How old was your child when you left them in the bath?

[Beeryfeary]

Having a disagreement with dp. Trying to make this objective so- one of us left 6 year old in bath and sat in the room next door. Door was open. Child was talking/singing the entire time. Adult was sat on bed/playing on phone so not doing anything important, but also able to hear the entire time. Parent A thinks this is fine. Parent B thinks child is too young, but not sure how old child should be before they should be left?

YABU- child is fine and old enough to be safe
YANBU- child is too young and it’s not too much effort to sit on the floor/toilet for 15 minutes

I didn't leave my son alone at all until he was 10.. and even then I was upstairs pottering and the door was open, with us communicating/me listening like a hawk

I think even at 6 you should be present to some degree- pottering around near the bathroom/popping your head in/ talking to them. I always had 2 in the bath at the same time, so easier to leave them for short periods. Phones can be distracting. I found my (probably about) 10yo asleep in the bath once, after the water had drained. It was a wake up call.

7 maybe? My youngest was 7 in September and I can't remember the last time I actually sat and supervised.

I call and check on him and his 9 year old brother frequently and remind them to wash their hair.

My five year old sometimes gets in and out the bath by himself, once his younger brother has got out and I’m sorting him.

Perfectly fine as far as I’m concerned. Think mine was three or four when I started not being within arms length at all times - I’d be keeping half an eye while pottering around nearby. At seven my youngest showers alone with the door shut - I really don’t think it’s any riskier than an adult bathing or showering.

We don’t have a working bath, but I remember being about 8/9 and not hearing my mum when she shouted in and she nearly had a heart attack, rushed in and I nearly went under in the panic😅😅😅

I started to leave mine at that age. She started to want the privacy, so it seemed intrusive to insist on butting in when she’s a sensible kid that wouldn’t do anything daft getting in/out and could swim 2 lengths of a swimming pool. I don’t get what you need to supervise really at that age?

The problem is the phubbing. Bath time is perfect time to actually play with your child. The parent needs to put down the phone.

The bathroom is opposite my bedroom, so I let dd, 5.5, play in the bath and have a minute to myself in the bedroom

I can still see and hear her

She splashes a lot so I don't like to sit next to her, plus by that time I'm usually tired

She sometimes gets out when she's had enough or i get her out after 10 mins

I'm quite happy to do this with my 5 year old. She talks pretty much non stop while she's in there so any unexpected bangs or pauses in talking and we'll ask if she's okay/ put our head in.

Probably 4.5/5, I'd sit on the bed in the next room literally 3 meters away, and he has a habit of chattering to himself when he plays

Surely they're safe to bathe alone before 10?

I think I started popping out the bathroom for short bursts when he was about 5. I was still upstairs, the door was open and I could hear him. He was a noisy player, he loved bath time, so I knew he was ok.

I didn't go on my phone or do anything that I might get too distracted with though. Usually sorting out pyjamas, tidying up etc.

10 is ridiculous 🙄

I think around 6/7yo depending on how sensible they are, I'd leave the door open and chat, pop in and out etc.

I wouldn't be on my phone, it's too distracting and easy to lose track of time. I think it's ok to be popping in and out and pottering about putting away clothes etc. I always used to take the opportunity to clean the loo and sink while mine were in the bath at that age!

I potter around upstairs when my 5 year old is in the bath putting washing away etc. He plays so loudly and talks constantly that I can hear him at all times and I stick my head in every few minutes to reassure him I'm around. Either that or sit and play with him but that often hypes him up more before bed!

I don't leave my three year old but my I've left my 8 year old to it for years now. He likes to be in the bath for ages, plus he wants privacy. I'm only allowed in to wash his hair.

I don't know when I felt it was ok, but it was older than 6, probably about 8, with the door open and able to hear what was going on.
Now DS is 11, so is perfectly fine unsupervised, but I'll often sit and chat to him. It's a good way to connect and hear about about his day without devices, sports clubs and so on getting in the way.
If the parent who left the room was just scrolling their phone next door, why couldn't they sit on the toilet and do that, or better still, talk to their child?

The recommended age is no younger than 5. Accidents happen awfully quickly. I just used to sit and read outside the bathroom

My son is starting to ask for privacy so I’m not sure I agree.

DS is 5.5 and I will pop out to get something but I make him talk/sing the whole time. DH is more risk averse. Normally though, I like sitting and chatting with him. I often learn a lot about his day.

Perhaps 6. It's hard to remember exactly. Probably was around upstairs at 7. By 8 he refused to let me in the room and locked the door but I would still call out to him now and then.

I'd say at 4? I'd leave mine but remain upstairs puttering about tidying up. I'd be chatting to him or could hear him talking / splashing about and could be in with him in seconds

By 6 we were pottering around the bathroom, popping in and out of the next room.

Now at 8 DD is fairly self sufficient in the bath, I just get involved to make sure her hair is rinsed and give her a hand getting out.