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

My older two are 6 and 8. They shower daily. Four and 2 year old have a nightly bath and the baby is every other night (she is only 2 months, I’ll increase to nightly once she is on solids and minging after meals). If they have been swimming then they have a shower at the pool and I wouldn’t shower them again at home.

You're clearly like her. Can't be bothered to wake up 10 mins earlier and have too much time on your hands. Bless you

A parent who's child breaks down if washed more than twice a week. My DD skin improved to a level she doesn't need cream now when the doctor said simply why you washing her daily, she doesn't need it.

The showers at my local pool are much better than our shower at home so I wouldn't worry about needing a shower/bath at home if they've showered at the pool so long as its a proper wash without a swimming costume on (starting to think now maybe I could go to the pool today just to enjoy the nice shower and sauna - swimming being a bonus). Twice a week is plenty enough prior to puberty unless they're rolling around in the mud on a daily basis!

That is understandable.

I always make sure child is bathed night before swimming for fear of spreading unnecessary germs....I wouldn't bathe after swimming at home if done at the pool.

I know, right?

"takes 5 minutes to shower and it freshens you up after school, playing etc and I don't see any good reason why not to."

That's only about feeling fresher which is something that doesn't bother young children. Washing of mucky bits is needed for hygiene reasons but a daily shower or bath isn't.

Yes! Why is one exclusive to the other?! Silly comment. The day we swim a shower after (with shampoo and gel) replaces the bath.. not.rocket science.

Walking, the public pools in our local authority require swimmers of all ages to shower and wash prior to entering the pool. Nobody should be entering the pool unwashed.

Anyway to answer your question your DC probably needs a bath or shower twice a week so once at home too. If over 13 it needs to be alot more.

OP - remember baths don't have to be done in the evening. I often used to put mine in the bath during the day and they loved being in there & having their bath toys to play with. It could easily pass an hour (with some top ups of warm water) on a rainy day.

They need at least one good wash a week at home. Only doing it at swimming is lazy and neglectful. I make my 8 year old shower every two days.

When I was in primary school I'd have a bath once a week on a Sunday. If I got dirty (mud etc) then I may have a midweek bath. It wasn't until I was in Year 6 that I learned that some people bathed more often.

I think my record was going almost 3 weeks without a bath in the summer of 2000, but I went swimming in the sea every week so I counted that as a wash.

“I wonder if these mums that wash their kids every day ever go swimming with their children, weekly. Hmm probably not.”

er yes. One child swims weekly the other one twice a week. It is really not difficult to give (the majority of) children a bath or a shower.

Op is doing her best. As was I. I explained upthread I was too ill to bathe dd daily. It was difficult enough making food for her and she was helping herself to snacks like yoghurt from very little. The only option would have to been starve her instead. As a baby I did do it daily until she got childhood eczema.

Like me, op has a disability and is asking for advice rather than to be told hard line anything other than daily is grim.

Why on earth would those two things be linked? Surely involved, conscientious parents are more likely to take their children swimming than neglectful or lazy ones?

We go twice a week. Once to lessons, once for fun. Often more in the summer holidays when the lido is open.

Op?

mine (6&8)shower after swimming and then another 2 baths during the week. So Tuesday swim, Thursday bath, Sunday bath.

If they've had a shower and washed their hair at the pool I think that's fine as they've showered there.

I shower my 3.5yo everyday but he is always somewhere covered in pen or paint!

14 week old twins get bathed every 2 days.

But you’re not a dermatologist?
Love the way some are preaching about daily bathing like it’s the gospel truth - without any scientific backup.
Daily bathing can be harmful for some kids. Soap strips the skin of it’s natural oils and defence mechanisms - which then need to be replaced by man made creams.
Regular hair washing means your hair gets greasier quickly- so you need to keep up the washing for young kids.
For older kids going through hormonal changes - more frequent washing if of course required.

www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/child-bathing

Doesn't your 8 year old have PE twice a week at school? Sports after school? You sweat at 8 years old you need to be showering/bathing daily at that age.

Are you having a daily shower/bath yourself OP?

There's a fine line between relaxed parenting and neglect, sorry.