Kid alone in the bath

[Woodsy]

This may sound like a crazy question, but someone recently criticised us for letting our 7-year-old boy bathe unsupervised. While he's in the tub, we never leave the house, and the bathroom door is not shut all the way, so that we can hear him if he needs help or anything.

I think that the average 7-year-old boy is capable of bathing without constant supervision. Am I alone in this?

 

[marciebaby]

Our 5 year old son bathes alone. We peek in occassionally, but he's fine by himself. Who are these people who criticized you?

 

[Leanna]

By 7 he is definitely okay. I was taking shower by myself by that age....

 

[Woodsy]

Thanks, folks!
You know how it is - when someone reacts with surprise over some parenting choice of yours, you sometimes ask yourself, "Are they right? Am I crazy? Am I a bad parent?"

 

[Leanna]

Yes I understand....

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

Depends on the child. If he or she is still splashing around in the tub, supervision is necessary. Too many drownings have taken place because a kid gets a little rambunctious in the tub, hits his head and drowns.

My son is seven and still a splasher. I don't think that tush of his ever sits in one place in there. When he takes a bath, the door stays part way open and when he stops chattering in there, one of us will usually call in a question like, "Did you say something?" or "Hey, is the water still warm enough?" just to get him to respond. We don't want to make it sound like we're checking up on him so those questions usually work.

So, yes, when your child settles in with a good book or is just relaxing, he is old enough. If he's in there playing, you need to be cautious.

 

[Katydid]

Well, our solution works well. Rather than my 8 yr. old (7 when this started) taking baths by himself, we have him shower. In all honesty, it started because the tub is in use when he needs a shower, by his 4 yr. old brother and 2 yr. old sister, but it still makes us feel better knowing that he can't really drown in the shower.

OK runoff question. When should my two younger children stop bathing together?

 

[Linnis]

My Nephew is seven years old, he either takes a shower or a bath alone as in washing himself and all that but the bathroom door is wide open. I agree with OreGal, I watch him more when he's playing in the tub as in I peek in every 5 minutes or so and keep the TV low or off so I can hear if he falls.

He whiped out pretty good a few weeks ago and I ran in there...scared us both

I'm really careful around my nephew and water. Kids can drownd in so little water so I'd rather be safer than sorry. Also my nephew isn't as consious of things going on around him which we're working on so that may have something to do with it. If he paid more attention to things I'd let him do more alone. Probably in a year or so he'll be responcible enough to shower completely alone. He can now make his own breakfast by using the toaster so he is growing up.

I took a bath with my brother until I was four. After my 4th birthday, and my brother was almost 7 my mum said we were too big to have baths together anymore. My Dad was the same. I do not know why because we didn't know enough to be embrassed or anything but they made the choice 4 & 7 were the ages it stopped.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

.

OK runoff question. When should my two younger children stop bathing together?

My personal feeling...when one of them becomes self conscious about it. For some kids this is later and some kids this is earlier but usually seems to be between the ages of 6 to 8 at least in the kids I know.

 

[andiesmama]

Andie's 3 and she takes a shower more or less "alone"....she's informed me many a time that she can do it "all by myself" Sooooo....I'll let her get started playing & stuff, then come get on the computer (which is right across the hall) & after 5 or 10 minutes, I'll head back in there to supervise the washing of body & hair.

If she's taking a bath, though, I don't really leave her alone because she likes to "swim" & pretend she's a mermaid!

 

[Lisa0315]

Age 7 is plenty old enough. I think I used to start the bath water to make sure they didn't burn themselves, but I always thought the whole point of parenting was to teach our children how to do things for themselves.

 

[Neenie1]

I would think 7 is old enough.


Our 3 yo has a bath when we are not in the room, but just outside the room, often I will use bath time to fold washing or clean the bathroom. This is just ouside the bathroom, so I know EXACTLY what he is up to.

 

[forestberry]

My nephew is 2 1/2 and my sister-in-law lets him bath sortof by himself. She puts about 3 or 4 inches of water in the tub, lifts him in and gives him some toys. Then she leaves him be fore about 15 minutes but stays within ear shot. After that she goes in and washes him.
I thought that boys were begining to develop a sense of privacy by that age. I know of one boy who hurt his private parts at age 8 and he wouldn't even let his mother check to see if he needed to go to emerge.

 

[Paid in full]

7 is old enough..but saying that I sometimes have to supervise my 9 yaer old son in the bath as he would spend more time playing than washing!!!!

 

[Princessperky]

I wouldn't say all 7 year olds can wash up right, but I would say that so long as you are in hearing things should be fine.

Course I also walk out on my 3 year old, (door open) but since I have watched him dunk under and come back up laughing (on purpose) I really don't worry too much so long as I can hear him. Now on actually getting clean that is another matter! he is getting there though.

 

[HeyHomie]

For Pete's sake! Who criticizes a parent for letting a 7-year-old take a bath by himself? A 7-year-old kid would have to try to drown in a bathtub!

 

[GutterRat]

Ok- when my 3 year old takes her bath we don't sit there with her. We are not far away - but we are not in the same room with her.

 

[appleofhiseye]

For Pete's sake! Who criticizes a parent for letting a 7-year-old take a bath by himself? A 7-year-old kid would have to try to drown in a bathtub!

funny!

 

[Katie12]

well i dont thin kthat its strange i mean i still give my son and my nephews a bath and their all 5,i mean,i know Sasha(there mum) is about to let them start takin a bath on their own but i dont think im going to let Andrew do that till hes at least 6 or 7.


Blessed be,
Katie

 

[Joykins]

I have a 4 year old and even at this age I worry far, far less about safety and much more about how much water ends up on the bathroom floor and out of the tub...