kah Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Just wondering- no particular reason, here at 7:50 in the evening... ;) Do your kids go in a set order for bath- oldest first, youngest first, etc.? Do you try to alternate? Or do you just choose the one who seems most available (done with dinner, not in the middle of a book or game, etc.) There's not usually too much fuss about it- and usually I just go with whoever is most available, or most badly in need of washing. Every now and then, though, I get the recitation of the injustices of life, including "I went first last time," "I always have to go first," "I don't even need a bath," etc. I know- just part of the Mom territory. :) I'm usually pretty good at the bland response and walk away from it- which usually is the quickest for diffusing the situation. But I always wonder if there's some wonderful arrangement that the rest of the world has discovered! The real irony is that, after protesting about not wanting to get in the tub, there's still protest about getting out of the tub. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 How many kids do you have? I only have 2. One goes in the bathtub and one goes in the shower (different bathrooms). They alternate. It is in black and white on the calendar so there are no arguments. If I had more kids I would put on the calendar: M: A (bath 1st), B (bath 2nd) etc. T: B (bath 1st), C (bath 2nd) etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kah Posted June 5, 2009 Author Share Posted June 5, 2009 Two kids- DD9, DS7- and one tub. Neither one really showers yet (DD does sometimes.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 3 daughters: 1 tub. Every night: I call last!! Screamed out until one clearly called it first :confused: Of course it's the same with everything...dishes..trash...seats in the car...on the couch...you name it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elisa Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 That works around here when neither one wants to go first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I usually make the youngest get in first because she goes to bed first and we are usually pressed for time in the evenings with all the activities going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I have one that showers in the morning without being told (yay!). Of the other three, the kid with the most hair goes first so it can dry before she goes to bed (Her hair isn't quite thick enough to warrant blow drying). Next up is the littlest as he goes to bed first, then 12 yo ds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I only have two, but we also have only one bathroom. They fight about who GETS to go first. Of course, they do this about everything... who gets to be tucked in first, who gets hugs from Daddy first, who gets bedtime water first... so it's still a hassle. I still find it odd, though; my sister and I fought about who HAD to be first, just like I think most kids do. Mostly I just pick at random. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigitte Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 The real irony is that, after protesting about not wanting to get in the tub, there's still protest about getting out of the tub. :lol: Ain't that the truth! F usually goes first because she wants to be guaranteed of hot water and I just go with it.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babysparkler Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 My ds2 & ds4 year olds bathe together in my bathroom tub while I shower in the seperate shower overlooking them in the morning. My ds9 and dd7 both shower independently in the evenings (one in my shower the other in the kids' bathroom shower). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Well, mine is an only and protests getting in the shower (we don't have a tub...well there's one in the front bath, but that's pretty much BIL's bathroom and I'm not gonna clean it) no matter when I insist it happen. Which is usually about once a week...sometimes less if she hasn't started smelling funky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneC Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 My 4 all get in together. No fights, our fight here is about whether we are having a bath or a shower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Ds6 would never bathe. He puts up a huge fuss and then whines about every little thing in the shower. It's too hot, too cold, the rag is too wet, he can't get the soap to bubble, on and on and on. Ds4 loves to take a bath. He would stay in for hours if I had time. He just asks me to add some more hot water every now and then. Needless to say, I only bathe them about twice a week. (Unless they've been making mud pies or something.) I hate bath time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN Mama Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I can't remember where I read about this idea (perhaps on these boards?), but we have "Girl of the Week" at our house. There used to be arguing about who had to shower first, brush teeth first, and basically do anything first/last. It was ALL about the arguing! I have two girls and we just alternate weeks. The girl of the week showers first & is in the bathroom first for washing up/tooth brushing, etc. She also might get to choose dinner one night or have other "special" privileges. Life has been so much nicer since we instituted this policy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kah Posted June 5, 2009 Author Share Posted June 5, 2009 Needless to say, I only bathe them about twice a week. (Unless they've been making mud pies or something.) I hate bath time. That makes me feel so much better! My mom always says how nice and soothing and calming bathtime is- and how it's such an important part of the bedtime routine/ritual. I just have never seen it that way! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Mine go in the same order everynight. We don't have a bath & only have limited hot water, it's like camping 24/7. Oldest DD goes first, she stands in a bucket and showers. DS hates water and will not tolerate a shower so he goes into the bucket right as DD gets out. As DD older and DS can both dress themselves they are sent to do that while i bath DD littlest in the same bucket. After we are done we water a goosberry bush in the backyard with their bathwater. I think it is the most recycled water in our state lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Elliot Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Three of my kids (the girls in the middle--12yo, 10yo, 9yo) have to do rock/paper/scissors or roll a dice at least a couple times every day to resolve these kinds of questions -- Who gets to take their shower first? Who gets the best seat during school? Who has to do which irregular chore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my3starsofthesea Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I have 3, but my oldest is 12, so she showers daily without all the fuss. ;) But, my youngest 2 are 9 and 7 1/2, so it's usually who's available, or who is the sweatiest, dirtiest, at the moment. My 9 yo likes to stay in there longer, however, so I try to get his younger sis in there before him. They both take showers, but sometimes he likes to sit in the bath, and if that's the case, then he's going last so he can soak to his heart's content, :) However, in the past, we have done alternating who went first/last the last time. Whatever works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 My oldest showers before school, no problem. My boys, however, appear to be allergic to clean water. They get forcibly dunked about once a week, unless we go to the YMCA, where they will take long showers, go figure. Well, mine is an only and protests getting in the shower (we don't have a tub...well there's one in the front bath, but that's pretty much BIL's bathroom and I'm not gonna clean it) no matter when I insist it happen. Which is usually about once a week...sometimes less if she hasn't started smelling funky. My dss too. Ds6 would never bathe. He puts up a huge fuss and then whines about every little thing in the shower. It's too hot, too cold, the rag is too wet, he can't get the soap to bubble, on and on and on. Ds4 loves to take a bath. He would stay in for hours if I had time. He just asks me to add some more hot water every now and then. Needless to say, I only bathe them about twice a week. (Unless they've been making mud pies or something.) I hate bath time. Thank goodness I'm not the only one with boys that hate baths. And, I hate bath time too. My youngest will take a shower, but it's rather difficult to wash a 2yo from outside a curtain, without flooding the bathroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.C. in Florida Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 They fight about who GETS to go first. Of course, they do this about everything... Mine too. On the bright side, DS just made the swim team so now he showers in the locker room every night. No more, "but Mom, he/she always gets to go first!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3lilreds in NC Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Since the girls are 1 year apart in age, the one who is the odd-numbered age goes first in the shower on odd-numbered days, and the even-numbered age goes first on even days. Sometimes they decide to take their shower together. Sometimes they get to bathe with the baby. But, the calendar is the rule breaker. I like the system for the most part, but here we are in the 3rd month after their birthdays and I'm still getting confused over who is odd and who is even... :D Isaac gets to take a bath when I decide it's time. He loves it so he doesn't complain yet. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I have two boys. Oldest showers by himself. Youngest showers with my help...or, on a really good night when we have lots of time, he takes a bath (which he adores). They never argue because we have 3 bathrooms and really, anyone can shower whenever they want. For the youngest, it is more when *I* am available than when he is. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 They bathe themselves. But order - in the order they go to bed. There is at least 1/2 hour between bedtimes. Youngest gets first bath cause he goes to bed first. And so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I have 3, quote] Off topic, but 3starsofthesea, you and I have the same first name, and my DH's name is David. Quirky coincidence there... Thank goodness I'm not the only one with boys that hate baths. And, I hate bath time too. My youngest will take a shower, but it's rather difficult to wash a 2yo from outside a curtain, without flooding the bathroom. Mine's actually a girl, and it's not baths per se that she hates, it's showers, and getting water in her eyes. I will say I was quite proud of her last night, she took her shower with a minimum of fuss, got herself clean, and even toweled off without help! All I had to do was turn on the water and drop the showerhead down (it's on a hose and she likes it hanging instead of above her). Weeks she spends the night at her granddad's are much easier, she always takes a bath there, apparently a long one, though there is still occasional fuss over water in the eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneRoomSchoolHouse Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 We have 3 full baths, but only use one for the kids. I put the 2 little ones in together and dd(7) takes a shower while I bathe the little ones. Oh, the kids bath has both a garden tub and a standing shower (customed designed by me...knowing that 3 kids would be using one bathroom). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 My kids argue over who gets to go first! I often put the younger two boys in the bath together, older in the shower upstairs. If must they bathe one at a time, I grab the nearest/most convenient child and pop him in. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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