At what age do you stop having baths with your kids?

[cricketnut77]

Hi All,

I'm a chap and my son is 9. Over the years we have sometimes shared baths together and he still often asks me to join him as we have a bit of a laugh playing. But now I'm thinking that maybe he's getting a bit old and I know he will be upset and won't understand why we should stop. My missus say it is fine for a few years yet but I'm unsure. Will be a sad one when I have to give up though as they grow up so fast. Any thoughts? cheers

When your wife says it's fine for a few years yet is she thinking into teen years?
In all honesty I would imagine most fathers will have stopped having a bath with their son well before 9.

I would wait for your son to take the lead. My DD is approaching her 10th birthday soon, yet I have to wait for her to go to bed if I am to bathe alone and quite frankly she's a little too big for us both to fit comfortably. (and it is even more difficult if her 6 year old sister decides to join in too - that normally has me out of the bath and seeking refuge!)

If you are uncomfortable with it, I would suggest you just refrain from having a bath when he is around so it peters out naturally. Why make a song and a dance about it? If you are happy for it to continue, then why not? He'll start to become shy and awkward about his body soon enough - as you say, they do grow up fast!

You stop bathing with them when they don't want to anymore.

Wow how big is your bath?!

You have a bath that can fit a grown man & a 9 yr old in it?

I still share a bath sometimes with DD who is 12. Can't say it's especially relaxing and my knees are under my chin, but she still wants to jump in with me from time to time. I'd just go with the flow until your son no longer wants to share a bath.

If everyone is comfortable about you sharing a bath with your son, I wouldn't worry about it for now. Perhaps, you can let him take the lead though, so just do it when he asks. Puberty kicked in with my daughter about 10 years old (later for boys on average though) and I haven't been allowed anywhere near the bathroom since then! Funnily enough she will stay with a friend and who has a bath and shower in the same bathroom and one has a shower at the same time as one is in the bath.

Your son will decide when he no longer wants to bath with you.

This summer our holiday let had massive showers and my almost nine year old happily showered with me or his dad, we had four if us in the shower at one point.

My elder two boys are 14 and 11 and shower/bath on their own tho the 11 yr old will sometimes share absth with younger siblings.

Interestingly even tho my ds1(14) keeps himself covered up now he isn't bothered seeing me naked and will come in the bathroom when I am in the shower or bath and sit and gave a chat.

Honestly if your son is happy its fine, he will decide when he doesn't wasn't to share a bath.

I agree that your son will 'call time'. If you are worried, change your routine so it happens naturally for him. Ds3(4) will still get in the shower with Dad (not a bather), but ds1(9) and ds2(7) won't ... probably a space thing. That said ... when I very occasionally disappear for a bath ... I am joined by dd(10)(not yet started puberty) + ds1, ds2 & ds3. Even tho the bath is fairly large ... it is still a squash and a squeeze! I assume they will all be fairly comfortable with both my husband's and my own nudity but more private about their own in years to come!