To think that kids be left in the bath...

[Flashbangandgone]

... While I go to another room upstairs from the age of 4?

My twins are 5 and bath together. I potter about upstairs always within earshot and usually sitting in the bathroom or just outside so I can see them.
If I take one out to get dressed the other has to sing so I can hear them or I dress them just outside the door.
I have to be really careful as when I did relax a bit and leave them to go to another room they started climbing out of the bath to get toys etc and could easily have slipped.
This thread has reminded me to keep being careful!

I like those locks, SoWhite.

We locked the bathroom door here once we get to age 10 or so. Under that age, no.

My DCs are older now, but when they were little I did not leave them in the bath on their own. The risk was too high that someone would do something silly or dangerous and come down fast on a hard surface.

I got them out of the habit of a bath pretty early in favour of showers anyway.

My post wasn't really aimed at those that lock doors soarkling more those that are saying you can't get privacy without locking. Because you can.
Like I say there's never been any incidents so that's not the reason for not locking

Yes past 14 you do need privacy I was more saying you can get it without the rule of no locking impinging on that.

I think if anything this thread has reminded people just to be careful around water. I know we all know it. But sometimes we just take it for granted.

I was around 10. I'd be happy with that age if i thought they wouldn't mess around. I'd stay nearby, on the same floor as them.
I'm very sorry to people who have lost relatives, but not locking the door till 18, i would never have a bath then.
It could happen at anytime.

Yes i always lock my door and always did when i was at home for privacy.

My bathroom lock is flimsy and breakable if necessary. I know as I've accidentally broken it pushing the door too hard.
Mine bath alone at 8+

I leave my 6 year old but only because I know from experience that he doesn't stand in the bath (having slipped once when getting out and scared himself). I stay upstairs though and doors open so I can here him and I check on him, plus I'm in and out to wash his hair, make sure he's washing properly etc.

I would never leave my 2 year old and will decide on when it is safe to leave him as he gets older and I assess his bath behaviour, probably from 5 but depends how sensible a child he turns out to be!

The pp that nips out when their 18mo is in the bath?

And the towels/pjs thing - that's what I do while the bath is running. Everything is in there and ready before they get in.

Thanks for responses... I do generally do other stuff upstairs while kids, 6 & 4 are in the bath. Instinctively it does not feel risky. I'm able to hear anything, and if one got into problems, the other would obviously say.

In terms of risk, it would seem to take a disturbing leap of imagination to come up with a tragic outcome in this circumstance surely... But then there are some on here prone to catastrophising!

What was your reason for asking OP?

The pp that nips out when their 18mo is in the bath? shock. Agreed, but 4.5 is a world away from 18 months

At 2 I would stay. at 3 and 4 I might go out to the hotpress for a few seconds. At 5/6/7 I would wander in and out, with shouting/checking every minute or so always staying one room away.

This seems reasonable and proportionate

No one full stop locks the door whilst in the bath in any house ive stayed in no matter the age of the person. You just tell everyone in the house you are in the bath. Was drummed into me by my mum as she knew someone in their 20s who drowned in the bath.

Well, someone call social services on me immediately. My DS19m is always in the bath by himself. He is very loud and splashy and we live in a pretty small flat so can hear him at all times but no way am I sitting in that bathroom for 15-20 mins while he has bath and play time each evening.

I appreciate that all is fine until it is not, but that's the same as everything in life.

*nothing to do with drink or drugs, she slipped and knocked herself out. It was a flimsy door and it took her parents less than 30 seconds to break it down, but it was too late, she was under the water, totally unconscious, and had been inhaling.

It would have been different if she had been holding her breath.*

Gosh, scary... Wouldn't have thought 30 seconds would do anything but the inhalation of water was clearly deadly... This can clearly happen at any age. 4 or 44 so will change my behaviour.

Did I really read up thread that people aren't allowed to get out of the bath until the water has drained out. So you have a lovely bath and you sit there getting cold whilst the water drains ( I leave the water for dh but is that odd too?)

I assumed that related to DC mud. I always stand up pull the plug then get out.

I stay upstairs within earshot when my 3 and 5 year olds are in the bath together or when my 7 year old is in it in her own.

I'm pretty big on water safety, but I think staying right beside fairly big children whose habits you know and whom you can hear and reach is seconds is a bit over anxious.

I would never leave a toddler. But from about 3 I think it's OK as long as you are nearby and within earshot.

i leave my 5 year old in the bath without me being with her. door open though. i wash her hair for her. then she plays in the bath for 20-30 mins i come down stairs. i can still hear her with bathroom door and living room door open.

The non door locking for teenagers and adults thing has me . I grew up in a big family, there were people coming and going all the time - older siblings, their friends, quite often my dad's employees as well (he ran a small business from home and his drivers were sometimes in and out of the house). There wasn't a hope of making sure everyone knew when someone was in the bathroom because the turnover of people was so quick. I couldn't count the number of times I was in the bathroom and someone tried to open the door. I would have been horrified if someone had walked in on me. Still would. I know most people are going to say 'it's only nudity' but we were not the sort of family who 'did' nudity. I'd feel hugely violated if someone walked in whilst I was in the bath.

We have the kind of lock that is easy to open from the outside. I stayed in the room until DD no longer wanted me in there. We did spelling and times tables and all sorts as she got older. Now she's 16 she locks the door, but knows I will randomly check on her from outside the door. If she doesn't answer she knows I'll unlock the door. Of course I could still be too late ...

I can't understand why the magic age is 18? What happens after?

We don't lock the door but it's nothing to do with safety, just a habit.

When DS was little I used to sit on the edge of the bath and have a paddle as he used to call it and he thought it was great fun. Plus I got to soothe my feet after being at work all day.

Accidents are just that, totally unpredictable. No one can be with their DC 24/7 awake but as a parent you need to gauge risk. I would personally say that is far too young to leave a child in the bath.

I don't get why the magic age is 18 either, I was bathing alone from a young age but most of the time I had a shower anyway.

Someone posted this article on MN before but even in 30 seconds a child can stop breathing and suffer brain damage.
In fact most accidents with children in the bath happen when the parent just pops out of sight for a minute.

www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/more-kids-drown-in-bath-tub-than-pool-20120525-1z92j.html