How old were your children before you left them in the bath?

[ChutneyMary]

Just wondering really... my DD is nearly 3 and, although sensible in lots of ways, could not be left alone in the bath as I don't think she'd be safe. Was chatting to my SIL tonight and she said she'd left her DS2 (age 2) in the bath while she tidied DS1's room. Apparently he's very reliable and knows not to stand up etc. She is not far away and would not go downstairs etc.

I said nothing, but it seems very young to me. At what age did you consider yours safe to be left (while you still did the getting in and out, drying etc)?

Have just started with ds, who is 5, dd's already ok at ages 6 & 8. I'm normally tiding bedrooms, putting washing away etc so close by.

Depends on the child tbh. Think dd was about 4, could have been nearly 4, but I'm never far away.

I started leaving them sat in the bath while I cooked dinner when DS2 was about 2......however our bathroom is a downstairs one and I could see him from where I was cooking.

He's 4 now and I regularly leave them to play while I go into the living room and sort DS3 out (DS1 is 7 - and often has a bath on his own (getting in and out etc) once I've finished sorting his younger brothers out.

I think it definitely depends on the child - DS1 at 3yrs old wasn't even close to being able to climb into the bath on his own (safely) - whereas DS2 was a dab hand at it.

i'm in and out all the time

he'll eb 3 in may

Thanks for the replies - I won't be able to leave her for ages as DD2 is in there as well and she's not yet 1 but good to hear others' experience.

Thanks again.

my ds is 6 & my dd 2.8. i leave them in the bath together briefly, but am always on the same floor/within earshot. we generally try & persuade them to have a shower though.... and ds is super sensible.

DS is 2.3 and I'm in and out. Though tbh not away from bathroom for more than 30 seconds at any time

Definitely depends on the child. Ds2 (5yrs) is still not safe to be left alone as he is completely out of control very active in the bath whereas ds1 at the same age was very sensible.

depends on child.
My 2 (6 and 8) bath together, and i have left them on their own for ages, while i put laundry away etc (on the same floor)

My rule is that as long as I can HEAR them, they are fine

my ds is 5 and he is left in the bath on his own, but we are always on the same floor and doors are always open, so we quite often have a chat at the same time.

ds is 3 tomorrow and have been going in and out (never for more than a few mins at a time though) for the last few months. he never sits still in the water but as he is happy swimming under water in the swimming pool know that he can get himself out of trouble if he falls over.

Occasionally I will pop into another room briefly, but I like to be able to hear dd (nearly 2yrs) all the time. If I can't hear her non stop chatter, I rush back instantly. I figure if she's still talking to me, she can't be drowning.

I started tidying in nearby bedroom when dd was 3 (sensible child). But then immediately went and booked some swimming lessons!

It made me realise how vunrable they are and I wanted her to be confident enough not to panic in water, even if she couldn't actually swim.

I didn't leave the dds unattended until they were four, and won't leave ds1 until then either. All are fairly sensible but even so ... ! However now that ds1 is 2.5 I tend to take a book in and sit and read rather than interfering, so he gets to play "alone", which he likes

Started leaving DS nearly 5. Would not yet leave DD, she is 18 months. She gets very excitable and jumps around a lot in the bath and we have had more than one incident of her going under. Utterly terrifying - that one second it takes to pull her up seems to last forever, seeing her little face under the water.

Wriggle - I take a similar view. Though more often just bring a book into the bathroom with me instead and use it as my excuse not to put the ironing away etc.

thread a few weeks ago about this

here
hope that works.

I sometimes leave ds (3.4) in bath while I tidy kitchen. But like FAQ my bathroom is downstairs and I get him to talk to me constantly while he is in there.