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Original poster

How do you bath 2 dc's in 20 mins

39 replies

LizaLu · 11/01/2007 21:41

Just been reading another thread about bedtimes and in peoples routines they allow 20 mins for bathtime. This is at least an hour job in my house. Run the bath, allow them a little time to play, learning about pouring etc, wash 2 dc hair, wash 2 dc , dry 2 dc, put away bath toys, always another job to do like cut toe nails, check for any creepy crawlies brought home from school, get 2 dc into pajamas. I am really not being flippant - I want to know how to make it quicker.

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2nervesleft · 11/01/2007 21:43

Don't really know what to suggest because I do all you do but....quicker? Mine get 5 mins play.

NappiesGalore · 11/01/2007 21:45

maybe people arent counting all that stuff in the 20 mins...

i bath all 3 dcs (3, 2 and 1) together and would say that it takes roughly 40 minutes (or anywhere between 1/2 hour and an hour really i guess) from running the bath to getting pyjamas on and into bed for stories and lights out.

not worth rushing it, id think - is supposed to be a wind down to end the day calmly... mind you theres often lots of monkey business too - but they all go to sleep pretty quickly after that, so it works...

HTH

2nervesleft · 11/01/2007 21:49

I dont add in any bedtime stuff in my 20 mins. Mine go back downstairs after a bath for a play and milk or supper. I try to keep the whole thing as brief as poss as it results in fighting and arguing and a soaking wet mum and bathroom.

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Bozza · 11/01/2007 21:49

Well you start off by only washing their hair twice a week. Especially if you have a girl with hair that needs drying. Running the bath takes a couple of minutes while they are getting undressed/putting clothes in basket/doing a wee. Then into the bath, washing them only takes a minute or so each - don't think I do a particularly good job. Then the rest of the time is playing so probably about 10 mins. Then out of the bath, dry, pjs, teeth in 5 mins. But most times have DH helping. But only takes a few minutes longer on my own.

AllBuggiedOut · 11/01/2007 21:54

I don't dry mine properly - very quick rub down with a towel then into towelling dressing gowns for milk and stories. After that, they're nice and dry ready for PJs. I might pop a nappy on to the little one (16 months) after 5 mins or so when he's dry enough in case of accidents. Drying takes far too long IMO!

Pollyanna · 11/01/2007 21:54

I agree, don't wash hair every time - mine have their hair washed twice a week. Get them to take clothes off and clean teeth while bath is running and you get pjs etc ready at the same time. then wash them and give them a ittle time to play.

2nervesleft · 11/01/2007 21:57

Do you get them to help out? if they are old enough can they get themselves undressed, put laundry in basket, get pjs on?

NappiesGalore · 11/01/2007 22:04

oh blimey, i only wash hair when its minging or filled with soggy biscuit or mud or soemthing... they hop in, play a bit, then i flannel all their faces, brush all their teeth and wash any other bits that are particularly bad... (otherwise i just let the bubbly water do it... no need to scrub them all over or anything)

as for drying, they have hooded'duck' towel/robe things from holmpersonalised.co.uk which they love to put on, wear from the bathroom to bedroom, then they hop about while i do nappies and pjs for each of them one after the other.

i often have dp there to help out, but is just as easy to do alone tbh nowadays...

i do clearly remember panicking at the thought of doing bathtime for 2 on my own a while back - seems laughable now!

Dottydot · 11/01/2007 22:05

I bath our 2 ds's in about 10 minutes - they undress themselves while I'm running the bath, get in, brush their teeth, then I wash them over with a flannel, then they get out..! They have toys in the bath while I'm washing them, but no 'dedicated' play time. I get the older one (5) out and dry him, then he dresses himself while I get the little one (2) out and dry and dress him. Their hair gets washed once a week - dp tends to do it and they get a longer bath time with her!!

NappiesGalore · 11/01/2007 22:06

and as i like to put them to bed staright from the bath, i always get nightime drinks, pyjamas and nappies out and ready, the bedroom tidy and ready for bed w lamps on, main light off, special soft toys ready in the right beds etc...

preparation is important...

NappiesGalore · 11/01/2007 22:07

dotty - you meany!

NappiesGalore · 11/01/2007 22:07

oh i meant to say, i get all that ready before running the bath, btw.

hatwoman · 11/01/2007 22:10

we sometimes do what we call stand-up baths. I put an inch or two of water in, they stand in it (no toys) I flannel them all over and they get out - they are probably in the bath for about 90 seconds. but come out as clean as if they'd been in for half an hour.

Original poster

LizaLu · 11/01/2007 23:25

I think I really must cut down on the playtime - goes back to when i only had 1 dc and would quite often give her very long baths in the day time. Like I said before all the water learning stuff. But different thing with bathing 2 dcs ready for bed. Will get more focused.

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hana · 11/01/2007 23:33

I run the bathwater when they are playing downstairs after supper and leave it a bit hot, then add bit more cold when we are upstairs
towels and clean pjs/nappies are already waiting for them in the bathroom and bedroom

They hop in, we don't do hair everynight and indeed don't soap up everynight, being in the hotwater is enough unless dd2 is particularly rank from a nasty nappy

I might swish dd3 around for a few seconds too

They play for maybe 5-8 min. haven't really timed it before, it might be shorter or longer depending on time, I get them out of the bath by about 630/640

they get out, go to bedroom, I get the younger 2 dressed, older one gets herself dressed. Have to say I never comb dd2s hair, and dd1 only if washed.. stories chosen while I'm dressing younger girls and then presto, we're reading books by 650 and in bed shortly after 7.

hana · 11/01/2007 23:34

meant to say we never go back downstairs after we're up - I'll take dd2s milk up with us to have when we're reading stories

Bozza · 12/01/2007 11:06

TBH I have got to the point nearly 6 years down the line where I am bored with baths. I do occasionally make more effort.

brandy7 · 12/01/2007 11:13

lizalu, if you have time and you enjoy watching your little ones playing with water then dont cut the time down, praps start it earlier. were all different in how much time we have for bathing etc.

me personally, ds aged 2.5 has developed another bath phobia so i run bath,chuck him in it, wash hair, towel round which he hates and pull off, smother in talc, have to hair dry hair as its so bloody thick.probably takes 15mins tops.

i hate bath time, its that time of day when you want the little brats in bed and its such a chore

exbury · 12/01/2007 13:34

As they get older, do NOT buy them any water-going Playmobil/Lego, or bath crayons!

DS (4) refuses point blank to get out until the complex rescue scenario has been played out and/or he has completed his latest masterpiece and then cleaned it off again. Lately, he has become obsessed with cleaning the bath and his bath toys - no idea where that came from - certainly not me . The last thing I want to do is to start a row at that time of night (he is all too capable, when tired, of getting wound up and ending up in hysterics) so I tend to leave him to it - I can stay within earshot and tidy his room / DD's room for a while.

If we are really pushed for time he has a shower in the morning instead - and DD almost always comes into the shower with me, unless she happens to be awake and happy enough to be dunked in DS's bath.

PinkTulips · 12/01/2007 13:43

my 2 are bathed in 20 mins/half an hour but like others have said that doesn't count getting dressed after or milk and a story before bed.

i go up and run the bath and styrip dd as she likes to stand with her arms in the bath playing while it fills. go in and be getting ds undressed and nappy off while it's filling then go back in and plop dd in and hold ds floating in the water for 5/10 mins so he can play with her and she has great fun washing him with the sponge then i take ds in and dress him for bed while dd has a good splash around. she has her hair washed after pulling the plug so the water is low enough to rinse her off easily then out to get dressed.

i could do it quicker but she loves to p'lay with the water so i don't rush her.

Madora · 12/01/2007 14:40

Amazed at all the hairwashing that goes on - I wash my kids' hair once a month! Their hair still looks and smells lovely.

tortoiseSHELL · 12/01/2007 14:46

I reckon 10-20 mins for my 3 - but it is a bit military like.

Run water whilst brushing dd(3's teeth, getting her undressed, ds1(5) does own teeth, ds2 (8 months) on changing mat on floor beside bath.

Dd into bath, wash hair, ds2 into bath with dd, let him kick for a bit, wash him, then out, leave dd in bath, ds2 into fresh nappy, pjs, into bouncy chair, ds1 into bath, wash hair, give them 3 mins or so playing, ds1 out, gets himself into pjs, dd out, pjs, stories and bed.

Bozza · 12/01/2007 18:55

Another thing I do sometimes is wash DD's hair at the swimming baths. Did it this afternoon in fact. It is mainly because she is much more amenable to do it together with me in the shower there than in the bath where she has been known to scream blue murder. But it does have the side effect of speeding up bath time. The reason we do it quickly is because 3 days/wk I work and don't get in until 5.40, and then by the time we have eaten, done DS's reading book etc, there is time for a short play before bathtime at 7 and both children really do need to be in bed by 7.30. Then the other days we are usually cramming play dates and other activities in so are equally pressed for time.

Dottydot · 12/01/2007 19:01

NappiesGalore - absolutely!! The last hour before they go to bed drives me mad so I get through it all as quickly as possible! Tea at 6pm, bath at 6.40pm (not that I'm pedantic about time or anything), 2 books each and in bed by 7pm..!! This is all usually when dp's working and I'm on my own. When she's home she takes over the bath and bedtime routine and for example it's now 7.01pm AND THEY'RE STILL IN THE BATH!!!

NappiesGalore · 12/01/2007 21:29

oh yes dotty, i know all about the last hour thing - can be madness around here too.

tbh, i like bathtime usually as its effectively a playpen and their boistrousness (sp - we'll call it that tonight as im in a good mood) and mess is contained for the only time of the day!! (not sure that sentence makes sense, but YKWIM)

but that notwithstanding, i will allow you to give me a standing ovation for managing to bath and get easily to bed/sleep all three toddlers, on me tod, once again tonight

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