Bath time with younger children

[Deleted]

At what age did you leave your child unsupervised in the bath? 

M (almost 6) and K (3.5) take baths together regularly and I am always there, because I am still in the mindset that babies drown and die when you aren't watching them. Am I crazy to still do this or would you/do you do the same? It's not really the big sister I'm worried about, she knows how to swim, but the clumsy 3 year old. He could face plant, knock himself out and drown, right? Or am I just being a paranoid Cuban mother?

We were watching the Pixar short Party Pooper Rex on Stars. In the beginning, the little girl (Bonnie?) is playing alone in the bath when her mom comes in to tell her it's time to get out. So I started thinking about all of the things I could accomplish in the 15 to 20 minutes they are goofing off in the bath. 

And they hate showers. I've tried.

[ax2]

I was just thinking this last night. I'm curious to hear what people think.

[Deleted]

Eh I don't know if I'd leave them personally, only b/c of the younger one. At least out of the immediate vicinity. Like, in our apartment right now I would leave the door open and go to the kitchen but I wouldn't chill in my bedroom door closed or the office.

[Deleted]

Well, in your scenario, I'd say the 6 year old is old enough to yell for you if something happened to the younger one. So, I'd be ok with folding laundry in the bedroom or doing whatever, within shouting distance.

[thebuddhagouda]

Mine is 3, and I will let him play with the door open while I'm getting stuff done, but I'm in and out every five minutes and listening to his constant chatter. If he gets quiet for more than 30 seconds, I stick my head in.

He loves bath time and will happily stay in for 30 minutes, and I take advantage of that chance to put away some laundry or load the dishwasher. Our house is small though, so like I said, I can stick my head every few seconds if I need to.

[eddy]

4ish I think.

Jack is loud as fuck so there is nothing he can do that I wouldn't instantly know about. He knows not to touch the faucet, but even then the water heater has been turned down.

He has a blast and will play for a half hour by himself. I am always just a room away.

[thebuddhagouda]

Jun 25, 2013 15:35:26 GMT -5 eddy said:

He has a blast and will play for a half hour by himself. I am always just a room away.

I love bath time so much. 30 minutes with nobody at my feet and nobody whining or needing anything. He just sings and plays with his toys and has a grand time.

[eddy]

Jun 25, 2013 15:38:16 GMT -5 thebuddhagouda said:

Jun 25, 2013 15:35:26 GMT -5 eddy said:

He has a blast and will play for a half hour by himself. I am always just a room away.

I love bath time so much. 30 minutes with nobody at my feet and nobody whining or needing anything. He just sings and plays with his toys and has a grand time.

Seriously

It is the best day of my parenting day lol.

[Kristinmo]

My kids are 1 and 3.5. I will wonder in and out of the room to grab PJ's, etc but I am never out of eyesight for longer than 30 seconds or so and I can hear them laughing and talking the entire time. I don't know when I will leave them alone for longer.

[mrssandro]

Jun 25, 2013 15:34:19 GMT -5 thebuddhagouda said:

Mine is 3, and I will let him play with the door open while I'm getting stuff done, but I'm in and out every five minutes and listening to his constant chatter. If he gets quiet for more than 30 seconds, I stick my head in.

This is us exactly. I am always in ear shot and so is DH. DD likes to play for 20-30 mins and we let her. 

[Marle]

Funny thing but I just realized a couple of days ago that I can leave him unsupervised now because he swims so he won't "drown". However, that doesn't prevent him from playing in the bathtub and hitting his head lethally. So, I don't stay all the time but check on him often.

[mommytutu]

Mine are 4 and 2. I wash them then let them play for 20 minutes or so. I always peek my head in but I would be so bored watching them play for that long.

[cuddlyevil]

My boys are 2 & 3, I always stay nearby just because I have to remind them that water stays in the bathtub.

DD is 7 and I tend to leave the room, but she showers. She generally begs me to stay in the bathroom with her though, maybe because we don't get much mom and DD time (though it's probably because she likes that I will wash her hair if she asks).

[hopecounts]

With 2 kids bathing together I'd probably stay closer longer since if things get to pushy while playing accidents could happe if it was just the 6 yr old I'd be ok being on the same floor but different room with doors open.

[lilybug]

My kids are 3.5 and 1.5. If they're together of if it's just the little one, I stay; especially if they're together, because the big one has a tendency to knock the little one over on accident.

If it's just the 3.5 y.o., I'll help him wash off, then leave the door open while he plays for a while.

[karmasabiotch]

I remember being about 6 or 7 and my Mom letting me finally take a bath alone and she had me sing loud so she could hear me and know I was ok. If I stopped singing she would be right there to check on me.

[Redpoppy]

Jun 25, 2013 15:34:19 GMT -5 thebuddhagouda said:

Mine is 3, and I will let him play with the door open while I'm getting stuff done, but I'm in and out every five minutes and listening to his constant chatter. If he gets quiet for more than 30 seconds, I stick my head in.

He loves bath time and will happily stay in for 30 minutes, and I take advantage of that chance to put away some laundry or load the dishwasher. Our house is small though, so like I said, I can stick my head every few seconds if I need to.

This for me too except DS is almost 5

[mommylikestattoos]

DS is 4 and he's mostly unsupervised. We're in the next room with the door open and check on him every little bit.

[Deleted]

My son is 4 and I am constantly in and out. I don't sit with him but I put away towels, wash my face in the same bathroom, etc.. so I am usually one to two steps out the door or doing something right there. I never leave him alone for longer than a minute. I also just leave the back door open for the dog when he is in the bath, that way I'm not distracted and gone too long. I remember that story too from Nest days and it makes me super aware when he is in the bath.

[evynsmama]

I've been leaving DD whose a little over 2.5 alone in the bath since she was a little over 2 years old. She is a great swimmer and I'm in and out letting her play for a bit, then washing her hair, then more playing and then come back to wash her body, then play and then get out. Our house is tiny so I can yell "Are you okay?" every so often from the kitchen and hear her reply. Some may say it is unsafe, but she always remains seated in the tub and I can get stuff done.

[Marmee]

Alone i'd say 5 or 6. I let me kids all bathe together (yes it's squished) at 4, 6 & 8 & I'm fine not being there supervising every minute. However I wouldn't leave my 4yr old there alone.

[pantsparty]

My mom still doesn't leave the bathroom.

It's weird.

[Deleted]

2ish.

Low water level with a sibling, same age or older.

The ocean makes me nervous, even for me as a adult. The bathtub, not really.

As long as I am in the next room and can hear, a-okay.

[statlerwaldorf]

Around 4. DD is pretty much constantly talking or singing when she's in the tub. I stay within ear shot and check on her every once in a while.

[gretchenindisguise]

We live in a tiny apartment, so Im sure that skews me.

The distance from her bathtub to places where I'm doing stuff is probably less than the distance to the bathroom door in some houses.

So yeah, I leave her in there. But yes, I listen for her chatter and I'm never behind a closed door (like going to the bathroom or showering myself). I'm typically cleaning up from dinner and picking up the living room.

Sent from my DROIDX using proboards

[gretchenindisguise]

Oh and we started around 2.5 I think.

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[Deleted]

DD is 4 and she is lucky if I run out for more than 30 seconds. I stay. Always. The laundry, dishes and relaxing can wait. I am not willing to risk it for some chores.

[Deleted]

DD was about four and half but I stay within eat shot, turn off tv and phone ringers. Thy child stays in the tub for at least an hour.

[copperboom]

DD is 4. I'll leave her alone for a about a minute at a time, if I need to go grab something from another room. I've recently realized that I can put her in the tub in the master bath and then jump in the shower myself, from which the tub is visible. It's been a nice time saver.

[Gato]

LOL, this is the issue that led to most of 12-24 on the Bump defecting to Mean Mommies. 

I'll leave my 5 year old alone for a few minutes.  She doesn't like to be alone in general, so it's not really my worrying that's the issue.  Still, I probably wouldn't leave her alone for much longer than that, not yet.