Three or four baths a week?

[christonapushbike]

When we redid our bathroom we got a lovely big deep tub with the intention of using it as a nice treat approx once every 2-3 months. DSD enjoys using it 3-4 times a week and complains that her ensuite shower isn't usable as the pressure in her shower is 'too low' (its fine- not a power shower but totally usable!). Am I unreasonable to feel this is completely ungrateful attitude and an ensuite is a massive privilege (only she has one in our house) she spends up to 2 hours bathing in our bath and I've worked out each bath costs £3.50 in gas and water (it's 300 litre capacity). When challenged on why she refuses to use her own bathroom she just shrugs/ scowls. Her ensuite is a shower room with a toilet (no bath) for reference.

What? A) There is no way on earth a bath is costing 3.50... B) Ask a stepchild to pay for being allowed to wash herself?

That's an insane premise

I could understand maybe saying if she wants expensive bubbles or toiletries she should contribute but a pay per bath? Like... put a coin box outside the door before she's allowed in?

Intention of using the bath every 2-3 months?? What?? Why? 🤯 why not every day? I don’t get what I’m missing

I have never, in all my decades of life, through poor times and wealthy times, heard of having a bath as a 6 times a year treat.

You live in a house where you can afford a new bathroom and a luxury bath, where you can afford for one of the rooms to have a full ensuite, and you are seriously pissing and moaning about a kid wanting to bathe 3/4 times a week in your special bath?

Is the drip feed that the bath has taps that only let in sour donkey milk a la Cleopatra?

I have an admission to make, not only do I have a bath every night but we have a tv in the bathroom AND I’m partial to a Lush bath bomb. I’ll get my coat and leave the thread now.

So many weird things in one post 🥴

you installed a bath with the intention of using it 4-6 times A YEAR? Why is a bath such a special treat to you? Do you have mobility issues (my mum does and only has a bath on occasion for this reason but it’s just the standard one in her house!)?

You have calculated how much she’s costing you in energy to lie in a bath 😱

If you don’t want her spending hours in your bathroom then have a conversation with her about it.

I have a shower in the morning and then a bath most evenings. It’s a big double ended 2 person bath, nothing nicer than lounging in there imo!

You worked out the cost for each time she has a bath? That poor kid having you as a step parent.

I'm guessing it's a gas boiler? I doubt if it even costs £1.
Isn't it something like 30- 50p for a standard bath?

I get this. We had visitors over Xmas and 10 year old child assigned to family bathroom. Bathed every night and used all the hot water. I'd just say only showers next time ... leak on the bath!!

A bath as a treat every 2 to 3 months 😂 fuck me you read some absolute belters on here. Yabu.

That's surely the lifestyle of the Sultan of Brunei?

I wish we had the laugh emoji on here. 🤣

When challenged on why she refuses to use her own bathroom
because she doesn't have a bath and she clearly enjoys the, and 2 hours gets her away from the nutter who times and prices out her bath

Spring has arrived, thank god, I was desperate for a bath. 🤣

I bet you're the sort to drink wine in the bath, too. 😡

If money is an issue I’d say one bath a week per person, if it’s really an issue of course she will have to cut back. Is it? I’d be peeved about her tying up a single household bathroom for two hours! but it’s an en-suite.
Im not a fan of wallowing in my own filth, I always shower- even after a bath 😬
I’d feel really weird bringing it up though, if she doesn’t have one in her own home of course she wants to use your fancy new one!

Would you be comfortable with her telling her mother / other family members / teachers / friends that her stepmother says she can’t have three baths a week because it costs too much?

But in the highly unlikely event that the baths cost £728 per year, that's the fault of the person who chose the ludicrous bath, not the person quite reasonably using the bath. So if OP made a bad choice with this expensive bath, the consequence is that she has to suck up the higher cost, not that she bans family members from taking baths.

Agreed.

Rather sadly I did the maths on how much a bath costs, most people massively overestimate how much they cost, be wise it has been drilled in for years how much cheaper a shower it.

By the shower makers.

Mine today would have cost me about 50p and that's estimating on the high side.

I hate baths and never have one and I cant even remeber if I have lived in a house that had one. But considering baths to be a treat instead of a generic thing is a bit odd. As for SD being grateful about her ensuite, did she request one to be built?

If you can't afford her baths then have a conversation with her about that.

If your sums are correct, I certainly wouldn't be paying up to £60 each month for one person to have a bath 4 times a week. She'd be banned from the bathroom and told use your ensuite shower or go without.

I expect half the comments will complain but they don't pay my bills so I'll ignore them.

If she has 16 baths in a month at 3.50 each that would be 56 quid a month. That's a lot of money if finances are tight and if as a family you can't afford it then tell her she'll have to cut down to one bath a week and use the shower the rest of the time.
But if you can afford it I think you are being mean. It's nice to have a relaxing bath. If her use of the bath is causing problems with other people wanting/needing to use that bathroom just ask her to bathe at a more convenient time.

I couldn’t be that mean and/or tight. Have a bath or shower whenever you like in our house

Perhaps instead of spending ££££ on a bathroom with a bath you can only afford to use once a quarter, you could have looked at upgrading the shower in DSD’s en-suite.

£3.50 per bath seems extortionate, what is she filling it with, printer ink??

I agree its a privilege to have an ensuite but if she doesn't like showers what's the harm in her having a bath, is the cost unmanageable?

I have a bath most days, cant stand showers, it one of my few indulgences.

I can't see her age but if that's the only major issue Id let it drop.

That's surely the lifestyle of a Roman Emperor