To wonder how you can not bath or shower kids every day?

[Kalitall]

I know this ones been done, and I don't think anyone is dirty for not bathing every day and I understand about skin conditions.

I just don't know how everyone gets away with not bathing children each day. Especially little ones.

My two boys seem to get filthy. They both play outside every day and end up muddy. The toddler gets really mucky eating meals, usually ends up with food everywhere even in his hair. Also often ends up with paint over him from nursery. He poos in his nappy every day and even though he's clean up is usually still a bit smelly. In the Summer they both get quite sticky.

I find it easier to run a bath or put him under the shower than to top and tail to clean all the muck off.

Like I said I'm not accusing anyone of being dirty, as an adult I could probably get away with not showering each day as I don't sweat much and don't get mucky.

Do other children just not get in a mess?

It's the same with washing clothes. I reuse my own clothes but I could never not wash the dcs clothes, because they're always covered in food or mud.

• Some kids get dirtier than others.
• Some kids like/dislike baths more than others.

-Some adults tolerance levels for a bit of dirt are higher or lower.

Oh, and a quick shower works too. Doesn't have to be a full bath.

I've never questioned how grubby or not my kids are, bathtime just happens every day. My eldest is almost 12 and is at the stage where he does need to wash every day anyway.

Laughing my arse off at the rubbish being spouted about Spain

Take it you haven't considered skin conditions OP.

Why faff about with emollients in the bath, washing moisture away then trying to falsely add it back...just wash them less often.

I considered - and still do - a bit of dirt less harmful than flaking skin. It hacks me off how judgemental people get about it though.

Puzzling that people who think children need to be bathed every evening, however overexcited this might make them, and contrary to best dermatalogical practice it might be, are trying to assert a moral high ground.

Fwiw, I don't bath the goldfish daily either...

Ah 5cm of water, lay them in that and wash them. I see. I am thinking we are both not talking about 3 year olds here

Yup, we had DS lie down in the bath so we could wash him until he graduated to the shower at 4.5ish.

If you don't think children need to get outdoors every day we are raising children from very different standpoints. I think most people would agree that fresh air and daylight are pretty essential. Would you be happy to send your child to a school that only had indoor play?

Why are you assuming the child isn't going outdoors? Being outside doesn't have to mean scrabbling about in the mud playing. Going on a trip out to the shops, post office, garden centre or just a walk around the block etc is getting fresh air and daylight. Some children play better inside. I used to work in a nursery that apart from half an hour registration and focus work had two hours free play everyday. The children could choose to be inside or outside. Some never chose to go outside. I now run forest school sessions and some children thrive on it others just don't like outdoor play so for them their best quality play is inside.

Why faff about with emollients in the bath, washing moisture away then trying to falsely add it back...just wash them less often

Because all the latest studies have demonstrated that it lowers the incidences of infected eczema.

ElisavetaFartsonira it's absolutely not contrary to 'best dermalogical practice'

Distance your posts are full of clichés. I am French, DH is Spanish and we live in England, so I know the cultures you are talking about.
I find the British way of raising children to be very child oriented. Baby led leaning is a good example! In France most babies are spoon fed jars. In the UK they are allowed to play with food and discover textures.
Re the bath, in Spain the weather is warmer so a bath is often a nice way to relax at the end of the day. In the UK when it is freezing and the DC are clean bathtime is not something we look forward too, getting undressed in a cold bathroom vs putting on snuggly PJs are read stories before bedtime...

My toddler doesn't really have 'rolls' superbeagle. We do wash her hands several times during the day, but I thought that was standard whether you bath them nightly or not?

Gogo...Sounds like your child might be quite young? I'm basing that on you rubbing cream on his body....My nine years old would never want me to do that. It starts to become not appropriate, unless they are putting it on themselves. I do think it depends on age....Very young children might get more dirty, then there is a gap between them being toddler age and starting to get b o, where they really don't need washing that often. Anyway, not everyone on here is talking about not washing at all, a lot of people have mentioned flannel washes etc.

I defer to your knowledge there Peony my kids don't have eczema and touch wood never had skin infections. Must be horrid.

My understanding is that eczema leads to wounds and of course they would need washing.

If the skin condition is mild and not yet at the point of skin cracking I can't see the point in aggravating it by needless washing (not saying my kids never wash! They do!)

I don't actually care how often you Bath your children but I do care that it's dressed up in not doing it for medical reasons.

Makes me laugh this 'kids getting so over excited, it's not relaxing ....and bathroom getting so hugely wet and it's all far too stimulating to bath them etc

It's clearly such a rarity that some DC get bathed....probably why all the above occurs

Sorry batteries not aimed at you- cross post

My 4yo has a quick shower every morning. My 2yo has a wash (bath or shower) every 3 or 4 days. He hates the feeling of food on his hands and doesn't like anything with sauce so doesn't get dirty at meal times. He plays in the mud outside but I wash his hands and face and he's clean. Every single time I bath or shower him he screams like he's being murdered. It is not a 'winding down' event for us. He becomes hysterically upset and takes ages to calm down after.

Is it not peony? Not what I was told, though granted we don't have eczema so I appreciate there may be specific requirements there I'm not familiar with.

But it's something I'm quite keenly aware of as, due to being a bit of a sweaty betty myself, I've really no option but to shower daily even though it dries my skin out more than once every two days. I did try reducing showers but it didn't last because I was whiffy.

Now mine are over 8 I can get away with 2 a week.

But distanccall.....Not washing children daily does not make them smelly. Children do not get body odour untill they are about nine or ten.

ElisavetaFartsonira no, it's not. I posted a couple of links from an article and also the national eczema association further back in the thread.

My dd specialist has said this too, another poster who has dc with severe eczema has been told this by their consultant.

Because mine kick up such a fuss at bath time and I can't face it every day. If they're mucky with food I make them wash their hands/face and use wipes.

Honestly Peony sometimes it can be best for skin not to wash daily. There's such a huge range of skin conditions it's not really appropriate to extrapolate the eczema advice to everyone else.

It's clearly such a rarity that some DC get bathed....probably why all the above occurs

I gave DD a bath daily as baby at first as it was the "done" things. Grew up differently..but when in Rome. That lasted about a month. Then bcs i was tired and sore and whatever sometimes i skipped some evenings and guess what? she settled better. That continues for another month until i cottoned on and was at the try anything stage so i did not give her a bath anymore,just top and tail. She was hard enough to get to sleep as it was,why wold i keep making it worse with the baths cause that's "what you do".