At what age is considered safe to leave a child unattended in the bath

[Ozziehoffy]

It's a tough one isn't it. I think it depends on your child. I have run one room away to grab the phone but that's it. I only did that for the first time a few months ago - so 2. However, I wouldn't leave him yet cos he stands up too often cos he thinks he can do stuff which he just can't do yet and he will slip and hurt himself. So will be a while still I think for us.

[DoubleK]

i had actually been wondering this for a while! i sit on dd's strp stool thingy next to the bath, but the last few weeks its not so comfy!

dp always says 'put her in the bath while you have a shower..' but i just cant bring myself to take my eyes off her yet...

[danniellabella]

I will go to the toilet for a wee while DD's in the bath and will sometimes stand at the entrance of the lounge watching TV while she's in the bath, but it only takes 1 step to move to the door of the bathroom from the loungeroom. If I'm watching the TV from the loungeroom entrance I'll poke my head in the bathroom if DD stops "talking" or if she stops splashing rhythmically as she tends to do when she's purposly splashing. I've only just started doing that though and she's almost 16 months.

[clare076]

umm I was still having baths with my older brother at 10, so I really dont think it should be an issue. I personally would be devastated if my DD or DS didnt want me in the room with her at 10.

Maybe its because we have had so many near accidents with our children that I wouldnt risk it, plus being a nurse I have seen many a family torn apart by grief from a childs death just because mum or dad weren't supervising properly. How important is that phone call really?

[lilima]

I can clearly remember at 10 NOT wanting my parents to see me shower/bath. I don't expect that I will still be giving a lot of supervision at this age. I was referring more to what age you consider safe to leave the room.

[bjrose]

At 7 DD1 is now started turning on the taps herself. Our water is not hot enough to burn her, although I'm careful with DS & the hot water.
I have taught her to turn the cold on first. Always, & the hot off first. She is still supervised while doing that, but showers alone most of the time.
I also leave DS alone in the bath with her comfortably. I know her maturity, & I know if anything happened she'd there, if he wasn't ok, I'm never that far away.

My mum left DD2 - 4 & DS alone in there when we were moving so she could get some things done, but I'm not so comfortable with that. DD2 is too feral in the bath, I don't want her knocking him over. But I will go grab things with her in there. I only put about 3 inches of water in if DS is in there. When he gets out she can have some more.

I will not leave DS alone yet. I might grab a towel from next to the door or the phone. I won't answer the door, its too far away. I'll yell out to come in.

I do often put the 2 little ones in the shower to try & get things done. I feel a bit safer with the shower & sometimes I do just need that 10 minutes of peace. I'm always listening though. Always.

I will not be standing in there with my children til they are 10. I don't think that is very fair TBH. Jaz usually leaves the door open, or half open, but I remember how embarrassed I was when a baby sitter made me shower at 10 while the little girls (4&5) were in the bath & I got dressed & undressed in the shower so they wouldn't see me.

[Arimeh]

I leave DS alone most of the time, I trust him, he doesn't do anything stupid, just sits there with his cars and drives them along the side of the bath.

I do pop out to get their jarmies and set up their nappies whilst both are in there (so 11 months and 2.5 years) but I can hear them playing, and it would take me a second to get there incase something went wrong anyway because my house is tiny.

DS does not touch the taps, he knows its naughty. He also tells DD off for touching the taps if she tries to touch it too

I think it totally depends on the child, and nobody knows them better than their mother.

[Rouge]

One great trick I did with my kids that I will pass on to you lovely ladies (haven't read if its in here so will post anyway). My kids are 7 and 3 so they bath together and this isn't an issue. But when DD was little and an only child our rule was if I had to leave the room even for a towel or to quickly grab the pot that was bubbling over or the phone that rang (you get the idea) then she would have to sing to me, and she wasn't allowed to stop singing till I got back, because if she stopped singing I would think there was something wrong. Every child is different, my gf's son was too adventurous to be ever left in the bath till he was nearly 4 he would try to climb out or go through cupboards jump on the toilet seat he was just a really adventurous kid (he did calm eventually though). So judge the situation and implement the singing thing, and even if you think they are old enough always be in earshot and check on theme frequently as it only takes a second...

[DoubleK]

sounds like a good idea Cailin!

i keep meaning to buy a non slip mat for the bath.. at the moment, we have 5 little elmo heads that DD uses (they work better in the shower, which she uses everyday) but they tend not to suction down properly, i want the biggest non slip mat that will fit in the bath!

also, i only tend to put a little bit of water in the bath. she likes me to pour water over her using a jug.. so i sit there do ing that pretty much the whole time! lol

not sure what we'll be doing bath wise when bub arrives..

[Pretty Butterfly]

Niliac, I make mine count to 10 over and over!!!

This is where having so many kids comes in handy!!!!! If me or Ad need to leave the bathroom, we send one of the big kids in to sit with them!!!

But the kids are great in the bath anyway.

All mine prefer showers, so a bath is a rarity now. Even Harmony prefers a shower with mummy over a bath.