Is this bath time situation acceptability?

[5footmama]

You live in a bungalow.
The bathroom is off the main hall.
Opposite the living room.

You have a just turned 6 year old and a 2yr5month old in the bath, playing and washing.

You are in the living room.

Both doors are open.

AIBU to think this is not acceptable?

Same set up as us and we do just that, both doors open constant checking on them usually tidying their mess for when they get out the bath, oldest stays in 20mins after I take the little one out.

An adult should be in the bathroom because you have a 2yr old in the bathtub. A 6yr old is not adequate supervision.

Sitting in the living room, for example watching TV, would not be acceptable because it would be too easy to get distracted or even fall asleep. Popping into the living room to grab something such as a toy or a fresh towel left on the sofa is fine as the children are in earshot, you're aware of them/listening out for them, and you're going to be back in a matter of moments.

As long as they can be heard playing and are being checked on every couple of minutes I wouldn't have an issue with this.

Sounds fine to me as long as you're actively listening out for them.

I'm assuming that this is a normal bath btw and you're not going to drip feed that the bath is actually a swimming pool!

Definitely not acceptable. I wouldn’t leave a 6 yo alone never mind 2 yo

Also think it’s probably fine if you can be in there like a shot if you hear a big thunk or a splash.
At two though I’d be dotting in and out.
Depends on the six yr old two. If there has ever been any meanness then I probably wouldn’t leave them unsupervised in the bath.

If you are in the living room for more than a minute, no.

That's the time the 2 year old could take to be in serious trouble.

FWIW, I leave my 3yo in the bath with either my 6yo or my 8yo while I get pyjamas out of drawers, pull back bed covers, close curtains, sort the clothes they've just taken off for washing, etc. They're on the same floor of the house as me while I'm doing this, the bathroom door is open, I pop in and out of the bathroom while I'm pottering, and I'm keeping an ear tuned to them the whole time so long as I can hear them playing and both voices I know they're okay.

I think that's fine, assuming the water isn't ridiculously deep. I leave my 2.5 year old in the bath while I walk around the upstairs. The bath isn't really deep enough that even if he fell, he'd go under. He'd have to knock himself unconscious for that to be the case. I think that's highly unlikely. And if that was the case, me being in the same room probably wouldn't make a whole lot of difference. I trust it a lot more when he is bathing with my 7 year old, as I trust her to keep an eye on him. She will grab him and steady him if she thinks he's going to fall. I wouldn't go downstairs and sit and have a chat on the phone out of earshot, but I do go into the next room as long as I can still hear them. There is a big difference though between a 2.5 year old and say a 1.5 year old. I wouldn't have left him alone at that age.

I wouldn't because I wouldn't trust my older child, he sometimes thinks it's funny to throw water in the younger ones face, snatch toys off the younger one or spray the entire bathroom with water squirters when I'm not looking.

Can a six year old babysit a 2.5 year old? No...

I live in a bungalow too and will sometimes nip in and out to get things but I don't leave them for more than a minute.

I wouldn't

Purely because I had my 1 yr old in the bath. Turned around to wash my hands. When I turned back she was underwater and sort of turned around. It haunted me. Thinking if I'd popped out for 5 mins. Which I didn't do anyway.

But then after that I got my kids swimming. So both were able to get themselves out of trouble by 2.5. We live with a swimming pool. So they are in there all day everyday!

Here’s what the NHS advises
“Babies can drown in as little as 5cm (2 inches) of water. Drowning is one of the commonest causes of child death – it's often silent, so you won't necessarily hear any noise or struggle.

Baths are the commonest place for babies and young children to drown. Stay with your baby or toddler the whole time they're in the bath. Never leave them for a moment, even if there's an older brother or sister in the bath with them.”

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/baby-safety-tips/

No one is suggesting leaving a baby though. A two and a half year old is not a baby in terms of development.

No not for a 2 year old otherwise you’re effectively saying the 6 year old is responsible for monitoring the toddler.

How ridiculous.

What would be so vital the risk is worth taking imo...?
Ds is 5.7 and I use his bath time to chat and tidy the bathroom /towels /cupboard /put a face pack on!!

I'm AMAZED at how many people think it's ok to leave small children unsupervised near water... 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

... IN water rather....

Definitely not ok in my opinion. It takes seconds to drown no matter what age. 2.5yr old could try and stand up, slip, hit head and slip under. 6yo could have a sudden seizure (anyone can have a seizure) and slip under and 2yr old wouldn’t know what to do. Never leave a child unsupervised near water

Let alone IN water * !

@Barmaid101
Why don't you just stay in if you are "constantly" checking them???

No I wouldn't. Drowning can be silent and fast.
I would leave a 6yo alone in the bath for a few minutes as long as I could hear them.
I would never leave a 2yo.
Even my 4yo I wouldn't trust.

At what age can they bath independently @GaaaaarlicBread?

Two is too young to be left completely alone obviously but if you can see them at all times I really can’t see an issue.

If you can hear them both giggling madly and will be in there in a couple seconds if you suddenly don't hear that, then it should be ok. One child, no.