How often do we really need to wash our kids???

[Bunny10]

So I read today that Vivienne Westwood only has a bath once a week to keep her looking young and to save water/help the environment. It got me thinking - how often do your kids have a bath or shower? I'm in the habit of giving my little ones a bath every night although they probably don't need it. It's just a habit/part of their routine. But I keep reading about how we need to stop wasting so much water in the home as water levels are low and am feeling guilty. Any tips on keeping kids clean without a nightly bath???

No you don't need to wet the skin - your hands are wet, the soap in your hands is wet, you lather up in your hands before applying it to your body.

And a flannel doesn't need to be dripping to still be workable.

DS1 is nearly 3 and DS2 is a few months. They share a bath once a week. I have to wash DS1 more in the summer. DH and i shower daily although I have my shower routine down to two minutes (!) Water bill still massive though cos of all the clothes washing these days...

Weird

I don't find it that pleasurable.

I find it a chore to be honest.

Plus it really is v drying on my skin.

I guess people must be... different!

I agree with soyYo. Sorry those of you saying your little ones only have a bath once a week grosses me out!

Just get them to join an early morning swimming club, assuming you don't mind the smell of chlorine.

Dd is 8 and bathed a couple of times a week. Weeknights are far too manic as it is so I'm happy to stick to it for now. I'm sure she will need it more often soon but for now it works

Thanks Jessikita I'm trying very hard to understand the arguments but really there's no excuse. Those HV's advising new moms not to bathe baby also need their head examined. I also remember an old HV advising me to start my BF 3 month old baby on solids 25 years ago (now unheard of) so I'm stunned...there are very mild/soap free formulations for washing babies (and adults) sensitive skin and wipes/wet flannels just don't cut it.
I think it's down to bad habits inherited, maybe hygiene ignorance or simple lazyness?
Whatever the reason for once I'll be judgemental and speak up.
As for not finding pleasure in the daily shower/bath indeed that's weird to me too...maybe down to bad plumbing or cold bathroom?
Bathe and Shower your DC every Day!! They will thank you in later life for the good habits you instilled in them.

DD is 8 and I only wash her hair once a week, any more than that and it dries out and is a nightmare to brush! She will have extra bubble baths during the week though with hair tied up. DS is 13 and needs showers every day otherwise he stinks...

Bath or shower every day, hair wash every other.

Even the NHS say it's not necessary to bathe a baby every day.
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/washing-your-baby.aspx#

As does mayo clinic. Google "bath baby every day." and you will see.

Similarly if you Google "shower every day?" you will come up with recent research questioning whether that's a good thing. Especially for delicate skin.

Honestly just because something is your "norm" doesn't make it right.

it beggars belief this discussion is taking place in the 21st century in a first world country.

We don't refer to 'first world countries' these days.

Bathe and Shower your DC every Day!! They will thank you in later life for the good habits you instilled in them.

I'd rather my baby thanks me for not having eczema.

I really don’t find showers pleasurable. They certainly aren’t “pampering”. They are something unpleasant that must be endured.

Our 10 year old DD bath every night, hair wash as an when needed. But we all have a quick dip/ wash daily but save water by using the same n topping up if it cold. Just shown how old I am. Lol

Interesting thread! I'm out the house for 15 hours on work days so I do not waste precious time showering between shifts! I wash my face, armpits and bits after work. That means if I do 3 long shifts in a row I don't shower for 3 days! I haven't rotted away so far and I've no complaints of body odour yet from my colleagues I do of course shower/bath after the last shift and on my days off. My 5 year old child gets showered twice a week unless she's really minging.

The original question was 'need' not 'want'. Very different.

Several reasons why I only have a bath once a week ish:
When someone has a bath in my house there is not enough hot water to do the washing up and vice versa.
I have very dry skin, don’t sweat much at all even tho I exercise a lot so I do not need a bath every day.
Quite frankly I can’t be arsed!
Also my shower is shit so that’s not a wonderful pampering experience for me either.
I can assure you that I do not smell, ds has Aspergers, is very sensitive to smells and would certainly not sugar coat the truth for me, in fact he would delight in telling me that I smelled if I did.
So sorry SoyYo that you are disgusted with me, sorry I don’t live in a perfect house with an unlimited supply of hot water like you do. Why don’t you have your lovely baths whenever you want and leave me to enjoy my supposed hygiene ignorance 😀

When I was a child I had a bath and hair wash once a week.
Obviously when I was a teenager it was more often (but considering how much I was bullied, if i'd smelt, then it would have been pointed out!), but only twice a week then.

Yes, if a child is filthy, they nees to be washed, but usually a quick baby wipe is fine (and handwashing of course)
Once a week is plenty

shboogle agree completely. With everything you said

bad habits inherited, maybe hygiene ignorance or simple lazyness?

SoyYo I'm afraid the hygiene ignorance is yours, if you really think such a neurotic regime is mandatory for hygiene reasons.

If you like baths and showers, and can afford endless hot water, knock yourself out. Other people clearly have other ways of keeping their skin clean and healthy.

Thanks Nickel. Yes my sister and I only had a bath once a week and she was terribly bullied, never about being smelly tho. Considering how laid back I have always been about bathing, strangely ds1 is obsessive about showering, can’t even go outside with the rubbish if he hasn’t had a shower cos he feels dirty! I certainly didn’t pass that habit on to him. When he’s home from Uni the washing up never gets done cos there’s never any hot water!

7 year old DD. Body wash daily, hair wash every other day. She has long hair which gets all sorts of mucky on a typical school day.

I just think of all the chemicals on your children's skin if you bath them everyday on bubble bath, johnsons have paid out millions in compensation as it's been proven their baby powder has caused ovarian cancer😕

I'm surprised at the preteens/teens who don't like showering. As a kid I had no use for it, but once I hit puberty it became VERY important to me, I was super self conscious. I remember my parents actually yelling at me for showering everyday (we had a well that frequently ran dry. Dark days at 14)
Ill agree that your "bits" do need to be washed daily, even kids right??