how old was your child when you let him or her take a bath without you in the room? - Page 3

[Jenifer76]

Leave them completely alone - I haven't yet. They would play the whole time and never actually do any cleaning of their bodies. But I will pop in and out of the bathroom. I honestly can't remember when I started doing that. I think when DD was around 2 and DS was 5.

[mamazee]

I think dd was 3 when I felt like she could handle a bath on her own. I wouldn't at 13 months at all. They try to stand up and walk in the bath.

[Polliwog]

Originally Posted by marlee

Well I'll go against the grain here. I wish to have no negative comments.

First my house is very small. Second I never have noise in my house like music or TV when the children are bathing. Third my children have very cautious and safe personalities yes children but very physically safe.

My first child bathed alone I'm sure by 13 months. Very often we would bathe together but when alone I didn't sit with her. She never splashed or moved quickly. She sat there and played with toys. I would open the door all the way and clean the bathroom or kitchen (3 steps from bathroom). No worries. If she were to slip and fall it's not like she is going to die or be anymore likely than if she fell walking around our house? Or drown? I am right there.

My 2nd has baths alone all the time as well. Now 17 months, maybe started around 12 months. He's splashes more and moves more so I put him in a 'baby tub' in the big tub so he doesn't walk around. He is supervised but I am not within arms reach and not visually watching all the time but always listening. Again the kitchen is 3 steps away. But I do have to step backwards from the counter to see him.

If they are both in I supervise visually much more like wash the bathroom floor.

My 4 year old bathes alone all the time and often with the door shut. Trust me if she get's any water on her face I am going to hear about it.

Oh and my children don't make a water mess very often. Usually the worst is throwing the soaking wet cloth on the floor.

I really wouldn't be that keen on bathing my children if I had to sit right there the whole time!

With both my children they will at times request company and then my bathroom gets very clean.

I feel my children are well supervised and in case of an accident I would be able to help them with what they need.

Wow. Just reading that terrifies me.

[seaheroine]

Originally Posted by Tuckergirl

I rarely post over here, mostly a lurker, but this I HAVE to say something about.

I don't care how small a house is, a baby or young toddler can drown SILENTLY in minutes.

A big YEAH THAT. My sister actually had a silent seizure in the tub around two...thank god my Mom was sitting right there on the toilet. My sister just slipped under.

I don't think I'd even consider a 5yo old enough to be unsupervised - certainly not my 5yo niece. Maybe 7yo with the door open/cracked. I don't leave my 2yo for five seconds.

[Mama Mko]

I feel comfortable leaving my 4.5 year old for several minutes, but not my 2.5 year old.

[Alyantavid]

I probably wouldn't at 13 months, but certainly by 2 I was leaving for a few minutes. My youngest son is now 3.5 and I'm usually in the other room most of his bathtime. Our house is fairly small, the bathroom's right in the center of the house and his bath time is a good time to clean up from dinner. Maybe if he were a quieter bather, I would worry, but he's constantly singing or talking so I know he's fine.

My older son is 7 and usually showers completely by himself downstairs.

[mumkimum]

Well, probably closer to age 2 I'd do things in the hallway outside the bathroom or in other rooms nearby that were quick (ie. gather up laundry, etc.) with the bathroom door open while dd had her bath (sometimes these were REALLY LONG baths). At 3.5 now I'll run downstairs to get some clean laundry quickly or something like that, but I try to be on the same floor and able to see her or check in alot if I'm trying to do something where I can't. I spend most of the time sitting in the bathroom with her otherwise, and took the opportunity to do bathroom cleaningr.

[angelpie545]

I felt comfortable leaving my kids for small amounts of time once they were about four or so, or once I knew they could swim reasonably well. At 9 and almost 7, they now both draw their own bathwater and bathe themselves with no issues, although I do check each time to make sure they are actually soaping and washing.

[Llyra]

At that age, I'll go around the corner for a second to get a towel or check on the other kids, or something, but never for more than ten seconds. At that age, they're still so unsteady on their feet, and very likely to fall, hit their heads, and slide under the water before you know what happened. Kids that age have drowned in puddles, or in only an inch of water in a pail.

By about 2 1/2, I might stay away a minute or two, but only if I can hear them chattering-- if the talking, singing, giggling, etc., stops, I fly in there.

But I do let my 5 year old bathe alone, with me on the same floor as her. I keep an ear on her-- if I can hear her talking and playing, she's okay, and I poke my head in every two or three minutes. If she gets silent, I fly in there to check she's okay.

It really is true that drowning can happen very quickly, and without a sound. I'm trying, as they get older, to strike a balance between being watchful, and giving them some room to develop independence. So I try to watch, without them knowing I'm watching, KWIM? That's why I'll sit just out of sight, outside the bathroom door, and just take a peek every half minute or so. So they feel alone and independent, but in reality I'm watching like a hawk.

[inkslinger]

Never that young...13 months is way too young, imo. My girls are 3 & 5 and they usually take baths together. I usually hang out in the bathroom with them, but I will run out to grab something and run back in. I don't leave them unattended for more than a few seconds at a time. I would probably feel okay with my 5 year old taking a bath (mostly) alone, but definitely not if her sister is in there with her.

[HappilyEvrAfter]

I didn't really base it on an age, but we started playing the "how long can you hold your breath under water?" game during bath time.
About the time he was able to hold his face under water to the count of ten-ish is when I started darting in and out (mostly staying in).

I completely understand that this isn't a gurantee that he'd hold his breath if he fell over over knocked his head, but it did up my comfort level that he was able hold his breath that long. Going to the pool and swim lessons upped my confidence that he was safe in the bath by himself for longer periods of time

I think he was about 4...almost 5 when he started being able to do that. Up till that time I just wasn't comfortable...the risk outweighted the benefit for me. If I needed to be out of the bathroom that long for something that couldn't wait then I'd either postpone or shorten bathtime. However, we happen to have a fairly flexible evening routine....you might not.

He takes a shower now, but even now if he does take a bath I'm not usually out of the bathroom for more than 2 mins.
Besides, we live in a super small house so I could be to the bathroom in 15 steps even at the furthest part.

And, really, the kid never stops talking so anytime he pauses longer than a breath it peaks my alarm.

[DaughterOfKali]

6 yrs old. Even then, I'm only about 10 ft away. And I keep the door open a little so that I can hear him.

[claras_mom]

Three, maybe? That's what I'm remembering. Dd1 is one of those noisy, noisy bathers, so it was pretty easy to keep tabs on her from a short distance away (in our old house, the living room was no more than 10 feet from the bathroom). She's five now and I'm really comfortable having her in the bathroom by herself, albeit with the door wide open. Still very noisy.

Before that, she was usually in her duck tub, and bathing was a much shorter affair.

[Teenytoona]

Somewhere between 3 and 5, though I don't remember exactly, and it wasn't long periods at first. A little bit here and there. However at about the same age they both learned to be great swimmers, so we had less worries. With our youngest, she's still supervised and will be until she's well learned in the water.

[PhotoJournMama]

At nearly two, I have never left my son in the bathtub alone - if I forget a towel, I will call my husband to bring one in for us. Some of these replies are really terrifying (and maybe a bit naive?). And I have to say, my son is extremely advanced (basically doing everything a 3 year old would do, just a bit shorter haha) and still, absolutely NO WAY.

[nextcommercial]

I am not even CLOSE to being overprotective. I was probably way underprotective. I let her play alone in the tub when she was almost three. But, I was in the chair right outside the bathroom. By age four, I filled the tub, got her cleaned, and she'd call me later to say "I need more hot water", Or "I'm ready to get out".

[queenjane]

Originally Posted by PhotoJournMama

At nearly two, I have never left my son in the bathtub alone - if I forget a towel, I will call my husband to bring one in for us. Some of these replies are really terrifying (and maybe a bit naive?). And I have to say, my son is extremely advanced (basically doing everything a 3 year old would do, just a bit shorter haha) and still, absolutely NO WAY.

I dunno...i think your view is a little alarmist. what do you think is going to happen when you "go get a towel" (presumably a few feet from the bathroom? at least most homes are set up with linen closets near the bathroom), that you could prevent if you were, say, sitting in the bathroom? You might not react quickly enough if he fell, even if you were right there. Presumably if you ran to get a towel, and he did fall, have a seizure, start to drown i would imagine it would only take a few seconds to get to him.

I'm actually surprised to read that people are sitting IN the bathroom with a five or six yr old (as some others have said) for fear Something Bad Will Happen.

I think the biggest concern i have in leaving my two 2 yr olds in the tub "alone" is simply losing track of time, thinking i'm gone a minute or two but its five yknow? i live in a small apt and can pretty much hear and see the bathroom from every other room. The biggest issue i've had is them pouring water OUT of the tub.

My older son was bathing alone at three without incident, i'd check in, keep the door open, call out to him often, and the bathroom was situated so i could do other things around the main floor and still be close by.

I wouldnt leave a 13 month old though.

[eepster]

Originally Posted by queenjane

I dunno...i think your view is a little alarmist. what do you think is going to happen when you "go get a towel" (presumably a few feet from the bathroom? at least most homes are set up with linen closets near the bathroom), that you could prevent if you were, say, sitting in the bathroom?

Originally Posted by eepster

I only just started going a few feet outside the bathroom to grab a towel when DS was around 3 3/4 yo. Just a couple of days ago (DS will be 4 yo next week,) I went to go grab a towel and DS decided to sit on the side of the tub and slipped over backwards hitting his head on the tile floor. He was OK after a quick snuggle, but it could have been much worse.

If I hadn't stepped out to get a towel, I'd have told him not to get up as soon as he started to stand, well before he turned around and sat on the side of the tub.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by marlee

Well I'll go against the grain here.

No negative comments, just total jealousy that your kids SIT in the tub. I've stepped over to grab a towel, in our tiny tiny bathroom, and turned back to see Lina's leg up on the side of the tub ready to try climbing over.

I do think that your kids are a bit unusual and that it'd take some observation and caution before someone could handle things with another child the way you can with them.

[mamazee]

Originally Posted by PhotoJournMama

At nearly two, I have never left my son in the bathtub alone - if I forget a towel, I will call my husband to bring one in for us. Some of these replies are really terrifying (and maybe a bit naive?). And I have to say, my son is extremely advanced (basically doing everything a 3 year old would do, just a bit shorter haha) and still, absolutely NO WAY.

Your child isn't even quite 2 yet, by your siggie, and an advanced 2-year-old is still a 2-year-old. My 3-year-old was reading, so was advanced, but that isn't why she could stay in the tub alone. Three year olds are as different from 2-year-olds as 2-year-olds are from 1-year-olds.