How often do you bathe children?

[Newfosterer]

My own children have always had a bath each night as part of bedtime routine but now I have 2 foster children also to care for. By the time they have got home from school, had contact (4 times a week) and eaten their meal there isn’t much time left for a bath before bed. Especially as there is 1 bathroom and now 5 children using it.

I’m wondering if I can separate bath nights so they are not all having a bath on the same night to make life easier and get a better bedtime but how often would you think is ok? I was thinking foster children bath on the 3 days they don’t have contact each week and my children on 3 of the days they do have contact. Is this often enough?

Every other night sounds plenty. Flannel hands and face mornings

Until they become smelly teen-agers I guess :)

Every other night is fine. I tend to shower my kids for speed - in and out in two mins. Wash hair a couple of times a week.

Every other night for mine unless particularly dirty in between times.

We bath ours 3 x per week on average. Little kids don’t really get that smelly!

We've just switched from every day to every other day and it's fine. Good face and hand wash on the non bath day.

About 3 times a week. Often a shower.

My 2 year old gets 3 baths a week and always looks / smells clean.

Every time this subject gets recycled, which is about once a fortnight. Along with ‘how often do you wash your sheets?’

Shower? Weekly baths were usual for possibly a couple of centuries, for most of the people who would have considered themselves clean. Washing with a face flannel on other days. Soon, we will have to take water seriously. Cape Town had a seven bucket rule, and even though the population are now permitted more, they use half what they once did. They don't waste now, but the rest of S.A does.
Some part of u.k. is getting to the Cape Town point, with reserves gone. Climate change is serious.

Usually I would say 3 times a week is fine, but right now with increased health risks, I want DD clean every night. Often that is a shower however.

3x a week.

Every 2nd night they look scruffy otherwise. Flannel wash on alternative nights. 3 x week.

Thanks that’s helpful. After 10 years of every night it didn’t feel quite enough. Unfortunately only the eldest one will use the shower. So it’s a long queue for the bath. I’ll try every other night once back at school and see how they get on, at least until they reduce the excessive 4 times a week contact.

It depends on their ages and puberty. My DS (14) and DD(9) have to have a daily shower - DS has his in the morning.
DS2 (12) can do 2-3 days.
Most small children are fine for 2-3 days.

@underneaththeash They are 6, 7, 7, 9 and 14. The teen one uses the shower so won’t be affected. He NEEDS daily showers! It’s the younger ones that I’m thinking alternate days for.

Once a week.

I always bathed once a week as a child - on a Sunday after the immersion had been in, it was the only day we had hot water. My kids tend to have a bath at least every other day, but mostly every day. I know it’s not necessary but with the 3 year old at least it’s a bit of a routine for her.

My 3 year old has a bath 3 times a week. Usually more in the summer if he's grubby.

At 6,7 and 9 they really don't need a bath every night. Obviously the 14 year old will, but he can sort himself out.

Alternating nights is fine. My kids get one probably 3 times a week.

Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday (hair wash night) here.

My DS is 4.5 and has a bath approx every other night. Shower for speed if we’re in a rush. Try and get them to tolerate the shower, it’s so much quicker!

My 2 year old gets bathed twice a week. I dont know why any kid would need to be bathed every day. They dont smell, dont roll around in mud, we dont live in a particularly hot country where we sweat a lot. Once they have clean hands and faces, there is no need. I remember as a kid I used to get bathed once a week up to about 7 or 8 years of age, on a Saturday. We would then sit and have a pizza and chips dinner in our pjs and watch the 'big big movie' (kids movie at 6:30pm) on one of the few tv stations we had.

I bath mine (3 and 4) every night, I feel like they need it because they often have smelly bits! Plus it passes some time in the evenings

Fair play looking after the 5 DC.
Do you have access to a shower it cuts the time and waste in half.
In the summer you can put a pool with bubble bath out in the evenings.

My younger one every other night.
My older one decided when she was 9 that she wanted a shower every day.