister gets a sticker and lots of praise and he doesn’t.

So, what has been a good use of sticker charts in your house?