Shower vs bathtub

[HappilyEvrAfter]

Does it matter which one a kid takes? Am I missing a valid point about whether a kid should take a shower versus a bath? Or is it a household preferential thing, strictly.

My parents have three young girls under the age of 7 and they are all made to take showers. Must be something cause of my step-mom; I took baths forever as a kid when I lived with my dad.
My son came home from his dad's and told me before bath time that he def wanted to take a bath (not shower) because he wasn't allowed to take one there (was made to take a shower).

Personally I don't care as long as there's water and soap involved at least several times a week. Lol.
But is there ANY valid point for one over the other?
...besides time contraints of course. I can see that being an issue.

Are there any other points of view that I might be missing? Is this something I should be forcing him to transition to?

[4evermom]

The only thing I can think of is water conservation (with a short shower) or speed (kids might play less in the shower). We have huge tubs and I cringe to have them all the way filled for a quick bath. I don't dictate one or the other. The shower might be better for getting hair washed (do the girls have long hair?) but I figure a soak in the tub is better for other parts.

[Alyantavid]

I let mine decide. I can't imagine why one would be any better than the other. My kids at least love to play and could spend a lot of time in the shower or bath.

[4evermom]

I do have a friend who just thinks baths are kind of gross, that you just stew in your own dirty water and don't get really clean.

Oh, I thought of a good one! Showers are probably better than soaking in sudsy water if you are prone to urinary tract infections. I think that tends to be more of an problem with girls.

[Youngfrankenstein]

I just feel like the shower gets them cleaner. More rinsed off, too. And it's quicker. My 4 yr old takes baths more recreationally.

[Ceili]

For us baths are more playtime/relaxing and showers are for getting clean (quickly). If ds takes a bath I usually shower him off when he's done playing in the tub because it's significantly easier to get his hair clean with the showerhead.

[HappilyEvrAfter]

: Hmmm, ok. Good perspectives.

Right, the girls might take showers because of the dreaded "red cootie" syndrome. Very likely. Hadn't thought of that...and UTI too. True, true.

Very good points.
I guess one reason I keep him with the baths is that we've always had ear problems and I just cannot fathom why his father would force the issue knowing that?
Hmmm, I guess that's a whole other topic though!

[spirit4ever]

I personally prefer showers BUT I do let my children decide what they want!!
They still need help even in the shower, but it is easier to wash their hair!!

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

The only time I force a shower is when we have very limited time because its faster than waiting for the bath tub to fill up. We also limit time in the shower due to water use restrictions. If they want to play in the water they have to take a bath so there is less waste. But other than the occassional "we really need to get into bed quickly", they can choose whether they want a short shower or a long bath.

It is easier to wash hair in the shower but both of my kids generally choose a shower often enough each week to keep their hair clean.

If I had more than 2 children or fewer than 2 bathrooms I might force showers as the norm in the interest of time. If I only had one bathroom I don't think I would want my DD in the middle of a 30 minute bath/play session when big brother needed to use the toilet. Or if there were several kids close in age and on the same bedtime schedule I can see each one wanting a long bath as a potential problem.

Also, if you worried about a child drowning in the tub you might feel that a shower, without the risk of standing water, was safer and thus took less supervision. So you might opt for showers in the interest of freeing your own time and attention.

[eepster]

We do both depending on circumstances.

• If DS is basically clean and just wants time to play in the water, then he gets a plain water bath, but must pee in the potty first to eliminate the risk of peeing in the bath water.
• If he's kind of dirty and wants to play in the water, then he gets a bath with soap and/or shampoo, but when he is ready to get out he gets a quick rinse from the shower (we have a hand held so this is really easy.
• If he is very dirty, he gets a shower, so he isn't just spreading the ick all over himself.
• If we are in a rush, he showers with me.

I really do feel that showers get one cleaner, since you aren't just sitting in the dirty, soapy water.

Originally Posted by Evan&Anna's_Mom

Also, if you worried about a child drowning in the tub you might feel that a shower, without the risk of standing water, was safer and thus took less supervision. So you might opt for showers in the interest of freeing your own time and attention.

I've always thought of showers as requiring more supervision, not less. Since the child is standing it is easy for them to slip. The constantly flowing water can change temperature suddenly (even if your child can be trusted not to touch the knobs water pressure fluctuates) scalding a child. Should a toy, bar of soap, wash cloth, bottle of shampoo, whatever block the drain, then pretty quickly the drowning risk would be back anyway.

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

Originally Posted by eepster

I've always thought of showers as requiring more supervision, not less.

I think it could go either way, depending on age and behavior of the child. But the OP asked why another family would force a shower for children, rather than allowing baths. Trying to see into someone else's mind..

[Bug-a-Boo's Mama]

I mainly took baths until I was 10-11. I then switched to showers, but still took baths sometimes.

K usually takes baths. But he has recently gotten into the shower thing. But it is more for playing than for cleaning. I try and keep his showers on the shorter side because I think it wastes more water than him taking a bath, but it might not.

When I was a child, I remember meeting someone whose family didn't take baths because she said it was like sitting in your own dirty water.

[NicaG]

My ds had really bad eczema when he was a baby and toddler. As soon as he could safely take a shower (around 3), we tried that to see if it would help the eczema. And it did! So we stuck with showers. He liked it better, and I found it easier. I've always hated baths myself.

[lisac77]

DS, who is 6, just started preferring showers over baths... and I prefer them too, for the simple reason that it was very difficult to get him out of the bath quickly. He can shower and get very clean in 5 minutes.

[lovbeingamommy]

Originally Posted by 4evermom

I do have a friend who just thinks baths are kind of gross, that you just stew in your own dirty water and don't get really clean.

Yeah, this would be me. My DS has always taken showers because it's quicker, easier, and I think he gets cleaner this way.

[onlyzombiecat]

When my dd was young she was terrified of showers. Only in the last few years has she started tolerating them. I don't think one is better than the other in general. If you have a medical condition one might be preferable to another.

shower pros for my family-
less time consuming
easier to wash hair
everything gets rinsed off down the drain- no soap residue, no sitting in dirty water
less splashing

bath pros for my family-
entertainment
more social
quiet and soothing

[nolansmummy]

Dd hates showers, she is scared of the water falling, she doesn't like sprinklers either.
Ds gets to chose. he loves the shower.

[Polliwog]

Originally Posted by HappilyEvrAfter

Right, the girls might take showers because of the dreaded "red cootie" syndrome.

The what?

[HappilyEvrAfter]

Originally Posted by Polliwog

The what?

Lol. That's what they've been taught to call their vagina. They're sensative girls.
When they stay in the water too long with soaps the get red rashes in that area.

[4evermom]

Originally Posted by HappilyEvrAfter

Lol. That's what they've been taught to call their vagina. They're sensative girls.
When they stay in the water too long with soaps the get red rashes in that area.

What?? I wonder how all the "girls have cooties" jokes are going to effect them...