To not find time to bath my children?

[Poppybella2015]

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!!

It sounds like you have got it sorted now, OP, but just wanted to add that bathing your kids, when they are the ages yours are, can be a real time for fun and bonding- better than running around making tea etc for relatives!
I used to bathe my 3 every night, all in together (now they are older they shower themselves ) and I used to really enjoy that 15-20 mins chatting to them and playing. It was great to get away from the housework and chaos, and I always saw it as a relaxing thing rather than a chore! Try looking at it as time with your kids to chat about their day and play with them, rather than something that has to be done. To me, that's more important than playdates and clubs- it's quality time with your kids. Good luck with the new routine!

Fwiw i think anyone who is visiting a young family on weekday evenings at tea/bedtime is pretty inconsiderate! I couldnt cope with that at all in my house (i have a friend who does it and it drives me batty) precisely because i am trying to get the dinner made, get the homeworks checked, get a bath run, clean the kitchen, make lunches, do DC teeth and stories, get them to bed and get the washing on. We usually have dinner around 5 (start making it before that obviously) and it is a pretty solid two hours from that point until DC are in bed at 7.

I bathed my kids together when they were small, they don't need to be in the water for long. I did not even have a bath, just a plastic tub from the garden centre.

I used a watering can to rinse their hair.

It was a bit manic but fun, and could be done quickly. Over time It became a routine we could all do very quickly.

I always find with kids it is easiest if you have a routine, so you can do things on autopilot.

For example, a bath before bedtime. Bath time. Story. bed. Only pushes their bedtime out by 10 mins (a bath does not have to equal a long soak, even 2 minutes is enough. Get wet, soap up, rinse off, rub dry, if long hair: a 2 minute blast with hair dryer, done)

Make it a habit, one you prioritise. You are setting them up for good hygiene habits for life.

Sunbeam, you obviously didn't read the thread before you jumped on the OP with your judgy tone. She doesn't wash daily and is going to bring in a new routine so get off your high horse!

scarlet the emersion heats up the water at night and stays hot all day. I think your thinking of the boost switch which only heats up the bottom of the tank. There are 3 tanks in most emersions, cold, hot and boost. You set the timer for it to heat up at night (my electric rate is e7 so cheaper) and you have hot water all day unless it runs out. Then you can use thr expensive boost although I now have a big tank so I don't need to boost.

It is weird if you think everyone who works cannot have a bath...

We do shallow baths/quick showers on school night.. Big play baths are for weekends. They really do need washing more than once a week, often my youngest DD will hop in the shower with me in the morning and still goes for a bath in the evening, her choice she asks. My ds however would love to get away with a once a week bath.

If you have a child sitting in wee who has a skin condition it's even more important that they are regularly washed otherwise your leaving urine on the skin which will stink and burn. Young school aged children are not opposed to telling the whole world who has had an accident and that it smells.

Start small and build up.

You are allowed to politely tell visitors to sod off, you know. Even clubs etc shouldn't take priority over meeting a child's very basic health and care needs.

Other people will notice that your kids smell before you do.

2 of mine had eczema, so I did the washing up bowl in the bath (no shower) and washed hands, face and bottom, quick rinse using a jug, out into a big towel, apply moisturizer and PJs, then teeth brushed. Ten minutes.

Mine were always bathed every night, partly because small DC don't always wipe properly, to wash and comb their hair through to avoid nits and also because they liked it.
It was a nice gentle routine. DD1 had eczema and the advice was and is to gently wash each day (to remove allergens) and moisturise.

OP it seems you are lead by what others want ,rather than setting out what you and your DC need.

I don't have visitors during the week, one activity a week and the odd play date.
I once had a friend who would want to come to mine with her DC in the evening, overstay -for tea and then say we should bath them all together.
It was exhausting - in the end I had to be firm.
I would expect to be in and eating by 6pm and NO visitors during the week.
On activity days prepare something simple for tea, pasta or omelettes.

You need to prioritise your DC basic needs over play dates /activities and friends/visitors.
Once you have a routine in place then consider how you can fit in the other stuff.
Accept one play date a week and consider the activities -maybe cut down to one for a while.

Wow you have a busy week! Kids don't need all these playdates, stop putting yourself under all this pressure.. You're making life too busy for yourself and you don't need to. Make time for what you need to do. Definitely wash them more regularly, there were two kids at school and they were always known as the smelly ones. It was really unpleasant being near them! So unfair and so needless.

OMD so gross.

yes YABVVVUUU and so is your DP

as a child, I noticed the kids whose hair smelled bad even if the rest of them was okay. I've got long thick hair and I wash it daily, drying does not take 20 mins!! Get a decent hairdryer - mine is a Boots 2000watt that only cost about a tenner - and it's a five minute job max.

your poor kids.

No relatives to visit or they muck in and help with bath time. Three times a week is fine, once isn't!

OP, I get the impression that you're struggling a bit but please don't allow your children to grow up having baths only once weekly. That is really not OK.

I volunteer at a school reading to 8 year olds and some of them have very, very poor hygiene. They are adorable little kids who deserve to smell fresh.

Good luck.

Shower every morning with sanex or E45 wash. At very least strip down wash.

Then you bath 2-3 times a week. Shower or bath if your DD has wet herself.

All it takes is planning.

My brother had eczema and we managed the above every day. It takes 10 mins morning maximum and 10 minutes evening.

Your poor children.

Its common sense if your child smells you bath them its a form of neglect. I have no sympathy. I work i have a toddler, a 7 year and im pregnant. I make the time to make sure my children are clean and presentable. Im sorry u stand by my opinion.

Poppy, think I remember you from another thread. Sorry to hear that you are struggling. I am wondering whether you ever went to see your GP about how tired and stressed you've been feeling? If not, I suggest you do this when you get a chance. It is possible there is some underlying reason why you are finding things so tiring and difficult (e.g. vitamin deficiency, anaemia, or depression). It is really important for your health to be a priority.

As a child me and my siblings were all bathed/showered/forced into the shower twice a week until we started secondary school and then we were mostly left to our own devices and encouraged to increase the frequency of the washes. I'm pretty sure none of us ever smelled until that point, although if somebody had an accident or if we went swimming or anything like that we would of course get a wash straight after so I think you really need to prioritise washing at least the lower half of your child after school if she has had an accident. Especially as she has eczema, otherwise the urine could irritate her sensitive skin and make it worse. I have eczema too and I always bathed or showered with Oilatum emollient and then used an emollient cream all over my body straight afterwards, Diprobase for example. I also often had to use special shampoos as I sometimes got eczema on my scalp as well. It is really not a good idea to bath children every night especially if they have eczema, any medical professional will be able to tell you this. Twice a week at their age should be fine as long as you do an extra one if there is an accident.

Good luck!

I've just seen - shower with one child first other child can do themselves, I personally think it's important for YOU to shower too and set an example to your kids.

yes cut down on play dates or whatever. You just need a routine to go with cleanliness and this I'm assuming must involve creams for eczema.

Ignore the people saying you have to bath them every single day. And as for the ones who think children stink less than 24 hours after their last bath...what the hell is wrong with their children? That's not normal at all.

Three times a week is plenty for kids with eczema.

MrsDeVere whatever works then there must be some sort of prescription wash.

I am shuddering to think how bad the eczema is after the girl has wet herself at school.

I used to go to school with a neglected smelly child who was my best friend and it's no fun for the child.

I don't bath my kids everyday ds has a skin condition and dd gets very stressed by baths

However if they get mucky they get washed whether it be by a good flannel wash or a quick bath. Baths don't need to take long. We don't put the toys in its in wash and out.

I think you need to just organise your time better you can say no to invites.

If your DDs have eczema, your GP will be able to prescribe some cream for their skin. Also use Oilatum as you already noted. Apply the GP cream after bath and every day to help prevent skin from drying.

MrsDeVere sorry to derail but my older half brother had very severe eczema too, he had bandages, can't recall what helped him back then, it's a very painful condition.