WWYD if your nanny did this? - Page 4

[EviesMom]

I think you should ask first, but I bet they'll find that a relief to have you take over the bathing duties.

I ask our sitter to bathe DD, but not DS. It's purely based on age. I get in the tub with DS, because he's 18 months old. DD is 5, and while I stay in the bathroom with her, she pretty much bathes herself and just needs some help washing and rinsing hair. The sitter used to bathe DD and her best friend when we were sharing the sitter. The girls must have been 3 or so.

Until about a month ago, though DS was never in the tub without DH or I IN the tub as well. We can keep a better hold on him that way, and not worry about him slipping under the water. DH is lately comfortable not getting in the tub with him, but holding him from outside the tub. I'm fine with DH doing that, but I don't do it. DS is a little water bug though, and likes to drink the water and stick his face in, which freaks me right out.

I make sure we do a bath once a week on swim days to rinse out chlorine (DD hates the gym showers) and then I aim for 1-2 more baths, but not on any schedule. Just when they look grimy or want to splash. In winter, it's been fine to just do a good hair washing on the swim days and a general rinse on the others.

Last summer I didn't worry about more than 2-3 baths a week either because tiny DS showered with me in the shower sling; if it was often enough for Mama, it'll do for baby IMO. And DD was in the sprinkler daily, which did fine for general rinsing off. We'll see what happens now that it's getting warmer though.

[coffee.caugh]

i do not understand for the life of me why people can go so long without bathing their children. that is nasty and MEAN! would they want to go a week without a shower? i doubt it.

a bath is not only good hygiene but its routine its relaxing for the baby/kid it's fun for them and you can sit still yourself!
my goodness!! that just irks me.::

[Ironica]

Gah. Our kids don't get baths near as often as I would like to. Practically every night at bedtime, I realize I once again failed to get DS1 a bath, and he could use it. I keep meaning to have him go take a bath while I'm making dinner, but at the time, I always forget.

But... our nanny does bathe both the boys sometimes, and I'm fine with it. She never asked about it. As others have pointed out, if I had a problem with this person bathing my kids, I'd have a problem with her being alone with them at all.

FTR, our kids don't stink... or if they do, I get them cleaned up pronto. We do wash hands and if DS1's face is dirty at bedtime, it gets a washcloth. We've started brushing his teeth every night too. And we change DS1's clothes every day, PJs every few days. DS2 gets clean clothes when his clothes get dirty... which does not in any way correspond to the clock ;-) he may wear 2 or 3 different shirts in a single day, or keep the same one on for two days, depending on what he eats, whether we have potty misses, whether he spits up, etc. I would be concerned about neglect in the case of these children, given what you've said. Not bathing daily does not equal stinky kids.

[CEG]

My son has eczema and if we bathe him more than twice a week he breaks out terribly and is itchy/bleeding/crying. We do change his clothes often and clean periodically with a wet cloth as needed though. Our DD is close in age and they usually bathe together so she is on his schedule. Though I'm sure you would know if any of the kids had this issue. Another possibility is that it does not occur to my husband to wash/change clothes so perhaps one of the parents is in charge of the kids on the bad mornings and the other who is the usual bather/cleaner/changer is unaware of it.

Maybe you could call at work one day and say "Suzie got tons of food in her hair, do you mind if I throw them in the bath?" If they don't mind you can just do it from then on.