When did you let your kids bathe alone?

[FaerieDreamer]

I ask because my sister in law lets her 2 1/2 yr old take baths by herself already. She will actually start the water while my neice in in the tub, leave the room with the water running, then go back in about to-15 minutes later to turn it off and leave her in there to take her bath alone.


I personally, don't think that 2 1/2 is old enough to be in the bathroom alone. Sure she can sit there and play with her bath toys and whatever. But it only takes one missed step or slip to hit her head on the tub and then what? What if she turns the hot water on and burns herself?

And then there's the whole bathing issue itself, can a 2 yr old really wash their hair and body well enough to be clean? My 14 month old will dump water on his head, and rub the washcloth over his chest, but he's definitely not bathing himself.


Even my sister in law's mother made a comment about it too. She was like "Piper's in the bath? Alone? You're not going to go back in there?" to which my sister in law responded "No she's fine. We always let her take a bath on her own." I could tell her mom was itching to get into that bathroom to supervise.


So...what are your opinions? When did you let your kids bathe on their own?

[ej]

My son started bathing alone at about 6 or 7. 2 and a half is WAY too young to be bathing alone. There's no way that that child is cleaning herself properly, and from the perspective of proper supervision? That's a tragedy in the making. Someone needs to be in the room with that kid.

[vegaenglit]

i remember taking a bath when i was 4 or 5 kinda by myself. My mom would wash my hair then i would get to play around for a while. then i took showers with her until i was about 7 or 8. from then on i did them all by myself.

the lifeguard part of me says that no one under 10 should ever be in a body of water unsupervised. to have a 2 yo in the bathtub by themselves is just irresponsible. anything could happen.

[syvvie]

^ Yeah, same here. When Sylvia was around 5, I would help her get the water going and wash her hair, but I didn't stay in there with her the whole time. She usually bathes in the evening, so while she played around I would get her pjs out, straighten up, whatever. Check on her every few minutes, ya know. Now that she's 7, I can just say "Go upstairs and take a bath" and she doesn't need any help. Though I still remind her "ONE capful of bubble bath ONLY" every time, out of habit. Heh.

But yeah, 2 and a half is entirely too young. That just is not safe. I mean, if nothing else, what if she turns on the hot water and scalds herself? I would *never* let a child that young bathe alone.

[Sheri]

I leave my 4 1/2 year old step-daughter in the tub alone. But I'd never leave the water running. I'd also never go any further than the next room... I think 2 1/2 is way too young to be left alone in the tub. I doubt a child of that age can even clean him/herself properly.

[FaerieDreamer]

vegaen, the lifeguard in you will scream when I tell you this next part. They let her go swimming w/o adult supervision as well, as long as her 9 yr old sister is in the pool with her. She just has to have her arm floaties on her. That one did NOT go over well with my husband's parents when they were here in July.


I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels she's too young to be alone in the bathroom. I thought I was just being paranoid about it. Hell, my son still doesn't even take a bath in the big tub, we have an inflatable tub for him that sits in the regular tub. Partly because our tub is nasty even w/ repeated cleanings, but mostly becase I don't think I could reach him should he scoot over to the other side of the tub because of the doors.

[Dita]

Ok, the part about swimming is just heart wrenching! A 9 year old in no way should be responsible for a 2 1/2 year old in a swimming pool. :(

I let Carson start being alone in the bath at almost 4. I only felt comfortable if he sang the whole time at first and my apartment is so small, that any room I'm in, is like 5 steps from the bathroom (almost literally) and I could hear him also from any room in the house. I would start the water then come back to turn it off, let him play, then come back to wash him and get him out.

Now that he's almost 5, he washes himself now. It started with supervision to make sure he was doing a good job, and now I just let him do it alone. I still start the water for him though, but now he's old enought to turn it off himself when it gets to his desired level. Also, I started letting him wash himself when he started getting those random erections (and would uncontrolably giggle) every time I'd wash him.

[vegaenglit]

vegaen, the lifeguard in you will scream when I tell you this next part. They let her go swimming w/o adult supervision as well, as long as her 9 yr old sister is in the pool with her. She just has to have her arm floaties on her. That one did NOT go over well with my husband's parents when they were here in July.

[shock] [shock] [shock] [shock] [shock]

just the thought of that is making my heart race. one slow leak and that child is toast. accident waiting to happen.

[courey]

That's absolutely insane.
Salem was about 5 or 6 when he started taking baths totally alone; and hell, to this day I still have to remind him that he actually has to use soap and shampoo.

[ej]

Come to think of it, my kids don't take baths. They take showers.

[supernova]

She shouldn't be bathing or swimming alone. That's very dangerous. Where I live, it seems like we hear of a few drowning deaths each summer. It's obvious to me that you don't leave young kids alone for those activities.

(Yep, ej, my kiddo takes a shower with me. He loves it! And I think I got the idea to try that out from you after you described your morning routine.)

[courey]

Well, Salem takes showers *now*... :p
But when he was younger he prefered to play in the water.
I prefer to play in the water, too, occasionally!