Am I being lazy? Washing my child

[Daftmum47]

I take my child swimming at least once a week, often twice, and afterwards I shower him and wash his hair. But I’ve let myself slip into lazy ways of not always bathing him at home, without fail, every week. He’s probably not teaching neglected levels of unclean, but equally I’m not teaching him personal hygiene. I have ADHD and come from a slightly chaotic home environment myself. Do other mums sometimes skip bath times if their child is going swimming? Yes = YANBU

I bath my dc fully every other day, everyday if they're extra dirty or sweaty in the Summer. They also love their baths to relax and play.

"I find a quick shower much easier and less fiddly than flannels or washing 'bits and pits' in the sink. Takes 5 minutes."

Depends upon the child. Mine takes ages to get in and out of the bath due to transition issues.
The establishing habits when they are little doesn't always work as ds had a bath every day as a young child but now struggles with it and would rather I use a flannel unless he can bath during day time.

You’re clearly not lazy as you take your kid swimming twice a week.

I know. I already avoid public and hotel pools like the plague but reading how many people are happy to move their bowels daily but only wash once a week, and yet flop into public bodies of water, turns my stomach.

Everyone should shower with soap and hot water before entering a pool. At any age.

You are doing a fab job! Keep going!

Showering a 5yo twice a week is absolutely fine and normal.

Ignore the nutters on here who Brillo-pad their child twice a day with dettol.

Mine went in the bath every night without fail. They loved playing with bath toys and bubbles. Having read this thread it’s now obvious why so many kids look decidedly grubby.

@Blossomtoes obviously your DC now have a debilitating fear of germs and reduced immunity, plus festering shame if they miss a bath.

They certainly don’t like not showering every day, does that count 😉

swimming at least once a week, often twice, and afterwards I shower him and wash his hair. But I’ve let myself slip into lazy ways of not always bathing him at home, without fail, every week.

I hope this isn't true. It reads to me ask if the child is only washed once a week, after swimming

If the child is not washed at home, please, please shower your child before entering the swimming pool as well as afterwards.

My 4 year old only has 2 baths a week unless it's summer. Sunday night with me and usually Weds night or Thursday morning. Face and bum washed daily and hands multiple times a day obviously. He has eczema and it's better for his skin this way.

My point was that we had a regular bathroom, it was no less easy than now! In fact we had 2 bathrooms when I was a kid but my family have 1 now. But weekly was just seen as ok /normal.

I still think it’s ok! People are reacting way over the top.

we shower more in summer when we get hot or sun cream on us etc. but no need for daily showers all year round.

if people want to, of course it’s fine. But I don’t think it’s disgusting or negligent not to.

I can’t get my head round people bathing/showering once a week and putting clean clothes on every day. I shower every day and get two or three days out of a tshirt, that makes far more sense to me.

I shouldn't laugh @Daftmum47 but I am (in recognition - also have ADHD).

My DC are all 18+, but

Swimming days = no bath, thank God. Because it was something I didn't have to think about. I did bath them every other night because it was part of the routine, though.

I grew up in the 70s and we had a bath and a hair-wash on Sunday nights. I grew up in an extremely privileged environment, so this wasn't a 'couldn't afford to run a bath' thing. It's just what people did.

I only used to wash my DDs' hair on Sunday nights, because they had long, thick hair which took a lot of washing and drying and brushing. They are at university and still like me brushing their hair in the holidays because it reminds them of when they were little!

That's unhealthy

If showering is unhealthy, do you just not wash your hands then? Once a week, no soap? Or maybe you do, and they look like raisins?

@ NannyOgg I am sure we are from the same era(my name gives me away) and we did not change our knickers daily and only bathed weekly (shared)
However have 3 adults with Down Syndrome and I insist they shower daily. Talk about double standards.
OP you are a good mum.

Thank you.

Well this is why they put chlorine in pools - of course have a rinse prior getting in, but I’d have faith in the chlorine killing harmful bacteria.

More unhealthy than bathing or showering once a week? I don’t think so. And it’s worked for nearly 70 years and I’m never ill so it’s clearly not doing me any harm. 🤷‍♀️

I'd add a Sunday night bath in too, part of the routine for getting ready for the school week ahead. He's likely pretty grubby turning up for school on a Monday if he hasn't showered since Friday and has been having adventures over the weekend!

I couldn't imagine not bathing after being in the pool. Altho the chlorine kills germs to me the water is still not "clean". My DD bathed every day even tho she would've been happy to never bathe. lol

I’m going to struggle to pick up all 272 of the replies but this sounds like a workable suggestion!

On his Wednesday swim he gets washed and shanpoo’ed; in his Friday swim he just gets the chlorine rinsed off. And Friday swims are finishing soon.

Thank you!

Everyone should shower well before going in the pool, its mandatory (without a costume on, so you wash your bum too!) at my pool and the chlorine stink is much less powerful so I think they must use less chlorine, because they know everyone is going in clean.