Frequency of shower/bath

[Dom Tuk]

In the winter how often would you shower or bathe your children aged 7 and 10. I think twice a week is sufficient in the winter and increase the frequency in the summer. A parent i nspoke to said she showers her kids everyday (aged 4,7). I think it is excessive. Am i wrong.

[woofgang]

I don't think a daily shower or bath for anyone is excessive, but I guess that would depend on how much interim washing occurs and how thorough that is

[andy hughes]

I would agree with woofgang. Showering and bathing in winter were traditionally less than in summer because most homes did not have central heating, or enough changes of clothes to allow what was seen as a luxury. these days, daily bathing summer and winter is quite the norm - but still a matter of personal preference.

[Gevs]

Personally I think teaching children to shower and wash properly will only stand them in good stead when it comes to their personal hygeine in the future. Especially when they hit puberty and are at school with others when bullying could start over such an issue etc

[keen2learn]

When I had my first kids, over 30 years ago, I bathed them once or twice a week and washed them in between because we didn't have running hot water and and that seemed to be the norm in those days. My younger children have been bathed daily; times and societal expectations of personal hygiene have changed. The difference is that the older boys had to be nagged into cleanliness in their teens, when people get smelly and need to wash more, whereas the younger ones naturally continued their daily bathing habit and have always been a pleasure to be around. Given a choice, I would definitely opt for daily bathing. And I agree with Gevs about the potential for bullying - I remember kids at school being picked on and called 'Fleabag' etc because they were grubby.

[EssJay1]

I go with every day and now that my eldest has gone through the horrid smelly teenage years, he's showering every day.  Yippee!

[Elfin]

Crikey, you lot aren't very environmentally friendly are you!!!  Bathing all your kids every day - and yourselves???  Is it really necessary?  I'd say that as long as young kids wash their hands and faces regularly, bathing twice a week is adequate at any time of year.  During puberty bathing more often would be advisable and especially when it's hot.

We should take a lot more care not to consume many hundreds of gallons of water a week per household via bathing, dishwasher and endless loads in the washing machine, and especially not just because you are worried about being perceived as pikey! There is some middle ground here!

[FP]

I can't imagine not showering every day and although it's probably not essential it is nice to feel confident and smell nice.  I always found it a great deal easier to bathe children every day than to go for all over washes and bathtimes were fun! 

 

Elfin, I always show and rarely bath, so I don't use loads of water!

[FP]

I can't imagine not showering every day and although it's probably not essential it is nice to feel confident and smell nice.  I always found it a great deal easier to bathe children every day than to go for all over washes and bathtimes were fun! 

 

Elfin, I always shower and rarely bath, so I don't use loads of water!

[FP]

sorry, I  edited show to shower but the gremlins took over and posted twice!

[woofgang]

washing hands and faces only every day? sorry, but yuck. There is no reason why littlies can't share bathwater and showers and economise that way. Children (if they are living fulfilling child lives) get dirty and need to be got clean again...same applies to adults!!

[smudge]

I always bathed our two daughters every night. Not only did it make them nice, fresh, & clean, it also gave them a little fun time together, before being sprinkled with Johnsons baby talc & snuggling into their 'jamas. Happy days!

[crisgal]

i'm sure i read somewhere that you can bath your young children too often and make them too clean - ie wash away all germs so that their immune systems don't develop.

Personally, i do find bathing the littlies is easier than washing individually.

Elfin, what about their "bits"!!!?

[smudge]

You don't have to use loads of water - just enough to keep them warm & get them freshened up.

[simont]

Kids thrive on routine, the nighttime routine of clear up toys, eat tea, drink milk, have bath, read book, get into bed, got to sleep. They love.  If I we miss any of these steps out (and do sometimes obviously) it puts them out (perhaps only slightly) of their comfort zone.    We use a small (perhaps 10 centimeters) of water in the bath and 4 of my children share the same water.  My eldest prefers to shower herself daily.   I can't imagine not doing my best to keep my kids clean. 

Washing the germs off is ridiculous.  As soon as you step out of the bath new germs will stick to you.  And besides you'll only get rid of germs by using antibacterial wash - now that would really damage your childrens skin!

[pamnez]

When I was growing up, we only had a bath once a week and that was in a tub in front of the fire.  As there were 5 of us, you can imagine how much time it took and how dirty the water was when it was the youngest one's turn. Being third in line for me was bad enough.

[Top totty]

We are a family of 5 (3 children) and we all shower/bath every day no matter what time of year it is. I can't imagine not doing so and my children have their hair washed every day.