How old before a child can properly wash their face, brush and wash hair?

Question

My daughteris 6 and 1/2. It seems I am constantly on her about washing her face. I'll send her to do it, and she'll come back and it still looks messy. She also can not seem to comb her hair at all. Her hair is a bit long, so I am thinking she will have an easier time when we cut it a shorter, but still..............It also takes a small act of congress to get her to Wash her own hair in the tub, and scrub her own body. It takes 2 secs for me to do it, then I can leave her to play while I get other things done, for her to do it, I have to monitor her for like 10 minutes and remind her how to do it, and watch to make sure she will complete the task. If I leave her to do it alone, she will likely still have a soapy head when she gets out.

Answer 1

i was 8.

Answer 2

I dunno the exact answer here but my son is 9 and when he takes a shower he gets water every where, uses way to much soap, and rarely comes out clean. So my guess would be 12.

Answer 3

everykids different. if you keep getting on her she will learn

Answer 4

keep helping her with it, until she says she doesn't want your help anymore

Answer 5

keep helping her until she doens't feel she needs help anymore. If you nag her too much about not doing it right and that she is always still messy, she will never want to do it herself. I am sure she will improve more and more but don't let her play around until all the soap is all out.

Answer 6

My sister was like this until she was 7 or 8.  Just cut her hair shorter.

Answer 7

8 years old is when a child should be responsible for their choices. Let her learn by example. Make doing those activities fun. Once I was babysitting a seven year old boy and he helped me clean the kitchen because I made a game out of it. Children love games and pretty soon it won't be a game, it will just be another thing she gets done in the morning. Best of luck!

Answer 8

about 7 or 8 at the latest

Answer 9

The more kids you have, the earlier they learn it.  Just kidding -- but there's truth in it in that as soon as you get serious about their doing it themselves because you're just too busy to do it, they really can learn it.  Any sensible kid isn't going to bother to do it themselves if they know mom will crack and do it for them, lol.  Generally it takes extra time at first to make sure they are doing the skill themselves, but it will save you huge amounts of time (and give them the gift of more independence and self-efficacy) in the long run.  My 4-year-old washes her face, does a great job combing her (admittedly short) hair, and showers with her older sister (for safety) but is totally capable of washing herself and her hair and doing her own conditioner.

Answer 10

she should be doing this herself.

Answer 11

From 12 onwards, your child is lazy and unruly, you must discipline the child, or else it is a short slippery slope to a life of crime!

Answer 12

I have a 4 and 1/2 year old daughter and I don't plan on leaving her to do anything by herself for awhile yet.  She doesn't brush her teeth by herself.  My husband brushes them every night and she still ended up with a cavity!  I think it's just part of parenthood to closely monitor them cleaning themselves.  I'm hoping by 8 years old, she'll have the teeth brushing, hair combing, and face washing down pat by herself.  I'll always want to help her wash her hair because if she doesn't rinse well, we'll have to start all over.

Answer 13

Every child develops differently. Keep in mind that she's 6 and 1/2. She's a baby. Tasks like brushing her hair and washing her body are obviously things she's having trouble grasping. Enjoy it. That's what life's about.

FYI --- she's still too young for you to not be monitoring her around the tub. Drowning is still a possibility, even if she swallows water and it gets into her lungs - "dry drowning" -- it's happened before. Just a thought.

My neice is 6 years old and she brushes her hair on her own, she washes her face - though sometimes not as perfectly as us adults would, but that's okay. She's not going to be perfect, she's a kid. She takes a shower and bath with her sister (whose 10).

If it's taking you 2 seconds to do it yourself, then why not make it a learning opportunity and reward her or praise her for doing such a great job all on her own. Tell her how she's becoming such a big girl, and great job. That'll encourage her to continue to do it on her own and better the next time around.

Good luck!

Answer 14

8-9

Answer 15

Sounds to me like she's learned perfectly how to push mommy's buttons, so I'd say she's very smart!

Honestly, it depends on the child.  She'll figure it out.

Answer 16

This is completely normal.  I have three girls..14,11 and 7 and beleive it or not I still have to remind my 14 year old to brush her teeth and wash her face sometimes.  Other moms of my daughters friends say the same thing.  I am constantly on them every single day to remind them of these things.  I get frustrated some days too and will just wash the 2 younger ones in the shower myself of having them take an hour to do it and still not being able to wash and condition their hair properly.  I think all kids are different.  I can remember when I was a young girl one of my favorite things was sitting in the bathroom and giving myself different facials every night..not my girls though.  Its just one of those things I guess.  I have even gone as far as putting up a little index card in the bathroom with what they should do everyday to properly care for themselves.  Good luck!

Answer 17

PROPERLY? 12 and up. If she hasn't gotten it at 12 then you haven't taught her well.

Answer 18

You know my sister is five and she has no problem brushing it because she has a short easy hairdoo.  I must say she should be more independent at that age but don't push her too hard just show her how to do it on your face (washing off makeup)  and maybe she will see how it looked before and how it should look :-)

Here's what my sister has:

http://dyfuse.com/files/images/Rihanna.p...

It looks relly cute on her~!

Good Luck!!!

Answer 19

Well, just continue to show her how to do it. Or your just going a little too fast. At least wait until she's a LITTLE older.

i would say about 8-10 years old at least.

Hope I helped! :)

Answer 20

I couldn't wash my hair properly until I was like, 9 haha. I used to have long hair that was really hard to wash.

My sister is 7, and my mom still has to brush and wash her hair. I think you should start putting her in the bathtub, explain briefly how she should be washing herself, then tell her that in 10 minutes you're coming back and doing her hair. If you come back in 10 minutes and she obviously didn't do what you asked, sit her in there for another 10 minutes, Just keep enforcing this until she does what she is told.

With the face washing and hair brushing: If you're about to go somewhere, like to the store, or sending your daughter to school, give her a certain amount of time [say, 10 minutes] to get ready.

Actually, you can do this two ways. If she's not cleaned up by the time you told her to be ready, tell her she's not going. Leave her home with her dad or neighbor while you go to the store. OR you can have you go with you, but make sure she understands how dirty she looks.

Answer 21

well,  I think i could do it at like 7 or 8 but when i was 9 i still came to school sometimes without brushing my hair!!

Answer 22

frm 6 or 7

@ 6 they should be learnd to do it...but they will b able at 7 or 8