What do you do with your toddler when you have a shower?!

[MiniAlphaBravo]

Sounds like such a simple problem. We have recently moved to a quite large house where before we were in a small place with no stAirs. I'm scared of her falling down stairs, out of windows, in to the pond or encountering another hazard. She can open stairgates.
I also have a baby who would like to nap around the time I would shower but couldn't today due to screaming toddler.

our shower is over/in the bath so when he was a toddler he went in the baby bath at the foot of the bath, me in the shower.

nb we had a big baby bath but he still looked ridiculous- only stopped when he got old enough to be left on own in front of tv for 10 mins ;)

Mine goes in the cot with toys (and sometimes his older brother for company).

I left DS1 downstairs in front of the telly from the age of about 2.5.

Mine goes in his high chair in the bathroom with me, buckled in so no climbing out, with duplo or something similar to play with while I shower. He's quite happy there and sings to himself while I shower.

If I let him loose he tries to come in with me and I don't trust him not to get up to mischief unsupervised yet.

Lie her in her bed with the iPad on YouTube.

Let her mosy about upstairs (we have a really stiff gate at the top of the stairs that a lot of adults can't work out how to open) with the bathroom door open.

How old is she OP?

My youngest is 4 & will trash the house (Inc emptying most of DH's toiletries) if I dare to do anything. Tried getting both DC to play together - doesn't work, sounds (& is) a fight in progress.

What I've done lately is I fill the shower room basin with warm water and lots of bubbles (any b/bath or liquid soap). I then plonk bath toys in. I also need to move everything else off the basin (in the past toothbrushes have been coated in handsoap), and put a towel or towels/duvetcovers awaiting the wash, no splatter, not me on the floor around the basin to soak up the inevitable why previous owners installed laminate flooring in bloody bathrooms is beyond me.

So far it's the only way I've been able to grab a quick shower. Only keeps youngest amused for 10mins max. Would love to stick in shower with me, but she gets hysterical if water near face.

Bloody autocorrect. Slattern, not splatter!

Mine used to go in his cot but will now stay in the sitting room with the TV on or play in his bedroom. He can't open our stairgates though (he has one on his bedroom door).

Can you get a more effective stairgate and leave her in her bedroom whilst you shower?

She's 2.8. Some of your toddlers must be far more compliant than mine as there's no way she would accept being in a cot or playpen! I used to bring her in with me in her highchair when she was younger but she's too big to be strapped in to a chair now. She will get in the bathroom cupboard if she's in the bathroom.

I might try showering her with me though.

May have to just get a better gate that she can't open for top of stairs.

Thanks all, it's interesting reading.

I just waited til dh was around or bedtime. I'd not usually shower in the middle of the day anyway so it wasn't an issue.

At 2.8 dd1 - nothing would have kept her in one place! Couldn't take my eyes off her at that age.

Dd2 - would have probably sat in bathroom happily watching me. Just naturally placid and followed instructions.

Hehe yes maybe my expectations are too high! Might just have to shower at night. I don't want to get up before her as her wake up time is too unpredictable plus I'm up in the night going to her or with the baby.

I have to shower with the DC around as DH works away a lot or leaves at 5.15am to get to London.
I try and do it before they get up but DD2 is usually up by 5.30am. I hate evening showers.
Mine are 3.8 and 2.1 and must be fairly compliant I guess as they just play in their bedroom. I occasionally have to leap out of the shower to referee a squabble but nothing major!

We have our shower together. Easy.

I put 3yo dd in our room on the bed and put the tv on. I sometimes lock the bedroom door. I then leave the bathroom (ensuite) door open so she can come into me but can't go wandering off. She'll usually manage about 10 mins if her programmes are on so it's fine. Once I'm out it's easier, just have to stop her getting into all my moisturiser etc!

Lock or tie-up the handle of your bathroom cabinet to stop her getting at it, MiniAlphaBravo? At not far off 3yrs, shouldn't DD be starting to learn anyway that there are short periods of time where Mummy has to be left alone to do her ablutions?! In fact if you have another baby on the way, DD will have to learn to amuse herself reasonably safely while you are busy with changing and feeding the new baby (to say nothing of the multiplicity of your other tasks).

The difficulty with showers is not being able to hear what is going on. When DS was a bit younger if I couldn't shower when DH was around I'd either do a standing wash at the sink or if I really needed a shower I'd lock him in the bathroom with me (all cabinet doors were child proofed). He's just turned 3 now and I have recently started to trust him to potter about for 5 mins whilst I shower, but he's pretty unadventurous in his escapades, I'll normally find him in his room rearranging his toys or with a book.

I use an elastic band to secure my bathroom cabinet (under sink) unit. Works a treat.

I always shower before DH leaves for work. He leaves at 7.30 and DS is up at 6 so ample time.

I would shower whilst they were asleep.... seems obvious?

Er cheers 001 as I said I don't really want to get up before 6am especially as baby still wakes at night. And I prefer to shower in the morning. DH leaves at 6 as well. I've been sticking her in front of tv but I feel guilty doing that. Anyway thanks for the feedback all I know it's something very simple really.

I'd take mine into the bathroom with me, lock the door,a few toys on the floor. The lock was too stiff to open.

Mine is 2 exactly and I try to shower before partner leaves, but I can manage a 5-min shower by closing the stair gate and doors, plonking him on the bathroom floor and letting him watch videos on my Kindle. Which has not gone down the loo yet, but loving the idea of a toilet lock!

Playpen alone wouldn't work for ds... Playpen plus Peppa on the tv and I can shower, wash and dry my hair, dress, put on make-up, paint my nails...!

Dd used to sit on my bed and watch tv while I showered. Now she wants to get in with me. This was ok until she started saying Mumma move until I got out. Now she showers after me but she likes to hold the shower head and almost always soaks the floor so I have to take it off her. I try and have a sneaky shower now but as soon as she hears the water she's in there like a shot trying to strip off.