How do you clean your two year old

[GPatz]

I'd be grateful for some advice. I currently bath my 2 year old every night. I know it's not necessary to bath them every day, but whats the best method inbetween? Strip wash? Shower (not sure that will go down too well) or just a flannel on the face? What are your washing routines?

Most two year olds enjoy having a bath. What’s the problem ?

Couldn't get away without a daily bath at that sge5

There is no problems,it's just that I also have a demanding six month old who has started to get quite grumpy around the time I put the two year old in the bath and they are getting quite chaotic at the moment. I was considering other alternatives during this phase.

I always found a bath was easier than any type of strip wash or shower. If having every day then I didn’t care if my DC was being washed well each time, just a swish round in the bath with some gentle bubble bath was fine most days.

Can you not bath them both together?

I found a daily wipe down with a wet flannel was fine at that age, on the days we weren’t bathing. Just used to wash face/ears/neck, hands, bottom/bits and feet. Saved a lot of time that we could use for playing/reading stories etc instead.

Could you bath them at the same time?

I have a 6mo and a 22 month. They go in the bath together every night. I normally get in too and hold the baby but she’s nearly sitting up so I’ll prob stop that soon. My nearly 2 yo loves playing in the bath and reading bath books. And she NEEDS a bath every single night , she gets filthy !! I’d be bathing them and putting them to bed at the same time !

Bath is way the easiest and best. Also I guess is fun for your two year old and part of the evening ritual and wind down to bed. I agree that your six month old should be introduced to the bath at that time too - let them have fun together. Let your two year old feel cool and big to be helping. I know it might sound a bit scary to have them both in there, but get one of those little seats for one or both of them. Yes it will be a slightly full in half hour for you, but establish the routine now and ultimately it will be easier.

Yes I agree with RoseHippy about getting in yourself - I always did - way the easiest!

I was told only to bath my 2yo 2-3 times a week so as not to dry his skin out. In-between I wash his face with a flannel, wash hands and baby wipe his nether regions

I’ve never bathed my children daily - so much work

Bath every other day, strip wash on the other days if needed.

Bath every night, put them in together.

It’s a long time since I had a 2 year old, but I used to bath them every night. Far easier than any other method and took half an hour of the evening which helped pass the time a bit. I used to get in with the baby or at least bath them together so the baby was entertained. Get baby out first and dry, pjs on in the bathroom, while supervising 2 year old. Bring bath time slightly forward if that helps?

I guess it depends how mucky your dc gets, i know someone who spent longer cleaning their child with a flannel and brushing food out of her dds hair than it would take to put them in a bath for 10 minutes.

I normally do bath them together (the baby has been in a baby bath in the bath tub for a while now) but the baby is such a fuss pot at the moment that it's hit or miss that she's just not going to scream the place down! However, it does sound the quickest/easiest method, so I'll continue to do that. Thanks!

And you are right Lottelupin, it's been a staple of our two year olds bedtime routine almost since birth!

DS is 2, I don't bath every night but every other day so 4 days (unless he's unwell/messy play/dirty or we've painted).

If he's painted ect I shower him down but he's started asking us for showers now and it's quick and easy. I just stick the shower on and he sits under it and plays with his toys once I've washed him.

I'm a slattern. Mine gets washed about 3 times per week in the shower. Quick flannel wipe if needed in between times. I don't have the energy for showers every day for him!

I just clean mine with a flannel if it’s not bath day (usually every other day). I’m too lazy for daily baths. But then my kids never want to get out of the bath and so it takes ages

DS5 showers in the morning with DH most days and has done since he was about 1. We started it because he was getting too over excited after a bath at night to settle, but it works really well for time saving.

I have a 16 month old and we love bathtime.

It’s part of our routine, when we started bath time everyday she started sleeping through (could be a coincidence obviously) .

We run the bath together, get her undressed. She chooses her toys and puts in which ones she wants to play with. When she’s done she pulls the plug out and tidies up her toys.

It’s our Mummy and DD time which I look forward to especially if I’ve been at work.

I have reusable wipes for daytime but she’s not keen and I don’t worry too much as I know she’ll have her bath in the evening.

It's much quicker to bath them both together (although I remember thinking it would be wonderful to somehow varnish 'em so a quick wipe with a damp dishcloth would suffice)