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AIBU?

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Original poster

How often do you bathe your kids?

238 replies

DirtyDuckCleanDuck · 19/05/2023 10:30

Finally got a call today to say there’s space in a class for DD to start swimming. Except the class is on our only free week day evening. I’m trying to get it all sorted out in my head, but between football/dance/swimming/cubs, there’s only time to put them in a bath or shower twice a week now. Is this too little? They jump in the shower after swimming, but it’s always a crush and it’s too much to wash long hair etc so it’s just a rinse not a full clean.

Two children, both primary school age, is two baths or showers a week enough?

OP posts:
kirinm · 19/05/2023 12:20

takealettermsjones · 19/05/2023 12:15

Also not wanting to hijack the thread but how are you all showering young children without either getting in too or the water going everywhere? 😅

Apparently anyone 3+ is capable of showering alone. (Not my experience of my own 4 year old).

Curtains70 · 19/05/2023 12:21

kirinm · 19/05/2023 12:18

My daughter is 4. She can't jump into a shower on her own and is still a pain about getting water in her face / eyes. Most small children will have been bathed not showered and the adjustment takes time.

I do give my DD showers but we have a second detachable shower head. She complains about it being cold which it is, because she won't stand under the running water.

Show quote history

No not on their own but mine jump in and I shower them, takes 2 minutes if not washing hair.

OP doesn't say how old hers are but if they have activities every night I would assume they're not toddlers.

OneCup · 19/05/2023 12:21

You'll get visceral reactions both ways with this question on Mumsnet.

Twice a week is fine for ours. I would however definitely wash properly after swimming due to the chlorine.

There are 60 kids in my DC's year group and I have never noticed one smell. I doubt all have daily showers.

WatermelonFelon · 19/05/2023 12:21

This wouldn't be enough for my nursery aged DC because they get so grubby every day from nursery but perhaps when they are older and aren't coming home covered in paint / general grime every day!

I tend to try and wash mine every night but it often ends up being every other night really.

cherryolive · 19/05/2023 12:22

kirinm · 19/05/2023 12:20

Apparently anyone 3+ is capable of showering alone. (Not my experience of my own 4 year old).

Show quote history

My 6yo took a while to get used to it but is fine now. I used to let her wear goggles sometimes 🤣

WatermelonFelon · 19/05/2023 12:25

I am trying to put off washing my 2 year olds hair for as long as possible though, never used shampoo yet just water and they have lovely clean hair, it's never greasy. I'll only start using shampoo when they are appear to need it.

I also think it's a bit much to have two showers/two baths a day.

Hugasauras · 19/05/2023 12:26

Pre-puberty I think that's fine. Kids don't smell in the same way as pre-teens/teens/adults. We give ours a bath every night/two nights but I don't think it would make any difference stretching it to three nights between. I'm sure DD's nursery friends don't bath every night, in fact I know they don't, and none of them have ever smelled. Smell at that age is more about unclean clothing than body odour.

fatsdominospizza · 19/05/2023 12:29

Showering your kids twice a day in the summer is literally NUTS. Totally over the top.

Saschka · 19/05/2023 12:32

wibblewobbleball · 19/05/2023 10:35

Why are you doing something every night? It's too much for small kids. You need to pick one or two things. If swimming is the one you want them to do, then something else needs to give for the time being. They can pick it up again further down the line.

Some kids like doing activities? DS does swimming, gymnastics, language club, rugby and football. Two are at the weekend, but that is still three evening clubs.

He likes them, he doesn’t want to give up (has friends in all of them), we still manage to do family things at the weekend, and bath and get him into bed by 8pm. He’d only be watching tv otherwise, not sure why you think a gymnastics club that he really enjoys going to is so terrible.

HazyDragon · 19/05/2023 12:32

Every night.

And especially so after football/ dance etc! It takes 5 minutes.

WatermelonFelon · 19/05/2023 12:33

Hugasauras · 19/05/2023 12:26

Pre-puberty I think that's fine. Kids don't smell in the same way as pre-teens/teens/adults. We give ours a bath every night/two nights but I don't think it would make any difference stretching it to three nights between. I'm sure DD's nursery friends don't bath every night, in fact I know they don't, and none of them have ever smelled. Smell at that age is more about unclean clothing than body odour.

Agree with this. I've never met a young child with bad body odour. My toddlers never seem to smell (from this like sweat etc...) But they definitely have a layer of sticky, grime / mix of food and paint or whatever else by the 2nd day so at least every other night here to keep them looking clean at least.

lovemycbf · 19/05/2023 12:33

I always bathed my children every morning without fail as I think it's important to feel clean when the day starts
Twice a week isn't enough

Fernleigh22 · 19/05/2023 12:37

Depends how young these primary kids are.

Mine are 10 and 8 and shower every evening, they're getting older and hygiene is important.

If your evenings are too busy, drop an activity. Personal care should come before hobbies

Hugasauras · 19/05/2023 12:41

I'd just give it a go, OP. Two proper baths/showers a week plus at least one cursory shower after swimming is plenty IMO. But MN is very hysterical about bathing and showering (and not reflected in my experience of reality tbh, I've been on holiday with/stayed with/had to stay many friends and family and plenty of them aren't showering daily. And none of them smell.)

JhsLs · 19/05/2023 12:42

Every other day minimum, including a hair wash. As a teacher who spends all day leaning over kids looking down at their work, it’s really obvious when their hair has not been washed. Vom.

Labraradabrador · 19/05/2023 12:53

takealettermsjones · 19/05/2023 12:15

Also not wanting to hijack the thread but how are you all showering young children without either getting in too or the water going everywhere? 😅

My thoughts exactly! Bath or wipe down at sink for my two 6yo which is why mine also only bathe 2-3x a week. bathing is 30mins minimum, but I can still do both together. As they get closer to puberty they will need more frequent cleaning, but for now that is more than enough unless they do something really mucky or are sticky from sun cream.

LaMaG · 19/05/2023 13:03

Twice a week is fine, weekly hair wash. Sometimes more if we go swimming. They never smell! Big brother (now teen) was always out playing soccer as a kid and usually covered in dirt so probably washed every day or close to it. Depends on the child. I know I've talked to my sister and neighbours on this and they say similar

user1471538283 · 19/05/2023 13:16

I was raised with a bath each evening and I did the same with my DS. It signalled the end of the day. As he got older he showered each evening.

Your DC do sound like they have alot of activities. Are there any they could cut back on to just sit around and watch TV or play?

OnNaturesCourse · 19/05/2023 13:22

I feel your struggle.

By the time we get home after school on nights when we don't have activities it's nearly half 5 when dinner is served. Then it's half hour or so to eat, ten minutes to clear up then it's homework/studies/tidy up time for half hour or so... Its easily 7/7:30 before we are ready to move upstairs.

My youngest goes to bed at 7:30 and the boiler is in their room so I hate running a bath or shower before they are in a deep enough sleep to ignore it.

We have two, sometime three, nights a week I squeeze in a 5 minute shower for them all.

On nights we have activities on its half 6 before we get dinner so it's near impossible to get everyone fed and in bed at a sensible time without throwing a shower in there too.

Nearly every night and morning they get a wash down at the sink with soap and water with a cloth. They are are really young too so not in the sweaty pre teen stage yet. My thinking is that when we hit that stage the bedtimes won't be so early and there will be less toys to tidy and dinner mess so will allow for them to bathe themselves at night or even in the morning if they choose. (right now I choose not to bathe them in the morning as adding screaming wet, half awake, chilly, children who need their hair dried and cream applied etc to my mornings isn't on my to do list)

Stressfordays · 19/05/2023 13:23

All 3 of mine are bathed/showered daily. They just do it themselves now anyway after tea (aged 10, 7 and 5). I think its a good habit to get into, its never a struggle to get them to wash as they've done it every night since birth. My niece was a twice a week kid and now its a battle to get her to shower. Shes started puberty and her periods, its grim.

LuvSmallDogs · 19/05/2023 13:29

I usually bath/shower kids every other day, maybe skip one for convenience occasionally.

If they get mucky with food/paint/muck between, they just get that area attacked with a flannel.

If I were you, I'd just hang back from the first rush for the pool showers, allowing the kids to have time and space to make it a proper wash, bring your own shampoo etc.

Scunnered123 · 19/05/2023 13:31

Twice a week is fine here as long as they don't smell or have been rolling about in the mud!

aSofaNearYou · 19/05/2023 13:34

takealettermsjones · 19/05/2023 12:15

Also not wanting to hijack the thread but how are you all showering young children without either getting in too or the water going everywhere? 😅

Before moving, we had a wet room (no bath) so DD showered from about 1. She's 4 now and could wash herself well enough for a daily rinse, and I could give her a proper bath every few days if needs be.

TiredInPerpetuity · 19/05/2023 13:48

I do mine every day.
DD is 1 and it's part of her bedtime routine but also I wouldn't want her in nappies all day and then not having a proper wash in the bath.
DS is 5 and I thought I'd slow it down out of babyhood but honestly once he started at nursery he needed it and now he's running around at school playing football every break time he still needs one every day. And in summer with sun cream on every day he DEFINITELY needs one.

TidyHomeTidyMind · 19/05/2023 14:24

Mine had a bath every night and into clean pyjamas before bed. Once they were old enough they started having daily showers, both now in their teens and obviously take care of their own personal hygiene but a shower once a day is none negotiable.
Bathing/showering daily when young sets them up with good habits when they are older. I have walked past some disgusting smelling teenagers recently and I really wonder at the state of their home lives.