How often do your kids bathe?

[Scarlett]

When they are particularly grotty and when I don't want to talk to them for a while.

 

Rosie

 

 

 

:lol:

 

Yer funny Rosie love.

[Jennifer in MI]

Depends on the child.

 

Ds14 - Daily

Ds12 - Almost every day

Ds10 - Only when threatened with his life

Dd4 - twice a week maybe. Unless she's really dirty.

[MissKNG]

In the summer, daily because the girls play outside and get stinky and dirty. In the winter, every other day because we stay inside unless we go sledding or to the kids museum or something, then they bathe.

[LisaKinVA]

They are now bathing 3-4x a week... mainly it's because we're swimming, and they need to get the pool chemicals off their hair and skin. The baby is exploring and deciding to wear most of her food... she may get 2 baths a day:tongue_smilie:, or I have to deal with the sticky hair. And if baby is in the bath, my 4yo wants to be in the bath.

 

Otherwise, it's when their sticky, yucky, smelly, or because it's our normal "bath day."

[fastforward]

I grew up with "washing up" in the sink every morning and taking a bath once a week until I was about 8, and I pretty much follow a similar path with my daughters. They don't get a shower everyday because it dries out their skin and they aren't particularly dirty (or outdoorsy) kids. When we are home, they do regularly wash their faces after eating, and we are somewhat strict with handwashing.

 

During the summer, showers were more frequent because of swimming and pool chemicals.

[LuvToRead]

In the summer, daily. In the winter, every other day. My girls have eczema, so daily bathing in winter isn't really an option. They just get a good wipe down.

[Garga]

Well, I started the poll, so you know it's only 1-2 times a week for the boys in this house.

 

But the responses made me realize a couple of things: when the boys had longer hair, I did bathe them more often because it would get stringy.

 

And we wash hands A LOT in this house.

[TravelingChris]

I responded in the way my children bathed at around 5. THen it was once or twice a week. Now it is every day or two. But they are teenagers or young adults so they need it more now. We have dry skin normally (some have less dry in teen years) and frequent bathing is not recommended.

[Chris in VA]

Now that dd is taking showers and is 10, she bathes every day.

When she was the ages of your kiddos, probably once every 2 or 3 days, sometimes in the summer a little longer between b/c of swimming.

[Lolly]

Dd17 maybe twice a week.

 

dd16a+16b I have no clue. Swim at least once a day, so they normally showers at the pool when they do.

 

ds13: Minimum of twice a day. He has been known to be in the shower 4 to 8 times in one day...

 

Guess that blows the girls stay in it, and boys you have to force theory...:lol:

[lionfamily1999]

oh my goodness, I guess I'm seriously in the minority here:001_smile: My younger kids only bathe once a week at the most more like every 7-10 days. I guess we're dirty hippies.:D

my 12yo daughter showers a couple or three times/week. I shower 2x/week

 

Jen

We're with you Jen ;)

When they are particularly grotty and when I don't want to talk to them for a while.

 

Rosie

Exactly :laugh:

[Annie]

I'm just glad to know I'm not the only dirty hippy!

 

You can go ahead and add me to the dirty hippy list. :tongue_smilie: I do jump in the shower for 2-3 min every day, but I haven't used body soap since I was 17 years old. :blushing: I don't smell, and my skin is nice and soft since I don't wash off the natural oils. I wash my hair with a very mild shampoo every 5 days or so, and I use honey on my face pretty much daily.

 

The baby gets a (no soap) shower whenever he's too cranky to sit in his bouncer while I have mine - somewhere between once and three times a week. His hands, feet, and diaper area obviously get cleaned up more often, however, we're an EC family, so his diaper area doesn't usually get all that messy.

[lionfamily1999]

You can go ahead and add me to the dirty hippy list. :tongue_smilie: I do jump in the shower for 2-3 min every day, but I haven't used body soap since I was 17 years old. :blushing: I don't smell, and my skin is nice and soft since I don't wash off the natural oils. I wash my hair with a very mild shampoo every 5 days or so, and I use honey on my face pretty much daily.

 

The baby gets a (no soap) shower whenever he's too cranky to sit in his bouncer while I have mine - somewhere between once and three times a week. His hands, feet, and diaper area obviously get cleaned up more often, however, we're an EC family, so his diaper area doesn't usually get all that messy.

What does that mean?

 

Oh, and more power to you :D I went no poo and my family was so creeped out (gross dirty hair eww!!!!). Once my hair and scalp got used to the lack of shampoo it was so healthy. Now they all want me to introduce them to the world of natural hair care ;)

[Mama_Rana]

My sons get a bath every night. Not because they are necessarily dirty every night, but mostly just because it's part of their routine. They are 6 and 16 months. I know a lot of kids who only get baths every other night, or every 2 nights, but I would guess it depends on how active they are.

[TnMom25]

Mine vary also, depending on what they've been into. Usually it's daily in the summer or during a sport season and they've sweat alot. During the cooler months, usually every other day unless there is a special event or they get extra dirty.

[mo2]

Why did I originally read the title of this thread as: How often do your kids battle? I thought, oh my gosh, like, every 10 minutes!

 

But bathing, more like every 2 to 3 days. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I only initiate the bathing process when they're dirty. We all have dry, sensitive skin. Sometimes they will ask for baths and I almost never tell them no. I say almost because we live on a well and occasionally we have to ration water.

[*********]

What does that mean?

 

Not the OP here, but EC stands for elimination communication. I've never done it, so I'm sure I won't explain it well. But it's where you pick up on your baby's cues that he is about to elimminate, then take him to the toilet so he can do it there instead of in his diaper.

 

Feel free to correct me, EC moms, if I didn't get it right. :)

[kokotg]

We got in the habit of less frequent baths back when we had a bad drought here. We did once a week for the kids with spot cleaning in between then. I noticed that that really worked just fine, so we never got back to pre-drought levels. They usually get 2 baths a week now.

[mo2]

Not the OP here, but EC stands for elimination communication. I've never done it, so I'm sure I won't explain it well. But it's where you pick up on your baby's cues that he is about to elimminate, then take him to the toilet so he can do it there instead of in his diaper.

 

Feel free to correct me, EC moms, if I didn't get it right. :)

 

I think that's right. I so wanted EC to work for us, but between my working, the baby being at the sitter, getting distracted by the other kids, it just didn't happen. I am an EC failure.

[Punchie]

Both DDs bathe 1-2x per week unless ODD (4) has been swimming, getting dirty, or it is insanely hot/muggy outside.

 

For me, I shower on most days except in the winter, when it will be every other day.

[KatieJ]

I voted othere as I really don't know, they dont' live at home anymore.

 

:lol:

[Melissa in FL]

14 yr old ds= daily

9 yr old dd= every two to three days

6 yr old dd= maybe twice a week

Melissa

[LND1218]

It depends - the dry skin ones less often - once a week unless dirty.

 

The boys - more often.

 

The tween - daily.

[goldberry]

My mom is German, and I grew up with baths/showers once or twice a week. I remember when I was in middle school I mentioned it to a friend and they freaked out! I was so embarassed! I never knew other people bathed every day, so I never thought anyone would think it was weird.

 

As an adult I still bathe 2x per week, unless it is summer and I get dirty or sweaty. After being married for 24 yrs, now hubby does the same schedule. Hubby has really dry skin and he realizes it is better for him.

 

DD11 is also about 2x per week unless necessary. She has really dry skin too. But I did warn her not to discuss it with her friends, since some people bathe every day and think it would be gross! I didn't want her to get embarassed like me!

 

Its kind of odd because even though it is a somewhat "American" habit, doctors will tell you it's really not necessary or better for you.

[Tutor]

family members 12yo and younger: as needed, minimum of once/ week

 

family members 13yo and older: as needed, minimum every three days

[Annie]

What does that mean?

 

Bethany did a great job explaining EC, but if you want more info, the wikipedia page is quite good.

[Guest]

My oldest two (9,7) shower every other day due to eczema. I have tried less often, and that just makes it worse. I might start trying everyday to see if that helps or not. I've been told different things, so I'm not sure.

 

My youngest (4) does not have eczema, but we still do his every other day just because that's what the other two do.

 

Oh, if they go outside and get sweaty, they have one, regardless.

 

ETA: As far as myself and dh, we take showers daily.

Edited September 15, 2010 by Jinnah

[lionfamily1999]

Not the OP here, but EC stands for elimination communication. I've never done it, so I'm sure I won't explain it well. But it's where you pick up on your baby's cues that he is about to elimminate, then take him to the toilet so he can do it there instead of in his diaper.

 

Feel free to correct me, EC moms, if I didn't get it right. :)

 

Bethany did a great job explaining EC, but if you want more info, the wikipedia page is quite good.

Ah, I've read about that, but never thought it was really possible. Kudos to you moms that manage it!

[m0mmaBuck]

DSS18--Daily

DS8-- Every other day

DD4-- 2-3 times/wk

[dripdripsplat]

I voted 3-4, but that can vary. We take 3-4 a week at least, but my kids are also heading into puberty, so sometimes there's funky smells and greasy hair going on.

 

Wow! I think forums make me share WAY too much information.

[ondreeuh]

I guess I can understand bathing every day if you live in a hot/humid climate, have super greasy hair, or are just generally inclined to have B.O. For the rest of us ... I just don't see how we get dirty enough to justify the water & energy waste of a shower/bath. If the kids are dirty I wash the parts that are dirty in the sink, but only give a short shower or bath when I need to wash their hair (1-2x a week). DD (14) showers daily because her hair gets oily but I actually ordered dry shampoo so she doesn't have to! It just seems like total overkill to constantly sanitize your body. We're almost never sick, so it doesn't seem to hurt us.

[nd293]

It's whatever works, here. In summer dd9 needs to bath every day, sometimes twice. In winter both she and ds3 get by with 2-3 baths a week. In summer I'll sometimes count a swim as a bath - we're not chlorine sensitive, although the effect on dd's hair is nasty, so she usually does rinse off under the shower.

[3littlekeets]

I'm in the daily camp! I can't imagine my kids taking the grime of the day into their beds.

[dansamy]

Daily. It's hot/humid here 9-10mos of the year. You just about have to wash daily. In the (very short) winter months, maybe every other day.

[desertmum]

Mine takes a bath about 2 a week or if he get really dirty from playing. His hair I do about 1 a week because he hates having it done and screams right throughout (I am surprised the neighbours haven't call the police yet).

[Mom0012]

My sons are 5 and 8. They bathe when they've played hard outside and become sweaty. We bathe them after swimming...

 

...but in the cooler months, when they're not getting sweaty, we only bathe them once or twice a week.

 

Is that normal?!?

 

When my kids were the ages of yours, that's what we did. It's what I still do with my 8 year old. My son, however, has hit puberty and really needs to bathe more regularly. So, he now showers pretty much every day.

 

Lisa

[Amber in AUS]

My kids have a bath at the end of every day. It would be VERY unusual for us to miss it. It is part of their evening wind down, going to bed routine.

[Mama_Rana]

I guess I can understand bathing every day if you live in a hot/humid climate, have super greasy hair, or are just generally inclined to have B.O. For the rest of us ... I just don't see how we get dirty enough to justify the water & energy waste of a shower/bath. If the kids are dirty I wash the parts that are dirty in the sink, but only give a short shower or bath when I need to wash their hair (1-2x a week). DD (14) showers daily because her hair gets oily but I actually ordered dry shampoo so she doesn't have to! It just seems like total overkill to constantly sanitize your body. We're almost never sick, so it doesn't seem to hurt us.

 

I hear what you're saying, and my kids DO bathe every night. That is to say, their father puts maybe 2 inches of water in the tub, and they splash around. About once a week, maybe twice, he soaps them up a bit. It's not about getting them clean, it's just part of their routine. They know that after their baths, they go to sleep.

DH is in the "shower every day" camp himself. I on the other hand, feel lucky if I take 3-4 showers a week. When the boys were babies, it was considerably less than that. Sleep always wins out, yk?

 

I do NOT find it weird what the OP said about her kids' bathing schedules. I know we are in the minority with our nightly baths, and I fully expect to phase that out eventually, but maybe not; we'll see. :D

[ChrissySC]

I was just feeling "icky." We bathe, including mom and dad, every night before bed. We do not go to sleep dirty. And, we bathe twice during the summer if it is needed! I will not tolerate dirty, smelly kids in this house. :) Now, getting rid of dirt is one thing. Does anyone have a solution for the clutter?