WIBU to stop washing my kids

[treaclepumpkin]

So, I'm back at work this after having had my second son and trying to get into a morning routine that works. Usual procedure has always been for everyone in the family to have a wash each morning and evening. This is how DH and I were both brought up, so have always done this.

But I'm wondering, do other people perhaps wash their kids less? Especially as they don't really sweat or anything? For context, I have a 1 year old and a 3 year old, so still quite little. DS1 bathed only in the evening until he started nursery at age 1. DS2 has started nursery this week and so is now also having a shower in the morning too.

Never washed DD in the morning (poonami nappies aside). Wet flannel for face and hands after brekkie, teeth, job done. She did have a bath most nights though.

DS 6 has his hair washed in shower/bath once a week - he has lovely silky hair as a result. He has a bath once a week and a shower also once a week. Hot flannel for his face every morning.
Don't dry their skin and hair.

*dry as in, don't dry it out washing so often as you do.

Nobody washes necks in the morning? Hands, face and neck so that shirt/blouse collars don't get dirty.

I used to bath dd in the morning when I was on maternity leave but as soon as I went back to work there was no time for such luxuries! They're lucky if their teeth are brushed in the morning now

I bathed mine every day until out of nappies and then bathed/showered every other day. My youngest is 9 and sometimes he does shower daily but often every other day

In UK winter I don't think the need that much. Mine get a good bath or shower twice a week with hair wash. If there has been an accident or are dirty a quick shower with soap. Face washed every morning. Hands washed very frequently throughout day. All they need imo.

Never wash as such outside showering though.

Mine (none in nappies) have a bath about 3x a week, faces and hands washed every morning.

Interested to hear more about the organic body butter! What's in it and how do you make it, OP? (I'm always looking for better moisturising solutions for my family of eczema sufferers.)

I'v never heard of anyone doing this. We aim for every other day unless they've gotten dirty or sweaty. Hands washed before eating.

Morning and night bath my sister does the same routine with her children.

I wash twice a day also

You are washing them too much in my opinion it won't be good for their skin (it's very drying). I bath my little girl every other night (she is 21 months). And wash her face every morning and evening she isn't bathed

interestingly a GP was telling me today that there has been a steep rise in the number of people with allergies, and that the medical profession believe this is largely due to us all being too clean

They need some germs and natural oils on their skin op, children shouldn’t be bathed every day, let alone twice! 3 times a week is plenty

Bathing is not needed every day but I think it's revolting and frankly lazy to not wash your child's face and hands in the morning and evening.

Bath (sometimes it's a shower) every other day.

That's plenty for a child to stay clean, without stripping out natural oils and drying out their skin.

I was going to ask if you grew up somewhere hotter, or with habits derived from a hotter place, so that does make sense.

2&3 yr old here. Bath 2/3 times a week. Or more if they're sufficiently grubby.

Also A wipe over with a warm flannel on their hands and face every day.

I could not be arsed with bathing them every day!

You are over washing your children even if you do moisturise their skin afterwards. They don't have sweat glands like adults as they haven't reached puberty. Even as an adult unless you are doing physical activity e.g. sport or it's hot then you don't need to shower more than once a day.

It seems wasteful. I hope people who bath 2x a day or similar at least pay the water via a water meter rather than the standard charge. Still wasteful though. If you were say in India or indeed Africa it may be different due to weather conditions (even then quick wash is best) but in the UK a bath every few days/once or twice a week is sufficient for children.

You are washing the natural oils out of their skin and replacing with your own product - that’s not good for them and not needed in the cold British climate.

Dd has one shower a week due to eczema. She doesn’t smell because kids that age don’t have BO. If she does something particularly sweaty she’ll have an extra wash, or if she gets muddy, but generally we do one shower, on the advice of her specialist. Clearly most families wash their kids more than this but 14 times per week: wow

There’s a difference between having a wash on a morning and a full blown shower. I don’t even shower on a morning I just wash my face etc and have a shower or bath after work. Sounds like you’re making a lot of work for yourself. How dirty can they get over night?

My kids (2 and 4) bath/shower 2 or 3 times a week, plus extra obviously if they wet themselves or get particularly dirty. Then hands, face and teeth every morning and evening. I do worry I don't wash them enough though

Bath 2-3 times a week for DS age 2. He had eczema as a baby and now has beautiful skin.