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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

what age can you leave a child in the bath on their own?

33 replies

littlemonstersmum · 25/02/2008 18:20

my dd is 3 on thursday and i always stay with her when she's in the bath but my mum reckons its ok to leave her for a short while in there on her own. what does everyone think? am i being over-protective?

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JingleyJen · 25/02/2008 18:23

we put the boys in the bath and we are around most of the time but do pop in and out getting PJ's ready and towels and things.
DS1 is nearly 4 and DS2 is 16 months

nannyjo · 25/02/2008 18:25

I do leave DS1 (he's 3 1/2) but only literally next door while i dress DS2. I talk to him constantly and don't switch off for a second.

Poledra · 25/02/2008 18:26

No slating here, JingleyJen, I do the same thing with my dds (4 and 2). Always stay upstairs though, and only ever out of the room for a few minutes at a time.

nannyjo · 25/02/2008 18:26

next door as in next room, not next door to my neighbours

sagacious · 25/02/2008 18:27

If I have to leave the bathroom for any reason I get my dc's to sing and I still run there and back (they're 6 and nearly 4)

soontobealone · 25/02/2008 18:27

3 is too young imo no you're not being overprotective

VictorianSqualor · 25/02/2008 18:27

DD is 7 and DS is 3 so not most days I do it now but I think I left DD from about 2ish for a moment, to grab a towel or answer the phone etc, my two are splashers though and make tons of noise (singing etc) whilst in bath so if anythig happened I'd hear it immediately.

VictorianSqualor · 25/02/2008 18:28

Lol @ all the x-posts with singing!

hana · 25/02/2008 18:28

I leave my 6 year old but not 3 year old.

oliviaelanasmum · 25/02/2008 18:33

I leave dd1 (6) and dd2(2.11) if they are in the bath together but wouldnt leave dd2 if she was on her own in the bath iykwim

Granny22 · 25/02/2008 18:34

When mine were this age and our bathroom was upstairs, I would stay upstairs while they were in the bath with the door open and popping in and out especially if they stopped singing! Used the time to put away clothes, make beds, etc.or might tidy bathroom, wash my own hair or just sit and have a chat.

Definately not go downstairs, out in garden, get involved in a long phone call. so - maybe briefly out of sight but never out of earshot.

chubbymummy · 25/02/2008 18:36

Last week my ds (2years 8months) put the flex from the shower-hose type thing around his neck as he jumped about in the bath. Luckily I was right next to him so I whipped him straight out of the bath and yelled at him while he dripped all over the floor (think we were both in shock). What I'm tring to say is that it only takes a second for something awful to happen and you can never undo it once it happens.

VictorianSqualor · 25/02/2008 18:38

I agree with granny about being upstairs, I lived in a flat when DD was young so was always in the next room, didn't have a shower either which could be a potential problem, soemthing to think about though.

cornsilk · 25/02/2008 18:51

I think 3 is too young. She could try to get out and slip.

OverMyDeadBody · 25/02/2008 19:05

Well I guess I'm a bad mum then as I've left DS since about 3, our house is tiny, door obviously open, I'm aware the whole time and if it goes quiet I pop my head in, but it rarely does with all the splashing...

Usually I'm in and out getting ready in the morning anyway, and share a bath with him so it's only the last ten minutes or so while I get dressed that he's on his own.

Now he's nearly 5 he spends up to an hour in the bath at the weekend, there's no way I'm staying in the bathroom for that amount of time watching him

pagwatch · 25/02/2008 19:07

DS1 is coping now. He will be 15 in June. Still does not remember to wash his neck though.

coastalmum · 25/02/2008 19:13

I'm very lucky our bathroom is downstairs off kitchen, I happily let 3yr old stay in bath on his own with door open while I make pack lunches for next day.

cornsilk · 25/02/2008 19:16

I wouldn't think anyone was a bad mum for leaving their child - bit I wouldn't have been happy with it myself when mine were that age. It's a good point that the size of your house and the position of the bathroom make a difference. My two were both wriggly worms at 3 so I think it depends on the child as well.

TheGoddessBlossom · 25/02/2008 19:28

LOL at Pagwatch. I pop in and out usually putting my "comfies" on, taking out my lenses, taking make up off etc while mine are in the bath (3 and 18 months). I am more comfortable if they are both in there to "mince" (as my Dh calls it) around upstairs putting clothes away and drawing curtains etc than if one was in on his own....

bluecow208 · 25/02/2008 19:39

I wouldn't consider myself terribly overprotective but i only dared to leave ds wehn he was well over 4 and even then stayed well within earshot....though i then found out dh had been doing it for ages!
usually stay in with ds5 and dd1 and clean the bathroom though - it's certainly the only time i ever contemplate it!

JingleyJen · 25/02/2008 19:42

just to clarify I wouldn't leave DS2 in there on his own.

kid · 25/02/2008 19:46

I was wondering at what age your children can bath themselves!
I do leave my 2 in the bath, they are 9 and 5. But, I am forever calling their name, they reply 'I'm alright!'

But seriously, neither of them will bath themselves. Is it because I haven't made them or are they too young to bath themselves?

JingleyJen · 25/02/2008 19:54

DS1 currently is happy to occasionally wash himself, hair & body, I am trying to get that to once a week and in time will increase it so that ultimately he will be doing it himself. He is going to be 4 in April and am hoping that by the time he goes to school full time in September that he will be doing it himself more often than not.

OverMyDeadBody · 25/02/2008 20:00

Well I just assumed all the splashing about in bathwater would wash DS's body and hair

I shampoo it about once a week which he likes to lather up himself, and also condition and comb to check for lice, so I guess that's something I need to keep doing myself for a while yet.

viggoswife · 25/02/2008 20:13

I have only just atarted leaving DS - 5 alone. Mostly I bath the kids together but when I do that I would not leave them alone because DD even though 18 months, slipped over and went under once and couldnt get back up and her dear brother didnt even notice. Luckily I was in there. Horrible, horrible scary moment, even though I had pulled her up within one second, to see her face under the water like that. I am very paranoid about it. I agree with chubbymummy.

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