Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

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:
Permanentlyexhausted · 10/01/2016 23:38

Op do you know that urine is actually itchy.

Absolute rubbish! Urine can, sometimes, make the skin sore but it is not actually itchy.

Let her stand up while I holed her with one hand.

Now this really would make someone want to weep! Grin

Verity23 · 11/01/2016 04:17

Is it a British thing to not bathe every day? I'm in Australia and no one I know would admit to not showering or having a bath every day. I also can't imagine a bath taking an hour. 15 minutes is plenty of time for my kids to have a wash and play.

MoMoTy · 11/01/2016 06:25

is it a British thing to not bathe every day?

It seems so. I have heard people openly say this totally unfazed so I think it is.

Out2pasture · 11/01/2016 06:45

I've never hear anyone in my circle admit to not showering or bathing daily (Canada).

differentnameforthis · 11/01/2016 07:00

I'm in Australia and no one I know would admit to not showering or having a bath every day I'm in Australia too & I know plenty of families with young children who don't bath them everyday!

Adults & older children, as far as I know, but it just isn't needed for littlies.

Krampus · 11/01/2016 08:13

Yes, say No once or twice a week if relative comes round, or one of you takes a turn of bathing the kids whilst the other is talking to relative.
You have been out socialising or clubs, then picked your husband up from work, then all gone home for dinner so there are two adults at home. Why is one of you not doing a quick bath or shower whilst the other cooks Confused

It doesnt have to be every night, may be the other nights one adult can cook and the other can spend 10 mins doing a quick tidy up and lay the table.

Verity23 · 11/01/2016 09:14

Different I know that children don't need to bathe everyday (although I wouldn't let my kids go more than 2 days). Sorry, I should have clarified that I was talking about adults. It wasn't really a response to the OP, it was more about other posters.

Flingingmelon · 11/01/2016 09:53

OMG. Take toddler in shower (I presume you bother to shower yourself) and stick your other one in whilst you are drying and changing toddler.

Is your shower half decent? If it's like my DMs maybe you need another plan...

ImTakingTheEssence · 11/01/2016 14:21

Wannabe you sound like a right cow.

mathanxiety · 11/01/2016 14:40

Same for the US, Out2Pasture. I think warm bathrooms and freely available hot water contribute a lot to daily bathing culture. Hot water was a precious commodity when I was growing up in Ireland and the bathroom was heated by a wall heater hanging above the bath (incredibly dangerous). We had no central heating.

wannabestressfree · 11/01/2016 14:42

Do I? Why's that then?

Leelu6 · 11/01/2016 14:53

Is it a British thing to not bathe every day? I'm in Australia and no one I know would admit to not showering or having a bath every day. I also can't imagine a bath taking an hour. 15 minutes is plenty of time for my kids to have a wash and play.

It's a lot hotter in Oz so the same rules don't apply. I have very sensitive skin, so I bathe every other day. I think it's good to let your skin develop some natural oil. I have a bidet and also wash face, neck, hands as necessary so this isn't an issue. I'm always told I look younger than I am, so don't know if this is a benefit of not bathing daily.

P1nkP0ppy · 11/01/2016 15:05

If you say that your children smell then it's probably even more obvious to others outside the family OP.
It's very sad that your children who you say are needing a good wash or bath, are not prioritised over family visitors, invitations to visit family or toddler groups.
Very strange values imo.
There's a difference between not showering/bathing everyday and children actually smelling cheesy or of wee. Poor little things, that's sad.

mathanxiety · 11/01/2016 17:15

Both hot and colder areas of the US, as well as places where summers are hot and winters are frigid, have the same daily washing culture, so outdoor temps really don't have that much to do with it. Plus most people are not out in the extreme heat and have AC in homes and workplaces so summer heat and humidity isn't that much of a factor. Soap is considered a really good thing all over the US.

GraysAnalogy · 11/01/2016 17:22

I'm failing to see why they can't have a ten minute shower.

TheSecondViola · 11/01/2016 17:26

I'm failing to see why you peeps can't RTFT.

CallaLilli · 11/01/2016 18:43

is it a British thing to not bathe everyday

Seems like it, and could be why the British have (or at least had some years ago) a reputation overseas of being dirty/smelly!

BabyGanoush · 11/01/2016 19:15

thanks Calla, always nice to know

Alisvolatpropiis · 11/01/2016 20:21

And yet British people have in the past had cultural stereotypes of other nations being less than fragrant.

Funny isn't it.

TheCatsMeow · 11/01/2016 20:26

Each nation stereotypes others as smelly/dirty/stupid and there's no basis for any of it

Alisvolatpropiis · 11/01/2016 20:27

That's what I was getting at, TheCats inarticulately Smile

TheCatsMeow · 11/01/2016 21:29

Alis it's stupid that anyone puts any truth to it!

whois · 11/01/2016 21:32

I don't think adults 100% need to shower absolutely every day.

Saturday night I showered after I got in from a night out. Sunday I didn't shower but didn't really 'do' anything. Showered Monday morning.

ozymandiusking · 11/01/2016 21:42

Can you not give your older child a clean pair of knicks in a plastic bag in her school bag, and tell her to change if she has an accident, and then put the wet ones in to the plastic bag then back in to the school bag.
Does she not ask the teacher when she needs the loo.

Nodowntime · 11/01/2016 23:57

Ozymand, just read through the OP's posts.