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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to be shocked at how many parents don't....

658 replies

formerbabe · 05/04/2014 09:33

bath their children every day!

Following on from the thread about a poster not changing her children into pyjamas, I was surprised reading the responses how many people say they only bath their kids a couple of times a week.

I bath mine every night before bed and always have done, bar illness or something catastrophic happening in my day. On the rare occasion they have had to miss their bath, I have done a quick wipe down with a flannel, but they never seem clean after it. My kids seem to get filthy during the day, mud/food etc.

I know those kids who have excema cannot always have a bath everyday, but for anyone else it just seems like pure laziness to me.

OP posts:
LouSend · 05/04/2014 10:13

We have a large bath and two children who often don't want to share water.

We also have very little expendable money.

Running the bath every night, even if the children share, is expensive and tbh has pushed our gas bill to its highest ever despite putting the heating only for dressing a morning and a couple of hours on an evening.

We have had to make the decision not to bath the children every night.

I do not love my children less than I did before.
I do not love my children less than you love yours.
Go ahead. Judge me.

CantUnderstandNewtonsTheory · 05/04/2014 10:13

I bath my dcs every night unless we've been swimming and had a shower afterwards or they are too tired and want to go straight to bed but it's only because they enjoy it and it's part of their routine. I know plenty of people who don't bath their dcs that often and would never judge them for it, we all just do what works best for ourselves and our own families.

I can't believe people get so het up about such a non issue tbh.

FannyFifer · 05/04/2014 10:13

So if you go for a shite after your daily shower do you then have another one?
You can't possibly go around all day with a pooey bum.
Think you need to look at your own families hygiene if you are all incapable of having a clean arse.

noblegiraffe · 05/04/2014 10:13

You had to read about it on a thread suggesting that in real life you can't actually tell.

nkf · 05/04/2014 10:14

Why do children need a daily bath?

Offred · 05/04/2014 10:14

Children don't need to bathe everyday because they haven't gone through puberty. They need to bathe when they get dirty. Why would someone bathe them just for the sake of it? That's just a waste of time surely?

My 7 and 8 year olds are responsible for bathing themselves anyway.

Remember my xp's mother being horrified I wasn't bathing newborn baby ds everyday, do think it is more important to keep babies with nappies a bit more bathed but I'd only had him three days before that and had been in labor for a full 7 days.

Some people just don't apply their brains to parenting I guess and instead are threatened by people not following arbitrary social rules...

NeedsAsockamnesty · 05/04/2014 10:14

Do you not have a sink,with taps?

needs if you showed your out of nappies children how to wash propally then they will learn hw to. Don't judge everybody else by your own low standards

Chimchar · 05/04/2014 10:14

jjjjjeeeez!
Formerbabe, you need to get a grip!

PaulinesPen · 05/04/2014 10:15

I susbscribe to the Just William method of hygiene and give them a 'bit of a dust'Wink.

Op I was a zealous bather of babies to begin with, but by the time I had three under 3 - yes they were clean, no it didn't happen every day.

They are teens now and we've all survived. There really are many worse things to get shocked about regarding pure laziness and parenting.

HumphreyCobbler · 05/04/2014 10:15

Gosh OP, you must have really dirty children

ilovepowerhoop · 05/04/2014 10:16

mine shower/bath a couple of times a week but do clean bums each day. If they are muddy then they would get an extra wash. Faces clean up fine with wipes. No need for a daily wash until they hit puberty.

montysma1 · 05/04/2014 10:16

You are a nutter. Hygene freaks do my head in. There is so much more to worry about.

formerbabe · 05/04/2014 10:16

A flannel wash with soap is much more hassle than a bath. The soap wouldn't be rinsed off properly and would just stay on the skin...much worse IMO.

Oh and I'm not ocd at all!

OP posts:
Nocomet · 05/04/2014 10:16

There is a huge amount to be said for pure laziness,
It saves water and allows for a flexible, relaxed and fun outlook on life.

gordyslovesheep · 05/04/2014 10:16

Your child had dried Shit and wee on its skin until bath time? Op that shocks me more tbh

I am betting you use wiped so that argument is a giant asd hat ..like the rest of your goady posts

I bath mine every night ( well they bath/shower themselves) but I couldn't care less about other peoples bathroom habits

IdkickJilliansAss · 05/04/2014 10:16

If every parent wasted water in such a way the planet would be in trouble

HicDraconis · 05/04/2014 10:16

OP, up to what age are you applying this judgemental attitude to?

When in nappies, my DC were cleaned thoroughly twice a day for dressing and bedtime and had bottoms cleaned as and when nappies were changed. They were bathed probably 3 times a week in a bucket or sink (no bath).

They are now 6 & 8, shower themselves 3ish times a week in winter (probably more in summer - sweat and suncream) and haven't had to have me clean their bottoms for a few years. I politely disagree with your assertion that I am lazy. However if yours are a similar age to mine and you're still bathing them daily may I suggest you need to teach them some independence?

Ploppy16 · 05/04/2014 10:17

Maybe you should have taught your children to wipe their bums properly... Honestly, use cotton wool and water on babies for a good clean in between baths, they won't get dysentry!!
My older ones choose when they bathe, usually 3 times a week and DS showers when he gets back from football and training. They do wash inbetween and thats good enough for me. The toddler has a bath 2/3 times a week and a good wash every day. Save your outrage for something thats worth it!

BarbaraWoodlouse · 05/04/2014 10:17

I bath my kids once a year, whether they need it or not Grin

PisforPeter · 05/04/2014 10:17

YABU, totally unnecessary to dunk a young baby/child in a bath of detergents every night just so you feel you have a routine. What's wrong with a cuddle & a story????
Then you will be moaning about not being able to get a GP appointment for dry skin/eczema!!

Needaninsight · 05/04/2014 10:17

I wasn't talking about my baby now! I was talking about when she's older.

The point is now, I can see exactly how clean her backside is!!

I do think that hair washing every day is pointless. And I personally don't use any chemicals in the bath, just a bath wash to wash her bum and under her arms.

Anyway! Surely a bath is fun for most kids!

IdkickJilliansAss · 05/04/2014 10:18

Why wouldn't the soap be washed off properly, rinse the flannel for goodness sake

Katy1368 · 05/04/2014 10:18

Twice a week here too for 6 year old DD. Have taught her to wipe her bum properly, it's a life skill don't you know! She has lovely skin and not at all smelly honest!

You seem slightly over obsessed TBH, have you heard of the hygiene hypothesis theory about us all being too clean etc linked to the increased incidence of auto-immune disorders? Asthma, eczema, allergies etc etc

IdkickJilliansAss · 05/04/2014 10:19

My 6 year old never has poo on her bum!

IdkickJilliansAss · 05/04/2014 10:19

I think offred has it exactly

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