At what age can a child be left unattended in a bathtub?

[dsmith]

As a parent of a special needs son, sometimes I'm not sure if I'm overprotective with nt kids. My mil was downstairs eating, and when I asked where my nephew was, she said he was in the bathtub upstairs. He is five and a half, and the door was closed. The water was 8 inches deep. It is a very deep old-fashioned tub, and he is a very hyper typical boy who likes to climb and jump, etc. I didn't think he should be unattended and was shocked she left him there. Am I overreacting?

[61Keys]

I don't think you are over reacting. I still hang around if my younger 2 are in the tub (8/10). For showers, they have been solo for a while but the door must remain unlocked.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I still stay upstairs and within hearing distance when my 7 & 9 year olds are in the tub. Even if they're in the shower, I like to be in hearing distance. You never know when they might slip and fall. I didn't leave them alone in the bathroom at all until younger ds was at least 6.

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

*I* would have freaked out! I probably won't let ds5 take a bath by himself until he's 6 1/2-7 unless he asks to for privacy's sake. And even then he would have to have the door open and an adult in hearing range.

[SKL]

My kids are that age. I don't need to watch them bathe (nor have I since they were about 2.5), but I do leave the door open so I can hear if anything isn't quite right (such as, things get too quiet).

[RoundAbout]

We live in a small one story house so DS (5.5) does take a bath by himself but the door is always open. He's very noisy in the bath so if he's quiet for even a minute I immediately go in and check. He also doesn't misbehave in the bath or stand up or jump or anything so it doesn't worry me a bit.

[Paige]

My 5yr olds have all been capable of taking baths by themselves. I'll usually stay close enough to hear but my DS would have freaked if the door was left open at that age in a houseful of little sisters. I'm surprised that someone would think it is unsafe.

[FO4UR]

I let mine bathe alone from about age 4. I am generally in hearing distance, door cracked, and getting the other 2 dc ready for bed...which is right in the same hallway.

 

 

I might not feel comfy being on a different level of the house, but by 5yo I am certainly not sitting at tub-side.

 

Accidents can happen at any age, but my dc at 4/5yo have been mature enough to keep their heads above water....and mature enough to react well if they slipped.

 

 

That said, if I hear a hint of rough-housing in the tub, they are out. No grace. I haven't had that problem in a while...and the last time I did have that problem it was the 9yo and not the 5yo.:tongue_smilie:

[MinivanMom]

I have left mine alone from about 3 or 4 yrs old, but I leave the door open so I can hear them. I can't imagine going downstairs while a 4, 5, or 6-year-old was bathing. That's just too far away to hear if they need something or call for you.

[chepyl]

I started leaving the bathroom when the kids were 2.5-3. We have a one story, small home. Sitting In the living room, I am in view of the bathroom. At my parent's house, O stay in tue bedroom, but let them play. DD is a fish! She likes to take baths for fun. If I stayed with her, I would be in the bathroom for hours!

 

I would not leave them in a different floor. At least not DD. My almost 7 year old....maybe.

[KidsHappen]

For a neurotypical child five or six depending on maturity. At that point I would leave them alone but with the door open so that I could hear them if need be. I don't start closing the door until they reach that age where modesty kicks in and they suddenly don't want anyone to see them anymore. I would probably extend those ages depending on the child's challanges.

[PeacefulChaos]

I started leaving mine when they were 4-5ish. They can choose whether they take showers or baths, but I don't think they need to be supervised.

[dsmith]

I guess I could see same floor with the door open at that age, but she was not within hearing range, and she needs to use a stair chair to get up the stairs. I don't think she would have heard him if he fell, and he is one of those accident prone kids. At that age, I would have been in the room with ds, and able to leave to get a tea refill, grab a towel, etc. I guess it is according to the individual kid. I kind of freaked out because I was right over that room on the third floor, and could hear when they were both in there. When I went downstairs to get tea it was completely silent in there with the door closed, and I thought they were done, so when I heard he was in there alone I had visions of him face down in the tub. He is not usually a quiet kid. Scared the life out of me!

[justamouse]

When they're old enough to take a shower.

 

Stupid, stupid accidents happen in bathtubs, with slippery wet kids.

 

I shower up my 6 yo.

[Pretty in Pink]

My 3.5 year old bathes in a few inches of water, with the door open and me in the next room. I wouldn't leave him upstairs or in that much water unsupervised. I don't know about five...honestly, my 8 and 6 year olds still bathe together most of the time.

[swellmomma]

I started when they were about 3 yrs old but not on a different level. THat started between 6-7. DD4 bathes by herself while I tend to other chores in the kitchen. The bathroom in my house is right off the kitchen so no big deal. She loves to play in the bath and will take 3-4 a day somedays. Suits me fine and I jsut tend to what I need to.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

For the first five years of ds's life we were in a small apartment. I could be anywhere and still see him. He was allowed tub time from about 2.5. This was only because i could and hear him. Even now at 7.5, i still check him. Hes usually noisy, so if noise stops, i yell up to him.

[Tinkerbell]

The only one I actually stay in the bathroom and watch is my 18-month-old. The other two (5, 3) take baths alone but the door must be open and I stay within hearing distance.

 

I think I would be a little concerned if my child was left unattended like that upstairs with the door closed.

[vonfirmath]

Our almost-5 year old was 3 when we started letting him take a bath alone. We help him wash his hair and body but then let him play in the tub. We stay in ear's distance and check on him if he gets too quiet for too long.

[Garga]

I'm the odd one out! I wouldn't let a kid take a bath alone until 7. But, once they turned 6, I didn't feel like sitting there watching over them, so I let them take showers, instead. I leave them alone for showers.

[Homemaker]

I let all my kids play by themselves in the bath around 2.5. They love that time to pretend and play in the water

by themselves.

[mudboots]

I stay within earshot and check frequently. At this age, I wouldn't go to a different floor and eat a meal. I don't allow a lot of jumping around in the bathtub, either (and they will, if I leave them alone).

 

For showers, I'm more willing to let them be for a while.

[Soror]

Well, my youngest is 2.5 but she never baths alone but with the newly 5 yr old. The younger ones always bath with an older sibling. I cannot remember when I felt ok with that it has been a bit before 2 maybe. I don't fill the tub a ton and I stay within earshot. Doors aren't generally shut except for ds who is 7.5.

Edited May 1, 2012 by soror

[Slartibartfast]

I let my four year old take a bath by himself, I usually just mess on my computer nearby. There is generally some sort of epic battle taking place but I do check if it gets quiet.

[I.Dup.]

I don't stay in the room with my 3.5 year old but I leave the door open and I am within earshot, within a few feet usually. My 2.5 yo I leave in there while I put laundry away in the next room, or go get him a towel, etc. But I am in and out constantly. I would not feel comfortable going on a different floor and closing the door even with my 10yo.

[katilac]

It sounds like being within earshot is key for lots of people; it definitely is for me. I never had a strict age for being alone or closing the door, but we could easily hear a "kid bath" from our living room :D.

 

Now that they're older, they'll use the back bathroom sometimes. If it's for a long, relaxing bath, I do wander to my room and make sure I hear the occasional splash, murmur, or other "it's okay" noises. If I don't hear that, I'll ask if they're alive, but then again, dh will do the same when I'm in la-la bathland.

[twoxcell]

My kids are that age. I don't need to watch them bathe (nor have I since they were about 2.5), but I do leave the door open so I can hear if anything isn't quite right (such as, things get too quiet).

:iagree:

We have a small house and the door is always open when the kids are in the tub, and I check them constantly. My 8 year old takes a shower alone with the door closed, but no one else. Sometimes I have my 8 year old take a bath with my 2.5 year old, but the door stays open and I'm close by.

[Wheres Toto]

My kids are alone in the bathroom once I'm done washing their hair but the door is open and I have a very small house so can hear them from anywhere. I will check on them periodically since I don't want them to climb out themselves and slip (or drip water everywhere).

[Word Nerd]

My 5yr olds have all been capable of taking baths by themselves. I'll usually stay close enough to hear but my DS would have freaked if the door was left open at that age in a houseful of little sisters. I'm surprised that someone would think it is unsafe.

 

:iagree: But I suppose it would depend on the child.