To wash my kids once a week?

[HuckleberryBlackcurrant]

I have 3 DC, DS 6, DS 4 and DD 4 mths.

When my first child was born, he had eczema and sensitive skin, we live in an extremely dry climate with weather extremes, so our Dr recommended bathing once a week.

We do not have a bathtub, only a baby one we put in the shower for our daughter now. The boys have of course outgrown it.

As our other children have come along we have kind of stuck to this schedule.

We of course wash them any time it is needed, for nappy blowouts, when they are ill, if they get extremely dirty or sweaty, or if they request a shower.

But barring any of these, a weekly bath it is.

Recently I was spending some time with my sister, she commented that she needed to bath her daughter. I said oh really, I thought you only bathed her yesterday! My sister said she bathes her at least every other day.

My sister lives in a different climate than I do, we were at my parents' for a visit.

My sister was shocked when I said we only bath/shower our children weekly, and brought up that they wouldn't be used to regular showers when they hit puberty. I replied that that is a conversation we will have at that time, but for right now they aren't producing BO and there is a lot of research to suggest that excessive washing dries out the skin and depletes natural oils.

Myself and my husband shower every other day unless we have been sweating a lot.

My sister said that she thinks this is a bit 'grimy'. I'm feeling terrible now that maybe we are bringing our children up with bad hygiene habits?! I never notice them smelling bad, apart from my 6yo who is learning how to wipe, and if this occurs of course we have him shower.

We of course wash hands and face daily, as necessary.

@IReallyStillCantBeBothered

Nope.

@Mrgrinch

If something isn't dirty or smelly it doesn't need to be washed does it.

@HuckleberryBlackcurrant We of course wash them any time it is needed, for nappy blowouts, when they are ill, if they get extremely dirty or sweaty, or if they request a shower.

I have never known a kid to request a shower. They must feel like they need a shower to actually request one. Grim. How about at least upping it to every other day.

You want them to get in the habit of daily washing before puberty or you'll likely have stinky teens

OP, people on here are mental. I shower twice a week or as and when needed. I think that's normal. Vivienne Westwood famously only bathed once a week.

You know when your kids need a wash. Bathe them as you see fit and ignore the pearl clutching on this thread.

All those YABUs need a good long conversation with a dermatologist. Fully with you OP. I never had childhood eczema but started getting neurodermitis flare-ups as a young adult, and the advice I got was the same as yours.

@HuckleberryBlackcurrant 😂 I know. & they’re definitely going to be total swamp monsters by the time they’re 14. Obviously the baths/showers will increase with age!

Yes I agree. My little one has dry skin so having a bath every day would make it awful

Is your oldest at school yet (age 6+ in the US?)? You need to get a routine going before they start so they’re not known as the ‘smelly kid’. They should be stuck in the shower for a bum wash every night before bed if you’re not going to give them a full wash. Just a quick latter up and rinse with handheld shower attachment. Will take 2 mins. That’s not going to make their skin dry out. You can get glycerine based soaps like Pears which don’t dry skin out.

I’ve had 4 DC including twins and they all had a nightly bath (shower from age 7-8) from birth. Two of mine childhood eczema and I had to get them skin friendly stuff and slather them with double base afterwards but they’ve were fine. My GP actually said to wash daily as bacteria on the skin makes it worse.

Don’t use chemical shower gels just a natural bar soap.

I think it’s really lazy to only wash kids once a week actually. No matter what Mums like you tell yourself, that it’s better for DC, it is just lazy.

Everybody feels nice and relaxed after a warm bath and clean pjs. Why not DC?

Also setting very low hygiene standards.

Yes, most people only had a bath once a week in yon olden times but everybody had a whiff about them then so no one noticed!

@petticuliar

Our kids love to shower and frequently request it, esp when they have been out in the snow.

shower daily to keep your skin clean and find a good moisturizing cream to lock in the moisture and keep your skin healthy.

Jeez I can’t believe you think wipes is a suitable alternative.

Honestly for me I thing is gross. Even small children stink after a couple of days

@SpringViolet

Yes, oldest is in school, 4yo will start this summer

As you can see by my name I am old🙄. When first married we had no bathroom. DH and I strip washed every night and our 3 DC’s bathed in the kitchen sink (under 3) When nursing early 60’s all children were bathed/bed bathed daily. BTW I now shower daily 😁

I think the eczema advice has changed - when I had eczema as a child, I was advised not to bathe too often but now the advice is to bathe

https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/treatment/bathing/

1970s childhood, bath on Sunday night, face and hands daily. Clothes were washed on Monday, only changed if really dirty, spot cleaned for odd stains etc. We all survived with good immune system. DC had daily baths, clean clothes daily and had allergies and every bug going. Anecdata, I know, but still.

Are you serious? Do wipes pass as a substitute for washing. This is grim. The poor kids. And their future hygiene habits as result of what they are learning is going to cause then issues as adults.

@Shadowsindarkplaces

There is some really interesting research about allergies and other issues related to this.

God no, my boys need showered every day. They are 10 and 14. I'm the same. Especially on holiday all the sweat and can't imagine wanting to sleep with my partner if he'd wiped it down in between.

Nah once a week is really grim. How do they not get grubby? My 2.3 needs a bath every night, every other night at a push, from just general day to day stuff and is always covered in felt tips etc

Of course it does! You shouldnt wait until you begin to stink before you clean yourself, you should wash to prevent becoming smelly in the first place.

That’s how most people with poor hygiene justify it.

@Alcyoneus

No, wipes aren't a substitute for showers. I just use them to wipe the kids' genital area daily if they aren't showering that day. I don't believe children need to shower/bath as often as adults my post was more wondering if once a week is too little. The general consensus is yes.

We were always bathed every night (80s kids). My son has a bath every night.

No eczema, no skin issues. We do smell nice though :)

Not really.
kids that aren't taught good personal hygiene don't necessarily know that there is anything wrong with what they do. They will need to work out for themselves that when they are on their period or have done sports they need to wash, otherwise they smell. Lucky kids will work it out in time but unlucky ones won't. Plenty of adults don't wash properly. They never worked it out. If they were taught properly as kids that hygiene is a non negotiable part of life they would just have the habit and not get to that point (barring mental illness etc that can lead to lack of self care)

The fact that you developed good habits by yourself is great. But it was luck rather than inevitability. Like I said in another post it took me well into my adulthood to understand the need to brush my teeth before bed and shower/bath daily. I really wish I'd been taught properly as a kid.

@Hermittrismegistus

Obviously I don't mean wait until you absolutely reek and are drenched in sweat. I mean that for a period of time after showering, you don't need one again. Which of course varies from person to person.