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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not bathe my kids before bed?

59 replies

Chocwocdoodah · 27/02/2019 23:43

I shower my DCs in the morning as it’s quick and means they’re clean for the day. But a friend pointed out its better to give kids a bath at bedtime otherwise they’re getting in bed with all the grime of the day still on them.

What do you do - morning or bedtime?

OP posts:

Glitterblue · 27/02/2019 23:45

We do bedtime but it's personal preference I guess, your way they don't have the grime from the day before or any sweat from the night! We wouldn't have time in the morning with the long hair etc

CarrieBlu · 27/02/2019 23:46

Whilst they’re young I think they definitely need a bath before bedtime. My toddler was covered in mud, sand, paint and chocolate by 6pm tonight - there was no way she was getting into bed like that!

sunshineandshowers21 · 27/02/2019 23:47

at night. i bath my four year old and the baby and then my eldest has a shower. it’s mayhem in the mornings in our house without needing showers and baths on top of it. i also find that a bath an hour or so before bed winds my little ones down and they sleep so much better.

radishingravish · 27/02/2019 23:48

Depends on their age I think. And if they have long/short hair.

Ribbonsonabox · 27/02/2019 23:49

Morning... I dont see the point of washing that much at night (face and hands and teeth etc we obv do) unless really muddy or sweaty or something... because they'll just be sweaty from the night in the morning again... better to be fresh for the day ahead than fresh for bed

babycatcher411 · 27/02/2019 23:49

I used to just bath my son as it felt necessary. Usually this was the evening as normally we’d have more time then, but it wasn’t anything to do with going to bed clean, and certainly didn’t happen every night.
Unless they’re actually dirty from whatever they’ve done in the day (ie rolled in mud, covered in food etc), kids don’t need to wash in the same way as adults as they don’t sweat like we do.

Seth · 27/02/2019 23:51

How old are your DCs op? I wouldn't stress about it really. If they obviously need a good scrub from nursery or school with paint / mud etc then do it as needed. If you are talking about everyday bathing / showering just for the sake of it then I really wouldn't bother. Children don't produce sweat as adults do and a bath or shower daily probably isn't good or necessary for their skin.. the environment or a lot else (in my opinion. I appreciate that others may not agree)

TheClaws · 27/02/2019 23:54

Kids get dirty during the day, as they’re kids - they play outside, get stuff of all sorts all over them, interact with animals and other people, fall over, etc. etc. Plus, a warm bath helps settle them down for bed. It’s a good routine to have.

Original poster

Chocwocdoodah · 27/02/2019 23:55

They’re 8 and 5.
Yes, I’m wondering if bath at BT might be easier than rushing around in the morning. So all you who do baths at night, do you just give them a quick face/hands wash in the morning or..?

OP posts:

Original poster

Chocwocdoodah · 27/02/2019 23:56

I do like to shower or bath them daily though especially as the youngest in particular is not always that thorough with, er, wiping himself after using the loo

OP posts:

123drink · 27/02/2019 23:57

Evening. Far easier. Couldn't give a fuck what anyone else says.

Makes them sleep better!

RaffertyFair · 28/02/2019 00:00

Given your last update OP I would definitely bathe them before bed!

Pinkbells · 28/02/2019 00:16

We always used to do a bath every night before bed, then when they got to about 8 and 6 they started saying they didn't want to share a bath, so we suggested alternating bath and shower each night to save the time that it was taking to run two baths. Now the 11 year old has a shower in the mornings and the 8 year old has a shower at night. Once in a while they choose a bath but not very often these days.

Pinkbells · 28/02/2019 00:19

And for prepubescent kids who haven't had a particularly active day, and with the sheets being changed a couple of times a week I don't think it would be dirty to have a shower in the morning rather than the evening?

RaffertyFair · 28/02/2019 00:25

with the sheets being changed a couple of times a week

JasperKarat · 28/02/2019 00:27

Both, morning shower, bath before bed

NunoGoncalves · 28/02/2019 00:28

because they'll just be sweaty from the night in the morning again

Do your kids really sweat that much at night? I live in a tropical climate and my kids very rarely sweat at night.

Quintella · 28/02/2019 00:29

A morning shower and an evening bath?

Kids sweating in the night?

Sheets changed twice weekly?

Bloody hell.

NunoGoncalves · 28/02/2019 00:29

We do a bath before bed. Always have done as part of the bedtime routine. They don't wash in the morning because they don't sweat or get dirty overnight!

IncrediblySadToo · 28/02/2019 00:36

You could point out she’s sending hers off to school all clammy from the litres of fluid they sweat out at night while sleeping 🤣...🤷🏻‍♀️ As long as they’re bathed/showered regularly it really doesn’t matter.

The little ones have baths at night, every night, as they get hot, muddy, mucky and it’s a nice pre bed routine. Often a quick shower in the morning too as I can’t abide a wet nappy smell and I have a very sensitive nose.

The self sufficient middle ones can do either as long as they shower once a day and maintain a clean, fresh smell/look. So going in if they’ve got all hit & sweaty or dirty irrespective of when they last showered

The older ones need crow bars to get them out of the shower.

peskypooches · 28/02/2019 01:00

I must admit I have never bathed my two as much as a lot of people - even as babies maybe only twice a week, and they probably shower about the same now. I've warned them that when puberty hits they'll start to smell and they'll have to change their ways, but otherwise I really don't think it matters with younger children. Obviously if they've been doing something really mucky they need a wash before bed (we've never done them in the morning, although that's when I shower) but otherwise a scrub of the fingernails usually makes them look vaguely presentable....

Purpleartichoke · 28/02/2019 01:20

We never bathed dd at night u less the situation was dire. She hated baths so much it would make getting her to sleep impossible. Even now that she is older, we try not to have her shower right before bed. That is partly so she doesn’t have soaking wet hair, but also just it is not conducive to rest for her.

femfemlicious · 28/02/2019 01:30

@RaffertyFair exactly my reaction

SkinnyPete · 28/02/2019 01:37

Bath 3 nights a week here (DD8). Maybe 4 max.

Lweji · 28/02/2019 01:41

It depends on the child.
DS was never one to get dirty, but he used to feel cold when he was sleepy and then sweat a lot as soon as he fell asleep. As if he had a fever and then got it down. It happened at night and for naps sometimes.
It was more convenient to give him a shower before bed but he probably needed one more in the morning.

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