How often are we bathing kids?

[Honeybeebuzz]

We have a 1 year old and a 4 year old, bath time is usually twice a week and they also get a shower after the swimming pool. A friend recently advised she baths her kids every night? I thought this wasn't great for their skin but now im not sure. I shower at least once a day but didnt think kids need that as they dont sweat

Every night (apart from the odd time we're late home or maybe going to a birthday party the following afternoon so will have one in the morning) I just find it easier than wrestling with them to get faces properly wiped up and when they're in nappies or just started wiping themselves etc I always liked a bath yo make sure their bums are properly clean. Also mine love a bath and nicely chills them out for the end of the day

4 year old daily, 6 month old twice per week. Once 6 month old gets a bit older/ starts nursery they will also have a bath daily.

Dd goes swimming every week so has a shower when getting out the pool. Generally either that sees her through for the week or we might have one bath mid week. If she ever has an accident or comes home from nursery muddy, she will get an adhoc bath as needed. We are a family of exzema sufferers so try to avoid too much bathing. Also dd loves being in the bath but hates getting out so its not a calm just before bed activity.

The number of parents using the swimming pool as a de facto bath tub is putting me off going for a swim.

@wubwubwub
Germs do spread by touching other parts of your body. Grim not washing your children every day! Go inside any nursery/ school and you'll soon change your mind!

Once a week!

A shower if they go swimming.

Good lord

Same here. Especially the thought of the ones whose bodies haven't seen soap and water for a week beforehand. Thank god pools are chlorinated.

How old are you and how often were you bathed as a kid? Once a week pre puberty was standard when I was growing up in the 80s/90s.

Only once a week for small kids. I use a very gentle soap and I don’t use shampoo in my smaller kids hair - sometimes use conditioner if it seems like it needs a clean! Looks like I’m in a minority. I clean visible dirt with a facecloth when needed (I clean the mud off) and they smell peachy and have gorgeous shiny hair. The 11 year old is up to 3 showers a week. I wash her hair with shampoo and conditioner once a week. She wears a shower cap the rest of the time. The eldest had very reactive skin as a baby and I continued to follow the advice we got at that time.

Once every 2 days in winter and everyday in the summer.

A bath on a Sunday and then showers as needed in the week, could be 0 could be 6 depends how grubby he is vs how tired he is.

Long baths and hair wash twice a week, more in the summer. Faces and hands are washed/wiped throughout the day.

Depends on who you know I suppose. I grew up in the 60s and 70s and we didn't have a shower till the late 70s but we had a bath every day, normal amongst friends and family. My children were born early 90s and were bathed every day, again normal in my circle.

Btw, I'm very much not on team daily bath, but several posters have mentioned avoiding daily baths because of dry skin or eczema. I think this advice might be outdated now, our GP also has dermatology experience and recommended daily baths with dermol or the like for our DC with eczema.

Every other day.

I have 4 and 1 year old too.
We currently do every other night. On the nights we don't bath, we do a sink wash.
In summer I imagine it will be every night due to sun cream and them getting all hot and sticky!

Every night like I wash myself.

I think the easiest thing to do is ask yourself would you only wash yourself / genitals 3 times a week? If the answers no then wash your kids more

Yes, I agree - both DS and I have seen dermatologists in the last few years and they have said that the latest thinking is that daily baths are beneficial for eczema.

This is a good explanation

https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/treatment/bathing/#:~:text=Take%20a%20bath%20using%20lukewarm,areas%20of%20skin%20as%20directed.

For everyone saying once or twice a week surely it’s easier to put them in a bath or shower than wash their faces, hands and bottom areas thoroughly, children go to the loo and don’t use paper properly hopefully everyone is doing all these areas. Really quite shocking that so many people use the swimming pool as a bath after so many days without an actual bath or shower. Yes, people used to bathe once a week 30 years ago but we have access to hot running water and thankfully personal hygiene has moved on a bit. Lots of things were standard practice back then that we wouldn’t do now

Yeah defo same here. I always give my boys a quick shower at swimming then home to get properly bathed and washed where they r not standing on a swimming pool changing room floor ! I’m honestly shocked at this thread. Poor bloody kids !

I think a lot of ppl on here need to bath their kids more. I’m seriously shocked. U probably say ur kids don’t stink or look grubby but they likely do, I remember growing up their were a brother and sister on my street and my full street knew they had to go in early on a wed/sun coz that’s when they got bathed and all the mums would talk about it so it’s not like this is a new thing

My 8yo twice a week - long bath with loads of toys and gets her hair washed on Sundays, quick shower on Wednesdays. She doesn't get sweaty and isn't grubby or smelly!

11yo I try to get to bath or shower daily as he's starting to get a bit sweaty/greasy haired, but it's a battle (he has ADHD/ODD) so in reality it's more like every other day.

10yo is every other day and after hockey if that doesn’t coincide.

My kids have always had daily baths