Page 2 | At what age can you leave a child in the bath?

tingalayo · 2022-05-27T19:22:45+00:00

For nuance: At what age can you pop out of the room briefly while they're in there? At what age can you leave them with the door open and they call you when they want to get out? At what age can they do it entirely alone with the door locked?

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FlosCampi · 27/05/2022 21:04

Must admit that if it's v quiet I call out to ask my teens if they are ok!

BellaTelly · 27/05/2022 21:04

DD is almost 4 and I’ll pop out the room briefly but I try and keep her chatting to me & if she stops talking I’d run straight back in

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 27/05/2022 21:11

I think mine was about 6 or 7 I think 6 I would lie on my bed (or DH would, whoever's turn it was) so we were near and about 7 or 8 would be downstairs

Forgothowmuchlhatehomeschoolin · 27/05/2022 21:19

Hallyup89 · 27/05/2022 20:52

Of course it's ok, as long as he feels comfortable with it. Don't be ridiculous.

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My dd is 10 and always wants me to sit and chat to her in the bath plus she is too lazy tonwsh her own hair....as soon as she wants privacy she will get it.

NoGoodUsernamee · 27/05/2022 21:20

I let my 5 & 3 year olds bath alone… door open, popping in and out… My eldest is very sensible, and calls to tell me if her sister so much as farts.

lifesnotaspectatorsport · 27/05/2022 21:22

Gosh, I pop out while my 2yo twins are in the bath. We live in an apartment though so I am only in the next room with the door open, and I can see them/ hear them all the time.

My 5yo bathes with the door open and I am again within earshot although I don't actively keep an eye on him all the time.

Haven't reached the stage of them closing the door yet.

110APiccadilly · 27/05/2022 21:23

HotDogKetchup · 27/05/2022 20:40

I pop out briefly with my three year old, but I’ll start singing the wheels on the bus or similar so we’re singing together! That way I know he’s ok.

@HotDogKetchup Different scenario but this has brought back memories for me of my mum having to use public toilets (DB and I would have probably been aged between 4 and 7) and telling us to stand outside her cubicle, hold hands and sing!

DockOTheBay · 27/05/2022 21:33

I remember a lady in work telling me about her son being killed out right at 19 having slipped getting out of the shower
This is really tragic, but you wouldn't still be watching a 19 year old in the bath/shower, and even if you were watching then you wouldn't have been able to prevent that accident so I don't see what this has to do with anything.

To answer the question I would leave my 5 year old to shower or bath alone but with the door open and listening out for her.

butimjayigetaway · 27/05/2022 21:34

You know your child.
You know what you feel comfortable with.

My philosophy has been don't do things unless they are necessary for practicality or sanity.

I left my daughter when I felt comfortable. There's no age to be had around it. Err on the side of caution, always.

Hugasauras · 27/05/2022 21:36

DD is 3 and I will pop out into the next room to get her PJs out etc. But she is a noisy bather, always singing and playing, so I can hear her constantly.

Sally872 · 27/05/2022 21:45

About 4 for me to leave them in bath. 2.5/3 to nip out to grab something. Or tidy up nearby popping in frequently.

This is for my children who would like a really long bath; very stable in the water and understood they weren't to stand up or climb out without calling me. And I mostly stayed upstairs.

Solasum · 27/05/2022 21:49

My DS is 8, and while he is happy to bathe alone, the door is always open a bit, I am always nearby, and if he stops making a noise I check he is ok. He showers alone. No locks on any doors here.

Sunnytwobridges · 27/05/2022 21:53

Mine was about 4/5.

pastabest · 27/05/2022 21:55

I am happy to leave mine at 4 and 5 in the bath together for a few minutes. I tend to use bath times as a time to collect all the laundry up and put it in the washing machine so I leave them in the bathroom on their own but within earshot for a few minutes while I pick everything up and then a few more minutes out of earshot when I go downstairs and put it in the washing machine.

They are sensible girls though who are generally playing hairdressers/ mermaids etc and they are quite happy sat in just a few inches of water just chatting away to each other. They can get in and out on their own and we have a lowish plastic bath, a plastic floor and plenty of soft bathmats.

I don't let them out of my sight in the shower. Our (ancient) shower has a lethal sill/frame that is a long thin strip of metal that is basically a blunt knife blade. They prefer showers and its far easier to wash their hair in the shower so we do use it on school nights usually but I sit on the bath with feet stopping the shower door from opening in case one of them slips and falls on the 'blade'.

I'm not being over protective, they and I have all sustained injuries from it in the past.

InventingSarah · 27/05/2022 21:57

thebabynanny · 27/05/2022 20:25

For my own children
Pop out briefly - 3 or 4ish
Leave them with the door open 5 ish
Entirely alone (usually showers not baths) about 9

Same for me.

HamCob · 27/05/2022 22:04

mammagotmad · 27/05/2022 20:59

Sorry i appreciate that's how I had worded it. At 10 you can imagine that he's all self aware.

Not all...I wish my 10 year old was - he would still happily have a bath with me or his dad! 😳

Namechanger965 · 27/05/2022 22:08

DD1 is 4 and I have started to quickly nip out when she’s in the bath, to grab pyjamas for her or her sister so only very briefly. She likes to use the end of the bath as a slide though, so does need watching.

DD2 will quite possibly never be left alone in the bath as she’s a walking hazard 24/7 and falls over her own feet when stood still.

thirdfiddle · 27/05/2022 22:11

Similar to most, pop out 3-4ish. From 5-6 if we needed to go away and do something downstairs we would do so but they mostly still wanted and got company.
Privacy is really up to them after that point. DD wanted privacy at 9, around when she started showing signs of puberty, which makes sense. DS still really wanted someone in the bathroom to chat to up to around the end of primary school.

namechange30455 · 27/05/2022 22:12

4ish, 6ish, 8ish

Abouttimemum · 27/05/2022 22:15

DS is 3 and I potter around upstairs and do jobs while he’s in the bath. He talks ALL the time and I pass the door frequently so he’s never alone really.

rhowton · 27/05/2022 22:18

We leave our 4 & 2 year old in the bath to sort their PJs and potter around upstairs. I would never leave my 2 year old in the bath, but when I get my 2 year old out of the bath, my 4 year old plays for a little bit, but I can always hear her.

bloodyunicorns · 27/05/2022 22:23

pastabest · 27/05/2022 21:55

I am happy to leave mine at 4 and 5 in the bath together for a few minutes. I tend to use bath times as a time to collect all the laundry up and put it in the washing machine so I leave them in the bathroom on their own but within earshot for a few minutes while I pick everything up and then a few more minutes out of earshot when I go downstairs and put it in the washing machine.

They are sensible girls though who are generally playing hairdressers/ mermaids etc and they are quite happy sat in just a few inches of water just chatting away to each other. They can get in and out on their own and we have a lowish plastic bath, a plastic floor and plenty of soft bathmats.

I don't let them out of my sight in the shower. Our (ancient) shower has a lethal sill/frame that is a long thin strip of metal that is basically a blunt knife blade. They prefer showers and its far easier to wash their hair in the shower so we do use it on school nights usually but I sit on the bath with feet stopping the shower door from opening in case one of them slips and falls on the 'blade'.

I'm not being over protective, they and I have all sustained injuries from it in the past.

Why don't you just have it repaired or changed?

Paddingtonsmarmlade · 27/05/2022 22:28

Pop out about 3 depending on the child, dc1 is loud all the time so i can hear that they're fine, dc2 is quieter and I'm less comfortable popping out.

i leave dc 5 in the bath whilst dressing dc2

not got to the point that kids are old enough to leave on their own

BiscoffSundae · 27/05/2022 22:30

4/5

At what age can you leave a child in the bath?

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