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Original poster

How old before you left child in bath unsupervised?

218 replies

Gruffalosandbuffalos · 20/01/2020 17:35

Just that really. How old were your children before you felt you could leave them in the bath while you put clothes away in the next room?

OP posts:
AmazingGreats · 20/01/2020 20:01

Aged 4 but I'm never far away

williams345 · 20/01/2020 20:07

About 4 but constantly popping in and out and talking to him

TrueFriendsStabYouInTheFront · 20/01/2020 20:13

2 DDs aged 4 & 5. Will leave them for about 10 mins to put laundry away in the bedrooms (next to bathrooms) and they chat to each other non stop so I would know immediately if something were up!

LisaSimpsonsbff · 20/01/2020 20:20

Mine is still far too little to leave unsupervised (18 months) but am amazed at the multiple people saying 8 - I am pretty certain I would have been horrified by my mum being in the room while I was in the bath at 8! The risk of falling, hitting your head and drowning never goes away but surely you have to accept that, unless you sit and watch your DH in the bath too?

Borris · 20/01/2020 20:22

I'd love to leave my 9 year old but she likes me to sit on the loo and chat to her. I'm happy to do it as long as she wants me to (but I could get a lot of stuff done if I wasn't sat there chatting)

maddiemookins16mum · 20/01/2020 20:23

Do people actually sit on the toilet (lid down obvs), with 8 year olds in the bath and never leave them for a split second!!!

I was sorting out stuff in the airing cupboard outside the bathroom or changing beds when DD was in the bath at 4.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 20/01/2020 20:26

A family member's child drowned age 4 after being left unsupervised in the bath. He had an epileptic fit, he had never had one before.

That memory always haunts me. I pop in and out the bathroom when my 6yo is in the bath but I live in a flat so all the rooms are on one floor.

ElspethFlashman · 20/01/2020 20:27

Old enough to want a face mask but not old enough to be left alone in the bath??? You're literally sitting in the doorway the whole time?

Winifredgoose · 20/01/2020 20:28

My six year old has just started being left to listen to an audio book in the bath. From 4/5 I would quickly nip to do something like grab towels etc. Not before then and he was with an older brother.

ElspethFlashman · 20/01/2020 20:29

I mean what's the plan for stopping?

11?

12?

Hollyhead · 20/01/2020 20:29

Quick dashing in and out to get a towel or something (less than 10s) more prolonged but still nipping in/staying very aware from 4.5, bathing alone from 7.

80 year olds are statistically more likely to drown in bath than a 5 year old. Most children who drown I baths are 3 and under so the whole issue once they’re 4/5 needs a bit of calm perspective.

Dontforgetyourbrolly · 20/01/2020 20:31

Ds is 6 next month and I have only started to leave him for a short while, ie pop downstairs to grab something , or potter about in another room but can see the bathroom with doors open.
This is because he can be silly at times.

StopMegxit · 20/01/2020 20:33

I still was my 11 yr olds hair for her sometimes and sit and chat to her while she’s in the bath. She chats to me when I’m in the bath too. So I don’t think she found it mortifying to have me keeping an eye out when she was 7 or 8.

DS was slightly different. From about 8/9 he didn’t want me in the bathroom at all anymore when he was naked. Fair enough!

StopMegxit · 20/01/2020 20:33

wash

Legoandloldolls · 20/01/2020 20:36

From four if I'm upstairs folding washing etc ( all are extremely noisy in the bath! With the door open. Door closed and me downstairs about ten or as soon as they ask ( which has been ten so far about a year before puberty or so)

I haven't got more relaxed over time as ds2 and ds3 have SEN, I dont trust them as much as I would if they was nt

LisaSimpsonsbff · 20/01/2020 20:36

waxonwaxoff that is so sad and I'm so sorry for your family's loss but it could surely have happened just as easily to my friend who had her first epileptic fit at 14 and no one would say you need to sit with a teenager in case? I totally agree that a baby and toddler is different (as I say, I never leave the room when my toddler is in the bath) but over that age aren't these just the known, tiny risks of any body at all being in the bath?

BlingLoving · 20/01/2020 20:39

From about 3.5 or 4 i would pop out to nect room etc. Shes 5 now and am happy to xip up and down stairs etc. Shes very sensible, also very strong and tall for her age. Wouldnt go out of earshot.

Ds has been bathing and showering alone for ages. Completely independently since about 7 but fairly independently before. He doesn't like me going in anymore but did get me to help him with taps and hair washing for a while.

Piecarumba · 20/01/2020 20:43

I potter around sorting out the 2 year old while my 5 year old is in the bath. No way would I leave the two year old, she has slipped backwards whilst sitting before, twisting round for a toy and slid under the water, I scooped her straight up. But no noise, no bang and if I’d not been right there I’m not sure she could have righted herself. I’d never leave the 5 year old in charge of her, an acquaintance was complaining that her 2 year old fell off the bed when she’d asked her 5 year old to watch him. What a responsibility to put on a 5 year old Sad

okiedokieme · 20/01/2020 20:45

I still listen out for dd, she's 20 ... but she has absence seizures and has had a couple of longer ones (not for years) she was happy to bath with her younger sister thankfully until about 10 so I didn't worry too much

LemonadePockets · 20/01/2020 20:45

I live on one level.. from about 2.5 I’ve left the bathroom to get towels, jammies, plug the hairdryer in etc..

My DD never stops talking or singing so I can always hear her. If she ever stopped I would go in.. she never stops though!

I think a parent knows.. kids are all different and I know that mine sits on her bum singing her lungs out so she’s fine for a few minutes while I do a few things. She’s never been one for messing with the taps or anything like that either. The only thing I need to watch for is her emptying full bottles of shampoo to try and create more bubbles!

cricketmum84 · 20/01/2020 20:49

@ElspethFlashman I did say earlier in the thread that she is old enough to be left now. But she still likes the company, and we don't often get time alone to chat with boys in the house so 🤷🏼‍♀️

Mymycherrypie · 20/01/2020 20:54

Yes mine have slipped and tried to push themselves back up again only to slip, (and then push and then slip again, face in water, starts to panic, etc) so I would always be on hand to help them right themselves if they misjudge grabbing something and slip over from sitting. No way would I be leaving a just walking baby or even a 2 year old for 45 minutes alone, they can’t exactly wash themselves, so are they just sitting there going pruney in water that’s gone cold Confused

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 20/01/2020 20:55

5yo dc - I'm in and out as the bathroom is off the utility and kitchen.

8yo dc - I'm on the same floor but not always a room away.

CottonSock · 20/01/2020 20:58

My 3.5 yo i will leave for seconds and carry on talking whilst I get a quick drink. My 6.5 yo no problem to leave, she can swim lengths and is sensible about hot tap etc.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 20/01/2020 20:59

No way would I be leaving a just walking baby or even a 2 year old for 45 minutes alone

I can't see anywhere on this thread where someone has said they do that.