Unsupervised Bathing

[jbug_4]

DD is 5. If she didn't bath with 2 year old ds I might leave her in there alone. Probably won't until she asks. I do go (with both of them in the tub) to the kitchen to put something in the garbage or to their rooms to get jammies but then I go right back in. For dd I feel like I am ALWAYS doing something else and never really spending time with her so while I don't think she still needs me in there, being in there allows me to actually sit and just be with her.

[mom1mg]

My two younger ones bathe togther alone sometimes - they are 3 and 18 months BUT that being said I am less then 5 feet away from them even though they are "alone" I usually clean the bathroom or put laundry away in my room - there is a pocket door between the bathroom and my bedroom and my dresser is right next to the door it is literally about 5 steps from the tub. If it gets quiet (which it NEVER does) I pop my head around the wall. If I have to do something further away -- go downstairs or deal with something I have an older kiddo hang out in the bathroom with them.

[crunch!910]

Starting about 18mo-2yo I'd leave the room to be in the laundry area only 3 feet away. I could hear and it'd be a manner of leaning over to peek inside the door to check up on what was going on. Now that DS1 (3yrs) and DS2 (6 months) are often given baths together, I obviously am there 100%.

[Kätzchen]

My oldest is six and I'm still there most of the time, mainly because she wants me and the 15mo to play dinosaurs, and scrub her hair.
I don't like leaving kids alone with water.

[Mama*Kim]

I started leaving the older one alone in the bath around 2-2.5, but only for a minute or two at a time. We have a small house, and the bathroom is adjacent to the living room. Around 3.5ish, if he was alone in the tub, I'd leave him while I did things, but talked to him the whole time. If the boys (almost 5 and 20mo) are in there together, I'll run and grab something, but I don't leave the 20mo old alone.

[canadianbakers]

Starting around 2 years or so, and it depends on the kid too.
At that point, though, we're only out of the room for a few seconds or a minute, getting jammies ready or answering the phone, something quick like that. Then we're back in the bathroom to check on the child.
Levi loves to drive boats in the tub, so lots of "motor boat" noises He sings and chats and plays away, so I'll tell him I'm going for a minute to do whatever and I'll be right back.
We're never more than a few steps away from the bathroom, and can hear him the whole time.

[ktmelody]

4/5 is when I usually feel safe leaving the bathroom with kids in the tub. For a shower usually around 2.5 I can start the shower and stay nearby while they play on the floor.

[Sarawithouth]

Thanks for all the great responses! My little is 18 months and I, too, am in a small house. It's a circle with the bathroom in the center. I will leave her for a minute to grab something, if she's seated and I can hear her, but I don't really even feel comfortable doing that.

Great idea about cleaning the bathroom - can't wait to try that out!

[bluedaisyma]

2 yr old showers alone- he always wants to stay in longer than I do, so I get dressed (in next room) and then get him out. I also leave him in bath with door open. our room is right there and we talk the whole time while I am nursing the baby or changing him, etc. I don't let dh leave him unsupervised, tho, bc i don't trust him to be that aware.

[cheezpoofs]

The only length of time I am away from the kids in the bath is the few seconds it takes to grab a towel in the closet right outside the bathroom in the hallway or to run to the door to yell down to Daddy to come up and watch the boys if I need to do something that takes any longer than that (for instance, one is already in the tub and the other has a surprise poop that needs to be cleaned, or I didn't get pajamas and diapers ready for after the bath, etc.). It's less than a minute and I don't feel comfortable letting my kids bathe alone yet. Both still try to stand in there and they would make a big mess if I weren't there to tell them "No splashing!" every twelve seconds. Neither can wash himself either.