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Original poster

Leaving them in the bath while you go to another room..........

117 replies

swiperfox · 09/05/2005 11:19

Just bathed dd who is 3.5. Leaving the bathroom for anything fills me with fear - you always hear the stories about 'but i was only gone for a second' However ds was screaming (11 months) so i had to run out to give him his bottle and put him into his chair.
I made dd sing 'twinkle twinkle' as loud as she could until i came back lol that way i could always hear her and if she stopped i could run!

What age do you start leaving them for a second but know they'll generally be ok?

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TwinSetAndPearls · 13/05/2005 10:52

I ahve to admit to sometimes leaving dd in the bath, I would go mad if someone else did it ! But I do get her to sing, and she is very noisy so I would come running if the noise stopped and I am only ever in the hall or bedroom, but I know it is bad.

I sometimes use that time to clean the bathroom though.

trix · 13/05/2005 15:34

Why would anyone leave a toddler or child under, say 5, in the bath alone? It only takes a fraction of a second, non slip bath mat, one inch of water or not. Completely irresponsible in my mind!

rickman · 13/05/2005 16:45

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flamesparrow · 13/05/2005 16:47

Was chatting to Psychomum about this... We're both wondering how it feels to be perfect too Rickman

Mud · 13/05/2005 16:57

how old is your oldest trix? (not having a go, just wondering) I would hedge a bet you only have one child and it is under 3

I think I felt the same when my first was under 3, but since he's been over 3.5 have no problems leaving him alone whilst tend to others - he's a sensible child who just doesn't shut up babbling the whole time and TBH you can't drown in a second it takes a couple of minutes so if he shut up for 20 seconds I shout and he shouts back

rickman · 13/05/2005 16:57

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Mud · 13/05/2005 16:57

it actually feels pretty damn good being perfect

floppsy · 13/05/2005 17:16

my dd's are 6 & 2.5,they have a bath together so i leave them on their own if i need to.Think as long as you can hear them its fine,if they are messing around i go back in.Wouldn't leave the 2.5 year old on her own because she don't know how to behave plus i don't trust her.

flum · 13/05/2005 17:19

yes its great being perfect. i never leave my dd even for a moment, and I stand over her all night just incase. I am a bit tired but you know its worth it.

actually she hates me as I am always there over her shoulder checking shes ok

Stop being so facetious Flum

Sorry

pleaserewind · 13/05/2005 17:30

i guess i am a very bad mum then
i always leave ds in the bath on his own while he plays and i tidy up, he's 6
i never really thought it was a problem at that age but i won't be doing it now i shouldn't think.

wordgirl · 13/05/2005 17:33

pleaserewind, you're not a bad mum, or if you are so am I! I leave my 6-year-old in the bath on his own and will continue to do so.

trix · 13/05/2005 17:55

Yes, I only have 1, and yes he is under 3. (You can all sit there very smug now!) and I am not perfect, though it would be nice. If my tone got anyones backs up then its a shame. You just hear the horror stories, and I wont be shaken on what I believe is the best way to bring up my child.

Fio2 · 13/05/2005 18:05

yea, my two have been having abath in a baby bath for over a year and neither of them has drowned. they will be 6 and 4 this year

many thanks

rickman · 13/05/2005 18:07

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Fio2 · 13/05/2005 18:08

thank you very much

rickman · 13/05/2005 18:09

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jodee · 13/05/2005 18:37

I'm more shocked and appalled that rickman hasn't had a bath in a week!

I'm always on MN when ds is in the bath ... but I'm just along the hall with both doors open and can see him the whole time.

rickman · 13/05/2005 18:59

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hercules · 13/05/2005 19:04

Why is it seen to be being smug and a perfect mum just because you dont leave a young child in the bath alone??? I dont think this qualifies anyone to be perfect!

gggglimpopo · 13/05/2005 19:13

I worked in ITU years ago and saw several toddler drownings. I have more than one child and religiously never leave young children alone in the bath. When a child is shocked it immediately takes a deep breath in - that is the reason that v young children drown in centimetres of water.

I am neither smug nor sanctimonious and far from a perfect mother, but I could not live with myself if I was not right there to hoick out a child who had slipped in the bath.

rickman · 13/05/2005 19:34

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hercules · 13/05/2005 19:36

I would say 5 or 6 but I was nearby not downstairs.

zebraX · 14/05/2005 10:40

what is ITU, ggglimpo? If you saw the child drowning why didn't you try to help? Do you mean that you worked in heatlh care (?the morgue?) treating children who had drowned?

I still don't understand what physiological process would cause a child to drown if their head was under water for 5 seconds. If that was such a huge risk they wouldn't be allowed in public swimming pools, either.

tortoiseshell · 14/05/2005 10:47

ITU is Intensive Therapy Unit - i.e. Intensive Care. I presume gggglimpopo means she saw several kids brought in who had suffered drowning.

trix · 14/05/2005 11:33

Its the shock of suddenly going under the water and the intake of breath which = water in the wrong place. I presume that when they are swimming, they are doing so happily (and supervised!) and less likely to suffer the 'shock' part of the process? I dont know, maybe?