How often do you give your little children baths? More often in summer than in winter?
C’mon in. The water’s fine. 
Let me know what YOU do …because I’m checking to see if I’m normal….or not.
How often do you give your little children baths? More often in summer than in winter?
C’mon in. The water’s fine. Let me know what YOU do …because I’m checking to see if I’m normal….or not.
March 9, 2008 at 5:20 am |
Frankly I don’t remember. Not nearly as often as some people I know. Even now my kids only bath every few days (though I notice that my oldest needs to start bathing every other day.)
March 9, 2008 at 5:42 am |
During the winter, Phoebe (the only one in diapers) gets baths on Tues., Thurs., and Sat.. The others – Sat. night and Wed. morning.
Summer, we increase the olders to at least three baths or showers!
March 9, 2008 at 5:48 am |
Oh man, here’s where i really feel like I fail as a Mommy. My youngest, just turned 1 gets a bath maybe once a week. Hopefully. Our older boy is supposed to get one every night, but that is Daddy dependent. He doesn’t bathe on Wednesday or Sunday. We’re hoping to put insulating paint in the bathroom (old drafty house) which will hopefully make it more pleasant for baths in the winter.
Summer, though, we try to bathe the kids every night since they get so dirty and sweaty. Try being the word of the day.
March 9, 2008 at 5:51 am |
I have no set schedule, but it’s not every day. I put them in every couple of days as it looks like they need it. If my older one gets in a lot of mud/dirt during the day, I’ll put him in the bath. He’s had a bath and a shower here today and it’s not even bedtime. We had big time rain and he was playing in the mud outside – unseasonably warm today to allow such an activity.
March 9, 2008 at 6:03 am |
Oh Gwen, don’t feel that you fail as a mommy with baths!
Please don’t do that!
Our bathroom is um….drafty too right now. There’s a big hole in the ceiling (not to the outside…just a leak that needs fixed when the weather gets better.
March 9, 2008 at 6:12 am |
When I was growing up, we bathed once a week. My parents grew up on a farm and that was how often they bathed. I remember how astounded I was once as a child when I stayed overnight somewhere and was expected to take a bath!
Now I hear that it is a bad idea to bathe a child more often than they need to be bathed to keep the dirt off. Constant bathing of children supposedly negatively impacts the immune system and can lead to allergies.
March 9, 2008 at 6:25 am |
one year ago, when we lived a totally different life, our babe/babies got a bath on Saturday nights in the winter. Now, Grandma does bathtime and has a super sensitive nose, and typically bathes these little ones nightly. If she’s not home, we typically will skip the bath. Granted, they are out with the chickens, horses, dogs and cats, sand and mud and the like significantly more here than pre-…this life. Transitioning again hopefully, then we’ll see what “normal” becomes again regarding bathtime. Though, I’m almost positive bathtime will *not* be daily.
March 9, 2008 at 8:32 am |
My older children keep track of themselves pretty much. My 11 year old is very conscious of this and the 9 yearold not too bad. I have friends who faithfully bathe their children every night. I simply say I don’t. obviously if it is quicker to run a filthy little person through the tub than use a wash cloth we do. If they don’t stink from pottying in the bed or have banana smeared head to toe well I guess we are clean. And honestly in the winter maybe we could go as long as a week without being filthy. In the summer there will be days when a child gets more than one bath.
March 9, 2008 at 8:39 am |
Every other night is what I strive for, but I find every 2 nights works much better. Depending on how dirty they get or if they need one.
March 9, 2008 at 8:47 am |
Thanks for the encouragement Holly
Robin, I love your philosophy.
In thinking about what I wrote, what I really meant to say was that the ideal for me is every day, but we never attain that. It’s nice to know we’re not alone.
March 9, 2008 at 8:48 am |
Oh good….I am normal then.
The moms at my toddler group bathe their children every day. I just don’t mention my lack thereof. 
Usually every Saturday night so nice and clean for Sunday (that’s also how I was raised). Sometimes he gets more than that (dependent upon his cleanliness and smelliness factors). He loves to slip into his daddy’s tub, and daddy’s cool with that, as long as bunchkin doesn’t slip into TOO early (daddy bathes in REALLY hot water). In the summer…what baths? that’s what toddler swimming pools are for! 
Not really…but toddler swimming pools are VERY handy when a little boy has been ‘helping’ mommy in the composter, or weeding gardens, or …… 
March 9, 2008 at 9:00 am |
Whew! I feel so normal now.
When we lived in Virginia and had a real winter that kept them from playing outside and getting filthy, there was a significant difference between summer and winter bathing. Often, they got 2 baths a week in the winter. And they were bathed as often as needed in the summer — daily or every other day.
Here in Florida, they get dirty every day. The school playground has this really dirty black sand, and my boys come home with black knees (because they wear shorts almost every day). So they get more baths. But, I really don’t like giving baths, and Daddy is sometimes too busy or tired. So some days, we wash them down without actually taking a bath.
My girls can shower on their own. My 8 year old daughter usually showers 4 times a week (or more, if needed). My 9 year old daughter has oily hair and is beginning to perspire like a pre-teen and is beginning to care more about her appearance. She showers nearly every day.
When our children were babies and spit up all the time, we’d bathe them more often so they smelled like babies. My oldest daughter had reflux and spit up ALL the time. She sometimes got more than one bath a day!
March 9, 2008 at 9:04 am |
Oh, and something funny — when the children were babies and needed washed, we sometimes wouldn’t give them a full bath. Instead, we’d hold them over the sink and wash them from the shoulders up to get the spit-up smell off. The rest of them was clean, so we wouldn’t do the full bath.
When my husband would offer to bathe the baby, he’d say, “OK, are we doing a Methodist bath or a Baptist bath?” Meaning — Are we just sprinkling the head or fully immersing the baby?
March 9, 2008 at 9:05 am |
When they’re dirty, so that means about 2 to 3 times a week for the olders and once a week for the wee babe. I think mostly they just like to splash around in the water and annoy me with the screaming and the having to mop up the floor, but hey, its fun and they get clean.
March 9, 2008 at 9:25 am |
In the winters we usually bathe the children before church, and once midweek. In the summers, it’s at least twice a day!
March 9, 2008 at 9:33 am |
No schedule here! Only a few times a week in the winter, they don’t get dirty being in all the time, and it just dries their skin. Summer time, everyday is a must!!
March 9, 2008 at 10:00 am |
Sigh. Yes, me too. I’m normal. That is *so* nice to know. Thank you everyone.
My Derbe, very cute with your denominational bathing!
March 9, 2008 at 10:22 am |
My teens handle them self every day but my little one 3 & 5 get mon, wed,sat in the winter unless needed more!EVERYDAY in the summer! Our baby 3 months almost every night it helps him sleep better, nothing better than bathing a baby who LOVES hims tubby time
March 9, 2008 at 11:09 am |
I love the Baptist-Methodist family joke, too cute….
Twice a week at most in the winter here, always saturday nights, usually tuesday nights as well. Pretty much nightly in the summer, maybe not a complete soap and shampoo nightly, but a “baptism by immersion” at the very least
March 9, 2008 at 12:37 pm |
Well, we Aussies are known for using the most soap per capita than any country in the world….
Most people I know bathe kids most days, every day without doubt in summer. It is hot here! 
My dh and I? We shower twice a day. Is that excessive?!
DOes anyone know which country uses the least soap per capita??
(My head is full of useless trivia! lol!)
March 9, 2008 at 4:28 pm |
Yes, I’m normal too!
My oldest, 2yo, gets bathed on wednesday and saturday (indeed, clean for church, just like the old days…)
the baby, 6mo, well, I would like to bathe her also 2 times a week, but I really struggle to make it once a week….because of the toddler, I can’t figure out how to combine bathing the baby and keeping the toddler out of cabinets, etc. Any tips?
I must say I pay extra attention to how clean/well-dressed they are when we go out in public. Otherwise, I don’t care so much….
Here in Holland, a lot of children go to daycare, and you are requiered to deliver them clean, so a lot of working moms are very busy every night, coming home late, feeding the children, then bathing them…another good thing about being home…
In a couple of weeks, Gijs, my 2yo is going to a toddler-playschool twice a week, so, clean will be more of a issue here then…
Annemarie
March 9, 2008 at 6:20 pm |
Once a week! We realized when we were in Ethiopia that daily baths/showers are not actually essential for health and well-being, and what a relief for me as a mom!
Now, if they’re *really* dirty/stinky, I will throw them in the bath for a quick scrub, and that does happen more often in the summer, or with very small babies, but their only regular bath night is Saturday.
March 9, 2008 at 10:20 pm |
We’re one of the (unusual, it seems) families that bathes the little ones every night. It’s not so much for the actually cleaning part (although in the spring/summer, that’s important too) but they have so much FUN! We have different little baskets of bath toys they get to pick from and everything. I kid you not, we say it’s bath time and there is cheering and rushing to clean up so they can jump in the tub. Then again, we only have two so far. Perhaps it will be different down the road with more?
March 10, 2008 at 1:01 am |
We did everynight of every other night one we had one. Then with two a bit less. Now just once a week for the full scrub (we are in the sand a lot here, and it takes awhile to really wash their hair). Some weeks it is only just that once a week bath. But sometimes we do bath just to pass an afternoon with fun in the water. Then though we don’t use soap, just water and toys. Good way to spend an hour.
March 10, 2008 at 1:49 am |
Im unusual as well. Most of my IRL friends bath their babies and younger children every other night or when they are stinky. Me, I bath all of my kids every night (except Wed or when we are out late). No bath toys, just in and out. I think they sleep better. If my husband bathes them then they get a bubble bath and he doesnt even wash them *shrug* I think that because of the cloth diapers we use and that the big kids are bedwetters they get really smelly most days. Even in the winter.
March 10, 2008 at 3:38 am |
Ah, when I say “normal,” I don’t really mean that.
I think we all just want to see if others do things the way we do things….and probably if you were take a really broad poll it would come down to about equal on both sides.
So much of it depends on weather, climate, etc. In the summer, my guys NEED every day baths because they get so filthy! In the winter, sometimes we do the “break up the boredom with water play” as well.
Really, no normal or abnormal. Nobody feel bad, okay? Just having conversation…
March 10, 2008 at 8:18 am |
At one time it was just once a week if we were lucky, right before church. Now it might be everyday because they love to “paint” in the tub. We have this colored bath foam that we squirt out and let them paint the walls of the shower with pastry brushes. Like Tiffany said, it’s a good hour of entertainment and I can get a lot done in an hour! It is also easier on the bath front now because our son loves to take a shower by himself. He will wash himself and have a good ol’ time humming up a storm.
March 10, 2008 at 8:24 am |
Ah, I love this conversation. I’ve had SO many friend who bathe their children every night. Not only could I not comprehend the time factor there, I can’t bathe my sensitive-skinned children that often. We’d have dry itchy skin all over the place. Like you mentioned so much of it depends on weather, activities, and such…but with the addition of our last two children, we have been trying to stick to a schedule: Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday plus game days for the oldest.
March 10, 2008 at 10:36 am |
Schedule? Umm, not so good at that. Today DH said, “Juju stinks.” I said, “Oh really? I guess it has been awhile. I’ll give her a bath tonight.”
It’s now tonight. Guess who is in bed, unbathed? Yep, juju. Don’t worry, she’ll get one tomorrow. I promise.
March 10, 2008 at 10:48 am |
Um, every other day. Does that sound good? In the summer…every day. It just depends on how dirty they get. They DO take baths every Wed. and Saturday (and wash hair) so they will be clean and shiny for church. If they have been outside a lot, we bathe them more.
But raise your hand if you have ever counted the water hose in the backyard as “good enough.” Anyone ever gone to get the soap to complete the backyard bath? Anyone?
March 10, 2008 at 11:18 am |
YES, Brenda. Me.
I’ve brought shampoo to the wading pool before. 
March 10, 2008 at 7:58 pm |
In the winter they always want to take a bath b/c it’s a fun way to pass the time. The other day I opened the bathroom door to find two little naked boys sliding around on a very wet floor, and enjoying it quite immensely. (rolleyes) The other three were more apprehensive about the possibility of getting into trouble and kept themselves in the bathtub. I made the offenders mop up the floor (when the boys take baths, the floor is ALWAYS wet – grrrr) and they did, but I think the fun was worth it. When I told my dh he just smiled and said, “They’re boys alright!”
I would say they bathe 2-3 times a week in the winter and much more frequently in the summer-although probably not often enough. I don’t like sending them to bed with dirty feet after they’ve been barefoot all day, so if it’s “bad enough” I will send them to at least scrub their feet, hands, and faces before bed at night.
March 10, 2008 at 11:40 pm |
Hi
I came across your site via an article quoting your journey of having your children so I decided to check it out. Your story touched me.
As to the topic at hand it is good to know that I am not abnormal for not bathing my kids every day. I wonder how the folks at church would feel if they knew that the associate pastor’s wife did not bathe her kids every day and then sometimes not even before church depending on how the morning or day went. If they smell sweaty they definitely get a bath. If they play in the dirt as well. Here in Dominica it is like summer all year round but they don’t sweat everyday so sweat smell at least for now is not an issue. For a while I thought that I was being a less than good mother because of the not bathing everyday issue. My husband doesn’t feel anyway about it, he just goes along with whatever I do. Praise God for him. Thanks for all who shared. It’s amazing how God directs us to the places that will encourage us in our mothering journey.
Jenn
March 11, 2008 at 5:50 am |
Count us among the ranks of the random bathers.
My eldest son (11) needs to shower every day. But I let him off the hook if he’s swimming.
The youngers (8, 6, 4, 3, 11mo’s) bathe “as needed,” or something.
Surely, it’s at least once a week! =) They just don’t get very dirty this time of year.
March 11, 2008 at 6:50 am |
About twice a week usually, but my ten year old normally needs it a bit more often–for hair washing etc.
More in summertime, definitely. We don’t have a set schedule, just whenever needed.
March 11, 2008 at 8:34 am |
Something that surprised me was how early kids start “needing” to bathe more regularly. Most of mine have needed a regular shower by age 11. I think that I thought it might be age 13 or so.
March 11, 2008 at 10:36 am |
Fifi is old enough to shower daily.
For the little ones (under 12ish) Saturday night for sure, plus any other day that they stink.
Generally, that includes a midweek washing. Sometimes summer months mean more often (or sometimes, I too, bathe them on the lawn after pool play.
And I’m done with baths when they’re about 3; when they can stand sturdy, I shower them.
March 12, 2008 at 4:03 am |
I do rather like the right before bed baths as often as I can give them….mostly because I figure it means I don’t need to change sheets as often if they are going to bed freshly clean. Right?
March 12, 2008 at 10:39 pm |
I wondered if some mothers did this, too, Tiffany…for clean sheets and also to soothe their little ones before bed. I wondered if some moms would rather have fresh clean kids in the morning.
March 23, 2008 at 8:04 am |
One of my kids, in particular, sweats like a piggie when she sleeps, so sheets get changed weekly, regardless.