How old before you left child in bath unsupervised?

[Gruffalosandbuffalos]

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?

Amazing how all those who think it's ok to leave toddlers alone in water justify it by saying they talk/sing/babble "constantly".

That must be going on in the imaginary alternative anxiety thread in your head as no-one has said anything remotely irresponsible on here.

How about you look after your own kids and let everyone else worry about their own. If you even have any, and have not just wandered onto Mumsnet to tell women off.

I'm getting chills reading some of these 3 is way too young.
Secondary drowning is a thing as Well, which I think many people are a little ignorant about.
I also worry that these tiny children have such free access to very hot water, it takes seconds for these things to happen.

As @JolieOBrien said - When they can swim, they can stay alone in the bath. I wouldn't let older siblings look after younger siblings alone either. Anything could happen

Juliette if you think a baby is safe unsupervised by an adult in a bath then you are wrong.

Not sure exactly what it is about my post that has hit a nerve with you but yes, I do have kids, hence why I've been on MN for quite some time after "wandering in"

@juliette20 you've clearly missed where people have admitted leaving 1/2 year olds unsupervised. If that's not irresponsible then I don't know what is.

My daughter talks and sings constantly out the bath never mind only in it. I should know, I get the headaches to show for it. When she was a baby I followed advice to narrate what I was doing to her and I always wonder if that just taught her to now narrate everything she does 😂

The bottom line is, I know what my daughter is capable of, I know her better than anyone, and I’m the only one qualified to to carry out any kind of risk assessment on it. She has literally never turned the hot tap on. Does that mean she won’t? No, but her age isn’t a factor in that. Could she fall and bang her head? Yes, and she could also do so while I’m sitting right next to the bath. Could she slip under the water? Yes, and that’s why she’s been going to the pool since she was 8 weeks old. I’m confident in her and I’m confident that my level of supervision while she’s in the bath is sufficient.

Swimming lessons don't prepare them for the shock of slipping in the bath, possibly bumping their head, and ending up with their face under water. They automatically gasp and inhale when they are surprised or shocked.

Secondary drowning is a risk if you use any kind of bubble bath; they contain salt and will trigger secondary drowning if inhaled in any quantity.

Juliette if you think a baby is safe unsupervised by an adult in a bath then you are wrong

Perhaps the English language isn't your strong suit. I didn't say that at all- the consensus is that 3+ maybe ok for very short periods, some people think otherwise - the thing is there is no objective answer and it's down to personal judgement and the capability of the child.

What I do find though is that parents who are quick to harshly judge and tell off others on threads such as these, apart from being literal minded and lacking in basic intelligence are often highly insecure about their own parenting behind closed doors.

I used to pop in and out from when they were about 4 and 6 and stay on the same floor. Now that they're 8 and 10 (both girls) they much prefer me to be in there chatting to them! They're both choristers, so often out 7:30am-6:30pm during the week so it's the only time to catch up!

I don't know why people are so incredulous about older girls not minding being seen naked - mine aren't remotely bothered. I'm also no bothered if they come in to chat while I'm in the bath/shower.

Wtf is wrong with you Juliette? 🤷🏽‍♀️😂 My grasp of the English language is just fine as is my confidence in my parenting ability.

You said nobody had said anything irresponsible on the thread. To the poster who doesn't have "time to waste" supervising a one year old baby in the bath. That's highly dangerous and irresponsible.

As for "telling people off" I'm giving my opinion along with many others on a public forum. You, however, appear to be targeting me in order to throw insults around

One poster said that, which is why I missed it. Hardly all those who think it's ok to leave toddlers alone in water is it?

I leave my 3-year-old, with the door open, so I can see and hear her. However, we only have showers, no real baths, so she still 'bathes' in her baby tub, which she just about still fits in with her kness poking out.
She wouldn't actually be physiclly able to get her whole body under water.

I had 3 under 3, I let them be in the tub from the time they could walk. They played in the water nightly for 30-45 minutes. As if I could sit there and waste all that time.
Personally those that claim to sit there till well into school age are either virtue signalling or avoiding life.
My DC was walking at 12 months
This is way too early
Mine is 3 and no way I would leave him.
Then again, someone in my family died by drowning
It can happen in a shallow bath too and you might not hear anything at all

There are several that said they left their 2 year olds. Numerous posts that all admitted leaving their toddlers and babies unsupervised.

Still, why you felt the need to jump on my posts and accuse me of not being a mother or having a grasp of the English language just because I find that behaviour irresponsible is baffling 🤷🏽‍♀️

apart from being literal minded and lacking in basic intelligence are often highly insecure about their own parenting behind closed doors.

No I am pretty secure in the knowledge that my 1yo won’t drown alone in the bath because she won’t ever be alone in the bath to start with.

As for accusing people of lacking in intelligence, that is always the first comment made by someone with no good point to make. Can’t argue it, call it stupid. I’m not calling anyone stupid, just negligent. A baby who can has just learned to walk should not be left alone in water for 45 minutes. No amount of name calling will make that a sensible thing to do.

I sometimes potter with my 3 year old but she is very sensible and knows not to try and get out herself. Generally though it’s our quality 1:1 time so I like the time to chat so I don’t really leave her other than to grab a towel or other bits and pieces if needed. There are plenty of 3 year olds I wouldn’t leave and I wouldn’t leave her in the paddling pool as I think she’s more likely to be silly.

My mouth actually dropped open when the first poster said 4.

I would step outside the bathroom when DS was 4yo to fold laundry. We have a downstairs bathroom off the utility, so I was quite literally outside the bathroom door (tiny house and utility space!). So not really unsupervised just not in direct line of sight at all times. We would chat and I'd be in/out every few mins.

I wouldn't leave him fully alone (as in I'd be sat in the lounge at the other end of the house) until he's much older. Mostly because I quite like our little chats and he doesn't like to be on his own.

I had a school friend who was 5 and died in the bath. She drowned when her mum went to answer the phone. My DD is 6 and whilst I might be next door putting clothes away in her or my bedroom I talk to her constantly. If she went quiet I would fly into the bathroom. I only ever leave her for a couple of minutes max and can’t imagine going downstairs or doing something which would keep me away from her for more than 2 minutes.

Leaving a four year old ‘alone’ in the bath as you walk 6 metres down to their bedroom to get pyjamas or into your bedroom to take your bra off is very different to leaving a 4 year old alone in the bath and going downstairs to watch Eastenders.

He was around 6. Maybe popped to grab a towel from room next door if we forget aged late 4 to 5, but just for seconds. Never ever left alone before that.

A friend of a friend's little one went silently under the water aged 3 while she was pottering next door. Fortunately he lived after being resuscitated but suffered some brain and lung damage. Will need lifelong care and won't live independently. This scared the freak out of me so I never left him until I was sure he wouldn't panic and could hold his breath and push himself up.

Yes to also being aware of secondary drowning.

The chances may be small but the possible outcomes if anything happens aren't worth the risk in my book.

My 5.5 year old will mostly do bath time herself, I run it and will wash her hair, she is sensible, although I always stay upstairs pottering.
2 year old I will get in the bath and then usually sort the washing/ironing out which is literally just outside the bathroom so I can still see her.
I let them bath together without constant supervision, again I'd stay upstairs and keep checking.

I learnt a very valuable lesson the other day. I was on the phone to a work colleague upstairs in a room adjacent to the bathroom whilst my 7 yr old DD was in the bath. Playing loudly. I didn’t hear her ask me to help her out, she asked a few times, so she got out herself and slipped. I have never moved so quickly between rooms. She hurt herself and I felt like shit. I am so lucky she didn’t knock herself out.

Never again! And I only just started leaving her.

3-4. I never put a lot of water in the bath and I supervise them because my DS is 18 months old. Last week I stepped away for one second to grab a towel and I come back and my son was on his back flailing his arms and legs in the water, with his face just barely above the water. Shock of my life, and I realize that if they were to get on their back they would just flail and drown, they would not know how to put themselves up.