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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:

RainbowMum11 · 28/02/2019 02:52

Once/week for DD, as well as after swimming.
She always had v sensitive skin so bathing every day never was good for her skin.
Any, when younger, we only had a bath/shower a couple of times a week which was ok, so we follow the same.

Monty27 · 28/02/2019 03:10

It was always night time baths here.
It keeps jammies and bedding fresher. Fresh underwear every day and if clothes if necessary clean clothes too.

Bellasorellaa · 28/02/2019 03:19

Your preference I understand your friends as I only bath at night but point is they get washed

Oakenbeach · 28/02/2019 06:44

Mine didn’t bathe/shower every day at that age, but every 2/3 days. No need unless sweaty or dirty. Some of us are obsessed with hygiene to the point of unhealthiess.

Ps i shower every day.

londonrach · 28/02/2019 06:47

Never before bed as she be up hours. Has a morning bath twice or three times a week. I bathing her daily but her skin was awful...gp said why you bathing her daily. Childfarm and 2-3 baths a week and shes alot better. I must be the only person whos child when bathed wakes up and gets alot of energy!!

poglets · 28/02/2019 08:04

Shower every morning. And a couple of baths a week in the evening. Clean bedding once a week.

VelvetPineapple · 28/02/2019 08:10

If we need to rush out really early in the morning we both (adult and child) get washed the night before. If we’re not in a rush we’ll shower in the morning. If the child is filthy then a bath or shower can be at any time of day or night. A child doesn’t need washing every day though - if they’re not dirty then imo every other day is sufficient.

CouldntThink · 28/02/2019 08:13

Baths in the evening. Usually every other night unless they need it more often, which they generally do. Wouldn’t have time for a morning bath.

AntiHop · 28/02/2019 08:15

I don't bathe my 4 year old every night. Usually every 3rd day. If she needs one sooner, obviously I do it.

Notso · 28/02/2019 08:21

When they were grubby toddlers I bathed them most nights. Now older kids in their teens shower daily (In 18 year olds case seemingly hourly )
8 and 6 year olds get a shower Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings and then on Saturday morning, obviously more if it's really hot or they're filthy etc. 6 year old is still in pull ups at night and gets night sweats so I sometimes hose him down super quickly in the mornings as well.

Vulpine · 28/02/2019 08:21

'The grime of the day'? They're not working down a coal mine

StopMakingAFoolOutofMe · 28/02/2019 08:22

Now he's older, morning. He sweats a lot during the night and his hair won't do anything if he's slept in it

cushioncovers · 28/02/2019 08:26

Before my dc hit puberty they bathed at night. No need for deodorant etc
Then after puberty hit and they started sweating and getting spots etc they wanted to shower in the morning so that they were fresh for school.
They are young adults now and shower once a day whenever they want to.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 28/02/2019 08:27

Bath or shower before bed at that age.

Parker231 · 28/02/2019 08:34

Mine had showers before bed. Much quicker and saved loads of time when they had after school clubs, activities, homework to fit in. We started ours on showers with us from six months old.

Camomila · 28/02/2019 08:35

DS is nearly 3 and usually has a shower in the mornings. I prefer it because a bath before bed just excites him and also because he doesn't mind getting his head wet in the shower. By bedtime he just wants to go to bed, not have a bath.

In summer its a bit different with suncream/wearing shorts etc but ATM I just wash his hands/face/teeth and the rest of him is clean under his clothes.

StevieHuckle · 28/02/2019 08:37

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

Same, unless particularly dirty it not like they sweat and smell like adults do. As long as they're clean. Ive always been cautious of them being over-clean.

Seline · 28/02/2019 08:38

I bathe my kids as required. I don't have set bath days or times etc. Some weeks he needs more bathing than others. My younger two get bathed on average every other day but sometimes more regularly if they've had bad reflux.

OneStepSideways · 28/02/2019 10:11

Morning baths/showers here! I don't see the point of bathing at night, everyone sweats and sheds dead skin cells during the 8 or so hours you're asleep! Kids also tend to dribble, get snot on the pillow and then spill breakfast on themselves.

I always shower in the morning or I feel sticky and don't smell as fresh. And it wakes me up for the day.

If you shower at night instead, do you put deodorant on at night or in the morning or both? I've always wondered that.

My 4 year old has clean pjs every evening and clean bedding twice a week.

Crustaceans · 28/02/2019 10:14

Morning showers here. I used to do bedtime baths as babies but switched to morning showers when they were at school as it was easier.

Actually DS2 never washes at home these days. He swims 5 times a week and showers after that (at the pool mostly just chatting to his friends for ages). He’s not old enough to need any more washing than that.

Original poster

Chocwocdoodah · 28/02/2019 23:43

Rafferty - does sound a bit grim when I put it like that!!

By “grime of the day” I mean the sometimes dirty faces, fingernails and general sweatiness from running around at school.

So if you bathe/shower your kids at night, do they have any kind of wash in the morning - i.e. face and hands - or nothing?

OP posts:

Auntiepatricia · 28/02/2019 23:54

Mine usually get bathed twice a week. Bedsheets every few weeks. Fresh clothes most days. None of them smell (4 under 7). I don’t ever do baths before bed, can’t think of a worse time.

NunoGoncalves · 28/02/2019 23:54

Nothing. Just brush teeth. Face doesn't get dirty overnight and they wash their hands after going to the toilet which they usually do first thing anyway!

Whatsnewpussyhat · 01/03/2019 00:09

My kids have never had a bath before bed and go to bed just fine without. They have also never had a bath daily. There is just no need as babies and by the time we are home from work/fed, giving them a bath would make bedtime too late.

I don't shower or bathe before bed either.
Always in the morning.

naysayer · 01/03/2019 00:10

I'm with peskypooches and skinnypete and thank god you spoke, was beginning to think DD10 was the only child to have only 2-4 baths a week. And it has to be baths, we have no shower. And it's a complete pain as her hair is as thick as an Afghan goat's, and waist length. And with no shower, a morning bath is out of the question. Unless they are rolling around in mud every day is it really necessary to waste water that much? Surely teaching them to top and tail with a cloth is enough.

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