to give DC4 (aged 2) TWO bath/showers a day?

[SlowlyGoingRoundTheBend]

He is usually drenched in the AM (even with a quick nappy change before I go to bed) and there is no way I could just wipe him over - he would stink all day so has a quick shower. He definitely needs a bath in the evenings as he poos and is generally quite disgusting so needs a good soak.

Anything less is skanky IMHO.

I did the same with the older DCs and then dropped the morning shower when they were dry at night although DD started showering in the AM as well as the PM when she started secondary school and I imagine the DSs will next year as well

According the SIL (who bathes her DCs perhaps 2-3 times a week - gross) it is ridiculous, too much work, too many wet towels and he must hate it (actually he loves feeling clean). Well how do you clean a nappy wearing toddler without putting them in the shower/bath? Who is BUR?

Do you yourselves only bath 2/3 a week as well (if you do that is superskanky!)? You may live to regret asking

Gosh that sounds way too much!

And you are very wrong to describe 2-3 times a week bathers as gross and skanky - they are far closer to what's appropriate than you are.

You are coming off as quite rude, did you mean to?

ReallyNotTotallyStupidPromise Thank you! Perhaps I have a sensitive nose but yes, a wipe only really masks the smell of wee, they need a warm soak to really get rid of it and yes DS does wee a lot which is perfectly healthy and I would not restrict his drinking no. Even if he did'nt leak which he does'nt every night, I would still wash him.

Dd (2) doesn't sit in her wee all day because I change her regularly. There is no way she needs a bath every night do we alternate

There was some interesting research last year about skin conditions. In the US they have a much bigger problem with skin complaints than in Europe and it was put down to Americans washing themselves a lot more (cant remember the figures but it much more common in the us to shower two to three times a day)

Each to their own OP. I don't think you or SIL sound particularly unreasonable about bathing, though the fact you have called her choice 'gross' is a bit judgy. FWIW, on the days that DS wakes up with a particularly full/smelly nappy we sometimes give him a very quick bath, but more usually use a warm flannel (more effective than a wipe, less hassle than a bath/shower)

Tidy - You are coming off as quite rude, did you mean to?

Each to their own and all that...but since you ask, I reckon showering 2 times a day is excessive and unreasonably consumptive of water/energy etc too, it's not necessary for people to be so clean.
I don't shower daily, I never boil wash anything.
Maybe I smell.
I also only used to bath my baby every other day. By your standards I am skanky, however, by my own, I'm clean enough.

When DS does a poo in a nappy I properly wash him, he stands on a towel, I wipe the excess off and then rub soap and water on, wipe it with baby wipes again and repeat if necessary. So I would say I do manage to get him properly clean.
He has a wash every morning and a bath most nights but if he's too tired or we get home late then he just has a wash so I'd say he has about 5 baths a week.
I've noticed if I wash his hair too often it loses its shine and goes quite dull so I now only do it twice per week.
He definitely isn't dirty, far from it.

I don't think either of you are BU, I think if you have the time and DD likes so many showers and baths then there's no harm in it. I think if you had 2 kids to get ready in the mornings you might struggle to find time and realise that maybe it's not necessary. But she's your DD so if you think you're doing the best thing for her then don't take any notice of what SIL thinks. Different things work for different families.

OP, Do you have a water meter by any chance?

Your electric/gas and water bills must be through the roof!!!

Out of interest. how often do you shower OP?

You are being unreasonable to be so judgemental!

Bathing/Showering every other day won't do any child harm!

Actually on reading this fully it does sound a little OCD.
I'm sorry but I really don't think that a bum needs a proper soak in the bath to get rid of the smell of wee, just a bit of soap and water does the trick!

I shower/bathe 1-2 times a day, DS 14mo gets a bath twice a week.

It's not skanky or gross, he has really dry skin and if I done it anymore than that he would have very sore skin. He gets washed every day though.

Cleaning too much is bad for your skin (and hair), you wash away all of the oils.

I shower or bath (depending on how much time I have) once a day or twice if it's particularly hot or I've been to the gym. Gas bill is high but that's part and parcel of having 4DCs don't ask how many clothes washes I do or about the electric bill .

Sorry if I have been offensive. It does seem like I am in the minority.

Meh, at least the DCs should have good personal hygiene as adults unlike some people I've known/worked with.

OP, Are you on a water meter?

I have to ask, after your last post OP, how many clothes washes do you do a week then?

DH has horrible eczema and part of the advice to ensure that DD doesn't get it is not to bath her more often than 2-3 times per week. We also avoid any bath products with lauryl sulfates in them as they may be linked to eczema too and we don't use soap on her in the bath either.

Actually the latest medical advice for eczema is to bathe at least twice a day (using bath oils) as it helps prevent infection. But for most DC without eczema bathing a couple of times a week is fine!

Slowly you can sit on the bench with me

Haha if you think how many times you bathe your DCs will have any effect on their personal hygiene as they grow up.

Skankiness is the majority!
However, I would say, I would much rather be around people who wash too much than not enough.

OP I am with you, you are certainly not in the minority. Both my DS's are showered AM and bathed or showered PM. It doesn't take much longer than a wash and quite frankly I am shocked by the twice or thrice a weekers.

The advice we had is to avoid DD getting eczema, not to treat it. The idea is that early damage to the lipids in skin caused by excessive washing can be irreversible and lead to life long eczema. Eczema is fairly heritable, so it seems worth taking precautions with DD.