big bath

Up until the weekend we have still been bathing Floyd in the baby bath he was happy as bathing in there, plus it saved us water! He would run to the bathroom, try to strip his own clothes off and then cry when it was time to get out. However he is now getting way to tall and his knees are up round his nose!!
Sooo anyway we attempted to put him in the big bath over the weekend, he clung to DP, screamed and had a right tanty, eventually got him to sit down but he wasn't happy and kept saying all gone, all gone (get me out of here in other words!!)
we always sat the baby bath in the big bath so its not like he hasnt had the bath walls around him before, he has all the same toys etc.
So far we have tried me getting in the bath with him and adding colour to the water (something he normally loves) but he cries and cries. Last night when we said come on bath time he ran to his room and tried to hide behind the certain and sobbed

Any other ideas, o and he HATES the shower!!

Edited by sarahm

How about putting the baby bath into the big bath and filling both up so he is still sitting in the baby bath but the big one has water too, that might get him used to it.

We had a similar issue with our 2 yo. he got scared one day when his nana bathed him and he pulled the plug out and saw the toys get sucked up and I think felt the pull himself. (She has a violent bath). Anyway after that he wouldn't go near the bath and screamed and was miserable despite the fact he had loved them before.
We tried similar things to you and in the end we just let him not get in... :-) We would put the 3yo in and my husband would get in and he started coming and standing by the bath and bit by bit started wanting to reach in and play with the toys (new bath toys only for bath helped too) and then he got in for a short time and then we were able to wash him in there again and finally now he is completely happy in the bath again. We would wash him down with a cloth every other day so he still got a clean. I think from memory it took a couple of weeks, maybe more.
Try also just a very little bit of water maybe or even playing in there with no water so he gets use to the feel of the bath maybe (Put a towel or something down so he doesn't slip).
Make sure you don't stress about it and convey 'anxiety' over him getting in.
try going back to baby bath but only having 'baby bath toys' in it and have exciting new toys in view for when he is ready to try the big bath. You could fill both, put the baby bath next to the big bath rather than in it and let him choose and maybe even swap between them... I know it means more water but...

Good luck, the joys of parenting toddlers!

Success!!! Took a while (standing beside the bath splashing, Mummy sitting on edge with feet in, standing up in bath for ages) and a few tears but eventually he sat down and had a great time in the big bath.

maybe you don't need this now, but you could also invite a wee friend around for some bath play time too!