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Original poster

When did your DC (or would you expect) switch from evening baths to morning showers?

51 replies

MTCV · 09/04/2022 14:28

DS has SN, so any new routine has to be introduced gradually and way before necessary if possible! Trying to work out when I should introduce the idea of a quick shower in the mornings rather than (or as well as) a bath/shower in the evening.

OP posts:
NippyWoowoo · 09/04/2022 16:36

@UpToMyElbowsInDiapers

I’m 29 and haven’t made the switch yet. I didn’t know it was a thing that had to be done! I like “washing the day away” before bed.
Same!
latriciamcneal · 09/04/2022 16:38

I thought it was down to personal preference. I like baths either at night or in the morning to give myself a boost. Husband has a shower every morning and evening.

Why can't he wash and bathe as he enjoys?

You don't need to wash your entire body that often either.

KateTheEighth · 09/04/2022 16:54

DS1 (17) has a bath at night

DS2 (16) has a shower when he gets in from school or later in the evening. Sometimes a bath after football training.

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mrsnw · 09/04/2022 17:06

Mine are 15 and 13. They both play sport so tend to shower after gym, cricket, football etc. they never bath shower in the morning. They prefer extra time in bed.

yellowsuninthesky · 09/04/2022 17:17

I didn't know it was a thing that had to be done either. I shower when I want/need to. DH tends to shower in the mornings. DS has an evening bath when he is at home as he prefers baths to showers and only has a shower at uni.

Ponderingwindow · 09/04/2022 17:20

Never

Evening showers are much better. It’s what I still do as an adult and my teen has the same preference.

Floralnomad · 09/04/2022 17:20

I haven’t showered / bathed in the morning since my horses went onto full livery 29 yrs ago , I bath in the evening .

newusernamelouise · 09/04/2022 17:26

Never, they shower at night as they don't want to mess with wet hair in the morning. The girls don't want to spend the time trying to get it dry and styled in time for school.

Echobelly · 09/04/2022 17:27

I didn't switch to morning until my 20s! DCs (10 and 13) still in the evening or occasional holiday/weekend morning.

itssquidstella · 09/04/2022 17:28

I’m 36 and I usually shower in the evening! I do some form of exercise after work most days so shower once I’ve finished. Unless it's very hot, I don't get sweaty overnight so don't bother showering again in the morning.

Kanaloa · 09/04/2022 17:31

I think it’s a personal thing. Some people shower in the morning, some in the evening. As long as your showering daily then I wouldn’t see any need (unless obviously he is a very sweaty sleeper or something like that which makes it necessary) to mess with a working routine.

Comedycook · 09/04/2022 17:31

When he started secondary school

PickAChew · 09/04/2022 17:33

I'm 52 and shower or bathe whenever I want, in the day. Sometimes I opt for the evening, simply so there is less to do in the morning.

Bootothegoose · 09/04/2022 17:33

Never if they don't want to!

I still bathe at night. DH does in the mornings, it's personal preference.

I couldn't think of anything worse than having to wake up an hour early to bathe whilst everyone needs the bathroom and then have to get ready before the day.

I shower nightly and put deodorant on before my pyjamas, do my hair and moisturise and wake up in the morning needing to get dressed, restyle and get out the house.

If it's showers you want him to swap to then start there. I am ND and I hate showers with a passion and always bathe but I would start small and work up. Swap a midweek bath to a shower and build up weekly.

When they reach teens surely having a bath at night is better than not bathing at all!

Svara · 09/04/2022 17:36

I think DS was two and a half, when he outgrew the laundry sink (no bath). Usually showered with me until about 5, sometimes on his own from 4.

Svara · 09/04/2022 17:41

Sorry, seemed I answered the title question. No reason to shower in the morning over the evening. Children can get dirty in the day, evening is preferable until they are in long trousers year round and stay relatively clean.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 09/04/2022 17:42

I'm 33 and I still shower in the evening - why would you not want to go to bed all clean and fresh?

Showering in the morning is (IMO) pointless as I have to go out first thing to walk the dog then go on to work where I'll only get mucky and sweaty anyway.

MrOllivander · 09/04/2022 17:43

@dumdumduuuummmmm

I'm feeling like an icky person but my armpits smell in the morning. I'm guessing it would be 12 hours since an evening wash and my armpits have definitely oozed odour in that time whether I've been obviously sweaty or not! To the evening bathers on here, when do you apply deodorant? After your evening wash or in the morning on slept on pits? Or both?
I use the ones that you're meant to apply at night so shower, put it on, bed
rainbowandglitter · 09/04/2022 17:46

@dumdumduuuummmmm

I'm feeling like an icky person but my armpits smell in the morning. I'm guessing it would be 12 hours since an evening wash and my armpits have definitely oozed odour in that time whether I've been obviously sweaty or not! To the evening bathers on here, when do you apply deodorant? After your evening wash or in the morning on slept on pits? Or both?
I put deodorant on in the evening after a shower. I don't shower every day and that one application of deodorant will last a couple of days. I'm not a sweaty person though.
Clymene · 09/04/2022 18:06

My DS is 15, autistic and really, really hates showers. He can't bear the feeling of the water hitting his skin. So I suspect he's always going to be an evening bath person.

I can't stand baths!

reluctantbrit · 09/04/2022 18:20

We all shower in the morning as I find it quicker and more thorough than a proper wash. I also have short hair and look ridiculous in the morning.

DD started when she was 11, late Year6 as it meant she still had time in the morning to get used to it. In secondary she has 45 minutes to get up, shower, eat and is out of the house. Far easier to learn to shower quick when you have the time to learn.

Original poster
MTCV · 09/04/2022 19:26

Is he particularly sweaty overnight?
He can be, more so in summer.

Ds started morning showers late primary, by the time he became a teenager it was an ingrained habit.
This is what I'm wondering we should do.

Will be interesting to see how our DC will turn out. If your DC is a sweaty teenager then a morning shower in teen years would seem sensible.
But if we wait until he is a teenager and he turns out to be a sweaty one, it may be too late to introduce the idea of a morning shower. I am a sweaty person and have to use special extra strength deodorant, DH is moderately. I definitely wouldn't go out of the house without having had a shower. DS currently comes home covered in mud/whatever which is why the evening shower/bath is necessary! He won't wash at a basin or quickly with a flannel.

Having a shower rather than a bath is not an issue (any more!).

OP posts:
littledrummergirl · 10/04/2022 10:55

We switched ours when they started secondary school.
I wrote out a timetable starting with get up, shower breakfast etc.
By the time their brain registered that they didn't want to shower they were already in. After a while it became habit.

sickofthisnonsense · 10/04/2022 10:56

Neither of my teen girls have morning showers.
It's a time thing it is too much faff in the mornings

LethargeMarg · 10/04/2022 11:02

How old is he now ? I have three kids - two need to be more careful with regular showers than the other and they first started having body odour around year 4 so I would say if your son is this age or older and you've not noticed any smells on him or an armpits of clothes he might not have that much of an issue and be fine with evening showers .'my middle dd now a teenager never smells and still has evening showers. Also mine all have a fresh shirt for school every day . I've heard anecdotally that it doesn't matter when you have a shower and personal preference is key not timing in regards to hygiene