Unsupervised Bathing

[carriek38]

I'm seldom the one playing fast & loose, but I guess I am on this one. I started leaving DD so I could grab something (phone, drink, etc.), then progressively longer to change my clothes in the next room or put laundry away for a couple of minutes in DD's room (across the hall) or my own (next door) when she was around 18 mos or so...but even still, it's frequently punctuated by me hollering at her, "let me hear you sing!" I trust her to bathe alone safely, the only reason I don't do so is b/c of the inevitable water mess

[SamanthaSews]

I leave DS (21 m) in the tub for a minute to go get something quickly. Maybe started this a few months ago. It doesn't happen often. We have a small house & the bathroom is in the middle so I don't worry too much. I just make sure he is sitting & settled before I run out.

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[danner]

My upstairs bathroom has a unique child-size bathtub that is about 3.5 feet by 2 feet. The side is a foot high. I can fill it with 3 inches of water, put my 4 year old and my 15 month old in there and feel comfortable with it. I keep the door open and stay upstairs though.

[umphreysmommy]

Originally Posted by carriek38 I'm seldom the one playing fast & loose, but I guess I am on this one. I started leaving DD so I could grab something (phone, drink, etc.), then progressively longer to change my clothes in the next room or put laundry away for a couple of minutes in DD's room (across the hall) or my own (next door) when she was around 18 mos or so...but even still, it's frequently punctuated by me hollering at her, "let me hear you sing!" I trust her to bathe alone safely, the only reason I don't do so is b/c of the inevitable water mess

Agreed. My DD is now almost 3 and plays in the tub for probably a half hour while I do other stuff. I can hear her the whole time because she plays in there. I started going in and out around 18 months but our old house was much smaller so even in another room I could see into the tub.

[Van1300]

I started letting my almost 3 year old DD alone in the bathtub a few months ago. She sings every time she is in the tub, so I can hear her from the whole house (bathroom is centrally located). We leave the door open and we come in to help her wash her body/hair and rinse, and she knows to call if she has to get out to potty.

In another few weeks, we'll have a NB so it will be back to supervising baths

[Mom2Connor]

Originally Posted by carriek38 I'm seldom the one playing fast & loose, but I guess I am on this one. I started leaving DD so I could grab something (phone, drink, etc.), then progressively longer to change my clothes in the next room or put laundry away for a couple of minutes in DD's room (across the hall) or my own (next door) when she was around 18 mos or so...but even still, it's frequently punctuated by me hollering at her, "let me hear you sing!" I trust her to bathe alone safely, the only reason I don't do so is b/c of the inevitable water mess

This is us. I am never the one to play fast and loose either, I would think, (just based on what I read here about helicopter parents, and the 3 yr old playing on the curb by traffic wearing only panties, etc) that I am a pretty strict paranoid parent. Before kids, I would have never thought I would let kids play in the tub before, say 5. But DS is a big strong 2 yr old and our house is small with the bathroom he takes baths in being right in the middle. His room is the first room by it, so if he's playing in the tub I will put up his laundry, etc. I'll hang a few shirts, then go peek on him, hang a few more, peek at him, etc.

Generally, TBH, I'm basically just sitting there (watching him) after I wash him. But if I have a load of his clothes to put away, we've been doing that stuff for months now. Or I'll get the phone and walk back to the bathroom, etc.

[Joyful Tie Dyes]

DS will be three this month ans we still don't.

A local mom lost her 2.5 year old to bathtub drowning and I am SUPER paranoid about it.

[ajane]

My oldest was probably 3 I really don't remember. But, it was only for short periods of time while I ran to grab something or put something away and was back.

DD2 was about the same. DD3 was with one of the 2 older girls and probably similar, DS was about 2. But, again....only for short period of times to grab something. We do pretty quick baths so they are in to get clean and get out.

Mine have alll been able to swim on their own by 3 so drowning didn't worry me, but I have a fear of my kids drowning so I was always paranoid. If that makes sense, lol.

ETA: a child can drown in less than an inch of water and anything can happen in the tub. They can easily slip and hit their heads and be knocked unconscience.....which is why I was never comfortable for more than a quick run and back....and talking to them the entire time I was gone.

[threec's]

my boys are 2 and 4, and they recently started sneaking up to take a bath while I nurse DD. I set up some rules, and as long as I can hear them (our house is small) I'm fine with it. Gives me a nice quiet time to nurse

[Holly dolly]

Originally Posted by JennTheMomma I started at 2 with both of them. Door is open, I'm in the next room putting things away, can hear completely and would be checking in. They are now 5 and 2 and bathe together mostly. They have never been standers and would tell me when they wanted to get out instead of doing it themselves.

This. Plus my boys make a lot of noise in the tub...if its quiet I know something's up.

Our house is tiny so I am always within a few steps of the bathroom.

Before my ds was 2 I never left him alone.