Would u leave a 4 yo old in the bath for a few minutes?

[Neera]

Dd wants to play in the water for a little bit after we finsh rinsing. There's no water collected in the tub but just running water when I leave her there for about 5 mins to play for a bit (usually pouring water from a plastic up with a spout into another cup) bfor I take her out.

Edited by Neera - 3/18/11 at 12:39pm

[Marsupialmom]

Yes I did.  At that age bath time moved to play then mom reminding them to clean all their body parts and helping them washing their hair.  That was the age that we moved away from parent washing unless they needed help.

One thing we did teach was about hot water.  I remember practicing with them several times and then letting them doing it while watch. Moving to asking permission first.  Then freedom.  Showing them how to handle with they turn the water the wrong way -- not freaking but moving and getting help.    

[midnightwriter]

I'd rather leave some water in the tub, than have it running. I'd be worried that a toy could plug the drain, and the water could rise higher than my comfort level.

I'd certainly leave a 4 yo in a few inches of water to play in a tub! My worry would be for a child to fall backwards and become submerged, so I'd leave less water than that.

[LynnS6]

Why not? My only objection would be the waste of running water while she played in it.  When my dd was that  age, I'd let her stay as long as I could hear her (and I could 90% of the time.)

[Neera]

That's true. I think I shud leave a little bit of water in the tub without the water running. Thanks for the tip.

Originally Posted by LynnS6 

Why not? My only objection would be the waste of running water while she played in it.  When my dd was that  age, I'd let her stay as long as I could hear her (and I could 90% of the time.)

 

Edited by Neera - 3/19/11 at 1:45pm

[Neera]

Originally Posted by midnightwriter 

I'd rather leave some water in the tub, than have it running. I'd be worried that a toy could plug the drain, and the water could rise higher than my comfort level.

I'd certainly leave a 4 yo in a few inches of water to play in a tub! My worry would be for a child to fall backwards and become submerged, so I'd leave less water than that.

Thanks. I agree about the drain getting plugged by mistake although this one's old and not efficient.

[Alyantavid]

Of course.  My 4.5 year old gets to play as long as he likes once I'm done washing him.  I don't leave any water running though, just fill it to where I'm comfortable.

[AllisonR]

Yes, I do. I listen. Lots of splashing, laughter, even complaining mean everything is fine. If it is quiet, or there are "water sounds without people sounds", then I ask them how they are doing. If I ever didn't get a quick reply I would go in and check. I also tend to listen and check more when it is only 1 alone in the bath. If both of mine are in at once, there is always lots of noise. Mine are 4 and 6 but I have been doing this since they were 2 or 3. First leaving the bathroom just to go get a hairbrush, then to go off for longer times to do laundry. I am on the same level though, so they are reasonably close by.

[kittykat2481]

Originally Posted by AllisonR 

Yes, I do. I listen. Lots of splashing, laughter, even complaining mean everything is fine. If it is quiet, or there are "water sounds without people sounds", then I ask them how they are doing. If I ever didn't get a quick reply I would go in and check. I also tend to listen and check more when it is only 1 alone in the bath. If both of mine are in at once, there is always lots of noise. Mine are 4 and 6 but I have been doing this since they were 2 or 3. First leaving the bathroom just to go get a hairbrush, then to go off for longer times to do laundry. I am on the same level though, so they are reasonably close by.

This is basically what we do too, only I just have a 3 year old. I'll step out to get his pj's ready, start a load of laundry, or something. As long as I can hear him talking to himself and playing I figure everything's ok. I don't think he'd ever try to get out of the tub by himself while I was gone, but he's tall enough and coordinated enough that he'd be fine if he did. If he gets quiet for more than a second, I just peak around the corner to make sure he's ok. I'll usually say/ask something to get him talking again lol. I also wouldn't leave water running in case it suddenly changed temperature or something. Also, if water is running then I can't hear him as well in there. I like the house fairly quiet so I can hear him while I'm running around. I'd say he has about 6-8 inches of water in there... just enough to cover his hiney up while he plays so he doesn't get cold. :)
 

[Shannie77]

Originally Posted by AllisonR 

Yes, I do. I listen. Lots of splashing, laughter, even complaining mean everything is fine. If it is quiet, or there are "water sounds without people sounds", then I ask them how they are doing. If I ever didn't get a quick reply I would go in and check. I also tend to listen and check more when it is only 1 alone in the bath. If both of mine are in at once, there is always lots of noise. Mine are 4 and 6 but I have been doing this since they were 2 or 3. First leaving the bathroom just to go get a hairbrush, then to go off for longer times to do laundry. I am on the same level though, so they are reasonably close by.

This is what we have done too.

[ecoteat]

Thanks for this thread. DD is 4.5 and I usually sit in the bathroom and read or knit while she's in the tub (which isn't that often, actually!), but I wonder if it's ok for me to leave the room. Even though I know she's fine in there, I still worry a bit! But she's definitely a chatty one, and would be giving a running commentary of what all of her toys were doing, so I'd hear that.

[weliveintheforest]

I left my dd alone in the tub at 4.  As long as you are checking often, I don't see a problem.

[mommy2maya]

at 4yo my dd was running her own baths and showers.  I don't think that most 4yos need constant supervision in the bath tub.  My almost three year old is ok in the bath unattended, but I stay on the same floor as her.  

[leighi123]

I've left ds in the bath by himself for a while, but Im in the next room (my sewing room) and can hear him the whole time, if I move across the room a little I can even see him in the mirror.  He sings and talks to himself all the time in the bath, so I just check on him when he goes quiet.  

He isnt allowed to get out unless I'm there, he yells for me when he is done.  I usually wash him first and then let him play as long as he wants to (it keeps him entertained!)

[Peppermint Poppies]

I leave my almost-4yr old alone in the tub, although he is a total chatterbox and never stops talking. If there is silence, I immediately check that everything is OK.

I'm lucky that our bathroom comes directly off the kitchen, so I can bathe DS and cook dinner at the same time - I can see him at all times, and he's only a few feet away if something happens. I thought it was a strange architectural choice at first, but it's really handy.

[kawa kamuri]

I leave my 4yo in the tub with no running water. I don't take off and go grocery shopping, just to the other room where I can hear and check up on her. 

[meemee]

at 3.  she is a water baby so she could stay in there for an hour. however at that age i was there with her mostly and it was our favourite place to eat breakfast on my days off. 

she could be alone in there only if she sang or talked - as long as i could hear her. otherwise she had to get out. she'd usually hum. i wanted her to do that because she always chose the worst time to stay silent when i was in the middle of something and i'd have to dash. 

i am not sure if i ever conciously did water safety with her. she;s always been with me near water - she'd be in one part of the sink and i'd be in the other part doing dishes. and i've always done water safety with her. temperature of water and head above water.

[reezley]

Originally Posted by AllisonR 

Yes, I do. I listen. Lots of splashing, laughter, even complaining mean everything is fine. If it is quiet, or there are "water sounds without people sounds", then I ask them how they are doing. If I ever didn't get a quick reply I would go in and check. I also tend to listen and check more when it is only 1 alone in the bath. If both of mine are in at once, there is always lots of noise. Mine are 4 and 6 but I have been doing this since they were 2 or 3. First leaving the bathroom just to go get a hairbrush, then to go off for longer times to do laundry. I am on the same level though, so they are reasonably close by.

We do exactly this, and my boys are 4 and 6 too.  I've been comfortable doing it this way for probably about a year.

[hakeber]

Depends on the kid, obviously, but 4?  Unless I had a particularly slippy tub, I don't see why not.  By then DS knew better than to try standing up, and was an excellent swimmer already, so I had no qualms with leaving him in a half filled tub of water.  He usually had blue lips before I could get him to come out peacefully.

[dawncayden]

At 3 I started leaving ds for bits at a time.