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?

@fallfallfall

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.

Mine walked at 11 months and 9 months. No way I would be leaving them in the bath by themselves at that age. Neve mind drowning they would have tried to climb out and hurt themselves.

I think mine were around 6. I wouldn't have dreamed of leaving them at some of the ages given here.

I leave my DD 3.5 to wash up and clean the kitchen while she’s in the bath. Our kitchen leads in our bathroom (🤮) and our kitchen is a galley kitchen so never more than few footsteps away. Plus I talk to her the entire time.

5 were able to be trusted alone for a few minutes. They were having swimming lessons from 3.

Fallfallfall,
What?!
They dont need to be marinating. 5 to 10 minutes bath is all we did.
It's mad having 3 under 3s alone in bath for 40 minutes. It's not avoiding life watching them in the bath its avoiding death!!

I would say that someone who leaves 3 children under 3 in the bath without a parent for 40 minutes probably has a lot bigger issues surrounding life and parenting in general. It's very sad if anyone thinks a parent sitting with their 4-7 year old at bath time is lying, it's a perfectly normal part of parenting and if you don't have time for it then you need to take a good look at your lifestyle and parenting philosophy as it's gone wrong somewhere. Parenting classes and professional involvement seems like a good idea.

7 and I stay upstairs tidying up in case they need anything.

This thread has been an eye opener for me.
I stayed in the bathroom with mine until they asked me not to.
DS was about 9 and DD was 10, she is 11 now and still asks me to sit in the next room 'just in case' I'm not sure what it is she thinks she might need me for.
I think this is the single thing I have been 100% guided by the kids on.

I would say 7/8. Certainly not 4.

So they’re long enough not to slip under basically. My eight year old is now massive, so no worries there.

Bath time was the time DS liked to talk about his day once he was at school so he was probably about 8 or so before left on his own.

I am amazed by the people who leave children under 4. Doesn’t take very long for a child to drown. Also expecting a 4/5 yo to supervise a younger sibling. Why would they think to yell for you if their younger sibling was just playing lying down in the water?

There’s clearly different interpretations of ‘leaving’. I’d say I leave my 4 year old but actually I’m in the spare bedroom next door with the door open so not really unsupervised. Bath time has always been a chance for good 1:1 time with both children. My 4 year old was actually more sensible at 3. Now she tries to swim in the bath. People leaving 1 year olds are being wholly irresponsible.

Yes! Unsupervised is different to being in the next room and knowing what your children are doing.

Mine is 7 and he still wants me to sit and ‘commentate’ on his bath toys and their epic bath time adventures! Sometimes I get away with putting some washing away or taking my make up off in the bedroom. But he’ll shout through ‘wolverine is splashing hulk mum, come and see!!!’

Hmmm, they transitioned smoothly from "if left alone they could drown" to "if left alone they will likely flood the room" so... still waiting.

If a child can drown in 30 seconds you don't have to be out of the bathroom for very long

Children have drowned with the patent in the next room. There was one case that sticks in my mind where the parent was putting washing away.

Just don’t take risks would be my advice. You never get your children back.

Probably around 3 or 4, but I’d stay upstairs and potter about. It was a while ago now, so can’t remember exactly. I know we left our first house when dd2 was 5 and she was definitely bathing herself at this point.