When does it become inappropriate to bathe with your child?

[lopdo]

DS is 5, nearly 6.

One of his favourite things to do is hop in the bath with me, but I saw a video saying that this was a red flag.

It doesn't feel weird or inappropriate, but I acknowledge that maybe he is too old now and I need to put the boundary in place?

I'd love your thoughts.

I think it's fine at that age unless they don't want to. I stopped undressing in front of my sons at around the age of 8, when they started laughing at my boobs. I didn't bathe with any of my kids much but that's because I like a hot relaxing bath.

My 6yo DS still loves me getting the bath with him. I think it's fine at the moment and am assuming he'll stop asking at some point

On the cusp I think - if he’s keen, ok for the moment. Good to have normal bodies normalised. He will very soon want privacy I’d imagine!

Thank you!

He's definitely not grasped the concept of privacy yet.

Yesterday I got spread cheeks and "is my bum hole red?" with no warning!

When my kids were about 6/7 they started getting changed with their bedroom door closed so I wouldn’t have bathed together at that point. We had knock on a closed door rule from about 3 years old but the closed door was a clear sign that they needed privacy.

In year 3 boys and girls started getting changed separately for PE which reinforced things.

Haha oh my son does this too 😂

If you're Nordic it never stops, although it does tend to end up segregated by gender for a while during and after puberty.

DS naturally stopped getting into the bath with me around age 10.

Never bathed with dc.. My absolute sanctuary place!! But ds 10 like to chat while he bathes /showers and happily showed me a blister on his nuts yesterday and asked I put cream on!! Did tell him I won't be doing that anymore!!
We still get flashes of the batcave
. Especially his siblings. Grim I tell you.

Until they or yourself become uncomfortable.

It's important that they know that bodies are natural, but also important that they learn privacy and what's appropriate behaviour (eg, you don't have Beth at a friends house with their parents)

I think I watched the same or a similar video and was really disturbed by some of the comments! Glad these comments are far more balanced - personally I’ve always thought that until they don’t want to anymore/want privacy was a good rule of thumb. My DS is just 4 and has no concept of privacy yet but will be on the ball for when he does. Think the enforcing a knocking policy on a closed door is a good shout.

I don’t think it’s gross at that age or anything but god the opposite of relaxing and they must take up a lot of space so equally I don’t get why you’d want to! But then I’ve never bathed with my kids because if I’m having a bath I want to submerge myself in properly hot water and not get splashed or poked with mermaid barbie.

As for privacy, my DD is 7 and no longer wants to bathe with her younger brother or have company in the shower so you’re maybe a year or so off from that, although all kids are different and maybe he’ll continue not to care into the teen years. Just make sure he’s aware of boundaries so mum seeing you in the bath fine, friends dad at a sleepover definitely not ok.

I wouldn't share a bath with my 5 year old , not because I'd find it inappropriate but because it wouldn't be relaxing and i like my baths roasting hot!

Old thread i know but was googling exact same question. My DS and DD are 11, they both like to shower with me. They see me go and strip in 1 second to join me as they don't like to shower alone, even if totally capable. Sometimes they do it together. If i ask them to wash themselves it takes 1-3 days of nagging. When they were younger i ran them baths and sometimes joined in.

In particular, what age is it inappropriate? We are and have always been quite open about nuditity but also conscious they are changing...

2 x 11 yo's in a shower isn't ideal imo.

Does anyone need to see a male properly washing his genitals??
Nope imo.

My 10 year old DD will sit on the toilet chatting while I’m in the bath/shower and would probably sit in the bath with me if there was enough room 😂. I think it’s weird when it feels weird.

I never bathed with my kids. I think it’s really odd.

I think at this age its nothing to worry about, DD used to bath with her Dad until about 3-4 then it naturally stopped without us realising.

She's now 6 and asks for privacy when she uses the toilet but is happy to walk in on me or DH so we are trying to explain that privacy works both ways 😅

There are times on holiday when its easier for her to jump in the shower with us but we take her lead

I think it’s fine until you, or they become uncomfortable with it.

This, it was the only time I got some peace - I still remember telling the health visitor that at 2 weeks PP Id managed a 30 minute bath while DH watched DD and she was pleased. Its still my favorite way to get some time to myself.

DD was always happy to interrupt DH baths as they were cooler and he was happy to splash and make a right mess which makes sense

‘I think it’s weird when it feels weird’ above is a great way of putting it.

children are individuals with their own priorities and ideas. DD is 8 and vey mature and independent but would happily walk down the street naked if allowed. She’s a nudist at heart and we just leave her to it.

The right time is when he decides not to jump in the bath with you.

I think it's inappropriate when one of you feels it's inappropriate, if that makes sense. The only thing I would say is start mentioning that you won't always bath with him, so he knows you won't be angry if he wants you to stop.

Not odd at all