AIBU to bath them together?

[Sookeh]

I bath 4YO DD and 1YO DS together every second night. MIL has recently cone to stay and told me I shouldn't be doing it, especially now DD is going to be starting school.

I thought this wasn't an unusual thing to do and I'm not precisely sure what her issue with it is but I'm now slightly worried IABU.

YANBU
My two, dd 4yo and ds2 2yo share a bath. Nothing wrong with sharing a bath at these ages, I remember when I was younger and I shared with my brother who is 2 1/2 years younger. I would do it for as long both kids felt comfortable (obviously they wont be sharing when they are a lot older)

Ds1 12yo, I don't think would share a bath after the age of maybe 9 but he was an only child until he was 7 so hasn't had a close sibling to want to share with iykwim.

its totally acceptable to bath young children togather till such time as they wish to bath alone and no longer need adult supervision in bathtub

slap mil and tell her to get a grip

My soon to be 9 year old bathes with his younger siblings, some days space is a premium and he's on his own, but often he'll be with DD (6yr) or DS2 (4yr).

YANBU, your MIL is wierd.

ignore your MIL. Mine are now 9, 5 and 4 and were bathing together until about 18 months ago.

Smile, nod and ignore.

8 yo DS, 6 yo DD and 4 yo DS all bathe together, it would use far too much water, apart from anything else, to bathe them separately!

I have a ds (8) and a very good friend has a dd (7). They are great friends too. Whenever we stay with each other they always have a bath together and have done since toddlerdom. We've been assuming for the past 2 years that one of them will opt out (they are always given the choice) but no sign of it yet. Big bath, lots of bubbles, lots of small world toys and a good 30 mins of chatting and laughing. They actively look forward to it.

YANBU

YANBU in the slightest. DD(9) has a bath on her own now as she likes to lay aroung in the bath. When she jumps out DS(7) jumps straight in whilst DD is still stood there drying herself. As far as I'm concerned it's okay for them to be naked together as long as they are comfortable being naked together. I wonder what some people think such little kids are going to get up to when they are "shock, horror" naked in the tub together!

i bath my 3 year old,22 month old and 19 week old together and sometimes i get in aswell

Blimey Biddy, you're brave! Being the bath is easier with littlies, but I have never managed to work out the logistics of getting out!

Being the bath eh?!

Being in the bath :o

:o at efficiency. My lot always ask "can we play?" as there is a play bath or an in/wash/out bath depending on time constraints!

MiL being an interfering old wotsit. YANBU at all, my 9 and 7 year old still occasionally bathe together, but it usually ends in one of them throwing a toy at the other, so I keep them separate usually so I can enjoy my gow in peace....

LeQueen- I'm impressed!

LeQueen

What a silly MIL. I think it's fine. I think when they become self conscious at about 8 or 9, they might decide they want to bath on their own but otherwise, let them have fun.

Yanbu

This evening my 5 yo ds & 1 yo dd were having a bath together...then 8 yo dd decided to join them!

My problem is that if I have a quiet bath suddenly all my children appear and want to get in too. Often there's 4 of of us in the bath! Then I might be on the phone whilst in the bath, one of my kids might also be reading a book in the bath and the other two making themselves look like father xmas with all the bubbles.

Mine mostly have shower now, but if I run a bath I stick DS3 & 4 in together (8 yo twins) then DS2 and DS5 (10 and 4)

I think I was about 7 when I stopped bathing with my brother, and my now adult stepkids were about the same age, if you're going by different sexes.

Your MIL is sexualising your very young children, with her comment. To me, that is what is implicit, and is worrying.

I would personally spell that out to her, that she is implying your 4 and 1 year old are beyond childhood innocence, and embarrass her into a retraction.

YA defintately NBU. They are getting clean, having a lovely time, bonding, playing, all the things bathtime should be. They shouldn't stop sharing a bath until they want to, nothing to do with MIL. what is her problem?

you are setting yourself up for possible trouble in the future... you may end up trying to keep a straight face whilst you ds is having a paddy because you have stolen his girl bits and won't give them back...

YANBU, I reguarly let my DD (7) and DS (5) play in the bath together.