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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not find time to bath my children?

627 replies

Poppybella2015 · 09/01/2016 09:22

Ok they do get a bath on a Sunday morning with bubbles and a hair wash, like I did as a child. The house also gets cleaned on a Sunday. But then life takes over.

Weekdays after school are a combination of clubs (2 a week) friends over, relatives popping round to see the kids, by the time we have had dinner I think oh my god the kids need to go to bed or it will be too late for them! (They currently sleep 8-7 and I have to wake them on a school day they are two and six) the toddler smells a bit cheesy by about Tuesday, the older one could do with another bath as she sometimes wees her pants at school and then sits in them :( my house turns into a tip in the week too as I always get invited to see a relative/go to a toddler group etc and then when toddler naps I flake out in exhaustion as I have an on going sinus infection and toddler wakes me a couple of times a night.

I really want to have a nice clean home, nice clean kids, be in a nice relaxed routine but life just seems to get in the way and make everything rushed.

I'm sure most people are hectic in the week and those that are not how do you do it? Should I be refusing play dates etc? Ignore relatives when they come round and bath the kids instead? Just tell people I'm busy but risk loosing friends??

Help!!

OP posts:
Crazybaglady · 09/01/2016 20:59

DD baths every night at home before bed, she's 8 months.

DS (6) baths 3 times a week at my mums and 1ce at home.... He likes the giant bath at hers and spends about an hour in it a time!

SuckingEggs · 09/01/2016 21:03

Get off MN and clean your kids ffs!

Needaninsight · 09/01/2016 21:04

It's actually quicker to bath kids than wash them down with a flannel.

I haven't read all of the thread, but it's easy to see you're struggling (people pleaser, trying to keep others happy etc)

Please. Prioritise hygiene. Yes, it comes before playdates. Yes, before relatives. Yes, before clubs etc.

Come 7pm in this house, it's bathtime and bed. I bath both of mine every night and I sometimes think my 3 yr old daughter smells a bit stinky so god knows how much kids must smell after a week.My 2 yr old will often get in the same bath but sometimes refuses and has one after. Even so, I have never ever missed a bathtime.

nicestrongtea · 09/01/2016 21:05

Issy I bath and shower everyday and have beautiful skin !
Its a bit of a myth that water is bad for you Wink

I think hands ,faces, bits and pits should be done everyday Grin
Its easier to chuck them in the bath/shower than faff around with flannels etc.

I also think that its really nice for (most) DC to have a nice wind down routine and splash about a bit.Smile

SuckingEggs · 09/01/2016 21:05

Please follow the advice given. Sorry for my last post. Pmt!

Hope you're ok

Gileswithachainsaw · 09/01/2016 21:06

sucking

no need.

she's come on for support and ideas. some of which she wouldn't have thought of herself. so it's time well spent.

Gileswithachainsaw · 09/01/2016 21:07

X posts. you apologised. so ignore me

SuckingEggs · 09/01/2016 21:07

Baby wipes, I find, are a quick win for bits and pits. Face wash when teeth are brushed.

Say no to too many visitors. You need to make time to chill out, too.

Gileswithachainsaw · 09/01/2016 21:07

SHOT

ffs BlushBlush

SuckingEggs · 09/01/2016 21:08

Giles no probs! I was quick off the keyboard Blush

PurpleDaisies · 09/01/2016 21:09

giles you win the prize for typo of the day. Grin

Gileswithachainsaw · 09/01/2016 21:09

BlushGrin

Cotto · 09/01/2016 21:10

Baby wipes are for nappy changes and camping - I don't have a baby and don't do camping Grin

PeridotPassion · 09/01/2016 21:16

I'm confused as to how your toddler is smelly by Tuesday when they bathed on Sunday tbh.

I suppose it depends how much importance you put on bathing as to whether yabu. I know lots of people who think it's disgusting to not bath your dc at least every two days, or even every day. I shower every two days myself because I have long hair that looks greasy on day 3 and I get sweaty and smelly under my arms because i'm an adult. Neither of which problem affects the dc.

Mine get a bath or full shower and hair washed less than twice a week...once every 5 days or so. Sometimes it does work out as once a week. 2 ds's, 7 and 5. Every day they wash faces, hands and neck well with a flannel and warm water.

They always look and smell clean. Their hair (both 'long' short cuts iyswim) actually looks better on day 3 and 4 after a wash as it's straighter and smoother and sticks up and out less. I couldn't really care less if some people think i'm bu. [Raspberry] to you if you do.

SuckingEggs · 09/01/2016 21:16

Cotto, baby wipes are brilliant for those days you don't wash the children. There are nights when DC are too tired or it is late, usually no more than twice a week, when they can freshen up nicely. If they've had pe, they are always showered though. Takes five min or less.

SuckingEggs · 09/01/2016 21:19

Oh, and if there have been any wee accidents, they are always washed in the shower. Bathing can be time consuming, so we keep bath time for evenings when we can start a bit earlier or it is, say, Friday pm.

Original poster
Poppybella2015 · 09/01/2016 21:20

That's interesting. My 6 year d never smells and hair still looks perfect after a week. My 2 year old however smells "cheesy" after 48 hours and her hair looks greasy? She could honestly so with a hair wash every night as it just looks so fine and lank (like mine!) maybe it's the thinness that makes it look greasy it's very fine I can see slot oh her scalp. My other daughters hair is very long and thick. I have no idea what the cheesy smell is. But I won't be smelling it any longer with the nightly baths!

OP posts:
UptownFunk00 · 09/01/2016 21:21

I only bathe DD regularly once a week (2.9yo).

However, I flannel wash her body most mornings and if she has an accident/crawls in muck then she gets a bath.

To not do it if they've wet themselves seems really irresponsible to me.

I personally don't think a 2 year old needs more than 2 baths a week as they aren't creating the same oils a preteen does. I'd say at least every other day from about 6/7 though as they are beginning to sweat properly.

Gileswithachainsaw · 09/01/2016 21:22

toddlers sometimes are on the chubby side. the skin in the ceases can get a bit cheesy.

nappies can also make them.smell a bit.

PixieChops · 09/01/2016 21:25

I understand that your busy but I still manage to bath my 6 month old and 19 month old every night without fail and they're in bed at 7:30pm. For the past 6 weeks my youngest has been ill and now my eldest is. On top of that my DH has put his back out and can't work or help me with the babies (lifting etc)
Your excuses for not bathing your kids are a bit shit. It takes me half an hour to get mine bathed, dressed for bed and for them to have their milk.
Bath your kids. If I can do it with 2 under 2 you can.

PeridotPassion · 09/01/2016 21:25

I'd say at least every other day from about 6/7 though as they are beginning to sweat properly

Really? Ds1 is nearly 8 and the size/height of a 10 year old. Absolutely no signs of adult sweating or smells yet! I think that's a bit premature tbh.

MrsS1980 · 09/01/2016 21:27

Just wanted to add, please please ignore the advice to stick them in the bath while you tidy around downstairs. Never leave them unattended in the bath.

SalemSaberhagen · 09/01/2016 21:28

15'month old DD is bathed 2-3 times a week. I wash her hair every 7-9 days or thereabouts, but she is mixed race with Afro type hair and washing it any more frequently than that dries it out horribly.

Anyway OP, you really need to wash them more (as I'm sure 17 pages has shown you!)

PeridotPassion · 09/01/2016 21:29

I've never been able to fathom why people bath their kids every single night, or seem to view it as a sign of success Hmm

Spending up to an hour in running the bath, bathing them, drying them, cleaning up the swimming pool that is the bathroom floor - what a faff to do that every night!

That's time spent that we could be reading a book or playing a game IMO.

Original poster
Poppybella2015 · 09/01/2016 21:31

I'm lucky that my 2 year old is potty trained and has never had an accident (really!) so the cheesy smell is not from the nappy as she is dry day and night. Oldest has accidents some nights and some times at school but school do not let them go at certain times of the day and my dd cannot hold it in. I petsoy feel this is wrong for 5 and 6 years olds to be expected to hold on. She has spare pants in her bag but doesn't tell anyone if she wets. I only notice after she has gone to bed and I put her clothes in the wash and the pants have a dry urine patch on them. The nightly baths will at least get the urine off, I wish she would tell someone she needs to change her pants at school though.

OP posts: