to be shocked that SIL and her kids only bath / shower once a week?

[emilytankengine]

I have a shower every day, before work, sometimes twice if I've been to the gym or if we're on holiday / going out. I probably make sure the younger kids get a bath about 5 times a week and my teenage daughter has a shower every day.

SIL was outraged at this and says that she only typically has a bath or a shower once a week! She says that she has a wash every day with a face cloth (including her bottom :O - with a face cloth!!).

Maybe it's me who's odd but I was staggered at this

[nineyearoldsarerude]

My mum was also a nurse (still is). I grew up in the seventies. We had a bath on a Sunday. It was fine.
(Love the shower now though!)

[CRS]

Happy with my shower before bed. In the morning - quick wash and deodorant. My son is OBSESSIVE - he has to wash in the morning - it's CRAZY, imho.

[CRS]

My son thinks "you get dirty and smelly in bed". WHY does he think this??

[theinet]

Maybe she washes her shitty bum with the flannel first the does her face..... that would be shocking.

i usually shower morning and evening ( cycle to and from work) so that's 10 washes in 5 days of the week. Sometimes i don't bother washing at all at the weekend and enjoy being "dirty".

[Mumcentreplus]

lmaoo..you are a dirty weekender too eh theinet?.lol

[Mspontipine]

Do they smell op?

[BrandyAlexander]

Dh and I shower every morning and dc have a flannel wash in the morning and a bath every night. I always assumed that's what everyone did as that's how I was raised!

[snailoon]

NOVICE why do you assume everyone does what you do?
Hair in articular doesn't get dirty if you get it used to not washing so often. Kid's hair can go several weeks easily.

[IWouldNotCouldNotWithAGoat]

"As a teen I insisted on a separate flannel for bum"

This has made me shriek with laughter for some reason.

[TheBride]

I once ran across the Sahara for 7 days (long story) and had no baths or showers or even a flannel wash the whole time, and actually, I didn't smell that bad by the end. My clothes did, but I actually didn't.

In everyday life, I do have a shower every day, but I don't think it's strictly necessary and I'm not sure it does your skin that much good. Once every few days is fine.

[Iteotwawki]

Boys are bathed twice a week unless they come home covered in mud (winter hockey season now so Weds night bath moved to Thurs after hockey).

DH showers most days.

I stand in the rain if I think I'm beginning to get pongy shower daily if I can, hair wash weekly.

[PrincessFiorimonde]

I'm another person who was brought up with one bath a week as the norm. As others here have said, this was probably (1960s) to do with the cost of heating water etc. We did wash ourselves in-between times, though.

Now that I am all grown up and have a bathroom with a shower (I honestly can't remember knowing anyone in 1960s England who had such a thing), I shower daily but can't remember the last time I had a bath. I miss that lovely feeling of luxuriating in the warm water while reading a book, but do agree with the posters who point out that this means 'bathing in your own dirt'. (Solution: have bath, then rinse yourself in the shower/with shower attachment.)

As for the OP, I agree with TragicallyHip: why does SIL have a dishwasher and tumble dryer if she doesn't want to use them?

(PS: Fifis25StottieCakes: what is a 'dickie comb', please?)

[fatlazymummy]

princess I presume it means a nitcomb. As in the northeast headlice are known as dickies.

[Fifis25StottieCakes]

Yes a nit comb

[tiggyfours]

Yuk, flannel washes!

[brass]

LOL well at least she has some kind of wash. Do they smell?

[Nefret]

I personally couldn't go a week without a shower or a bath, I always shower every day. My children don't have a bath ecery day though, they don't go for a week without a bath though. Young children don't need to have a bath every night, they don't really get dirty.

I think I only had a bath once a week as a child as did everyone else, it was pretty normal then.

[Riveninside]

We lie dd on her changing mat and flannel wash the important bits. She is 7 so no BO yet. But baths have to wait for a carer. Sometimes her hair get get a bit smelly if she has puked a lot but i wash it best i can.
Me and the boys shower daily. I hate baths. Sat in your own dirt. Yuck

[SpecialFriedRice]

I'm 25 but I can remember up until the age of 12 or so only bathing once a week - Usually a sunday night. Then we moved to a house with a shower and I reached the age of make up and stuff so showered every morning without fail.

Now I shower most mornings, sometimes I dont at the weekend if I'm not going anywhere... My hair gets washed every 7-9 days. Its NEVER greasy or smelly. In fact its in much better condition now than it used to be when washed every day. It used to be frizzy and dry. Not half as frizzy now and only a tiny bit dry at the very tips.

[Dropdeadfred]

I do shower every morning and often have a bath at night too, especially in winter.
BUT
possibly the cleanest I ever felt was after a hot soapy bd bath after having dd2 (and bleeding out everywhere)
I felt so sticky and dirty and could not walk to the bathroom..the nurses gave me a scrub EVERYWHERE with hot soapy water and i felt amazing!!!!

[Dippy001]

LOL. That is hilarious. One cloth for face and arse. I would stink if I washed once a week, they must smell of roses? Every day for me.

[valiumredhead]

Why is a flannel wash 'Yuck' presumably you use a sponge in the shower? How is that different from a using a flannel?

[Chandon]

I flanel wash with hot soapy water some days, and actually feel very clean.

Water has to be hot and soapy though.