Tuesday Tip: Baths

29 09 2009

Potential Time Saver: Your kids (under, say, 10) don’t need baths more than twice a week. Even (perhaps especially) infants. In most cases, they only need it once a week.

If  you disagree, I’d be interested in hearing why. If you agree, how often do you do kid baths?


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12 responses

29 09 2009
jamsco

We’re a once a week family.

29 09 2009
Jennifer S

Bath times are when Daddy spends time with our 2-year old in this house. he doesn’t get home until just before bed time, so he draws her a bubble bath to play in. Plus, the bath is part of her night time routine. We do end up skipping it about 2 times a week though if we get home late.

29 09 2009
jamsco

So you’re saying she doesn’t need a bath, you just do it for fun? Fair enough.

29 09 2009
Jake

My 2-year-old boy usually ends up pretty grubby by the end of the day, and he definitely has a 2nd-day funk if we skip the bath. I’ve noticed that we don’t seem to be typical, because people are often surprised that he gets a bath every night.

29 09 2009
Heidi

about 3 times a week. even then he doesn’t even seem dirty!

29 09 2009
philthecarl

Perhaps Corban is extra dirty…he gets a daily bath, sometimes two! Yes, he needs them, and I don’t think we just have to high of standards. I know immediately when he hasn’t had his daily bath, stinky kid! Honestly, I can’t even imagine how nasty he would be with one bath a week!

I hope during the winter we can make the bath a three times a week deal (less sweaty and all).

It really isn’t an issue of time for us. I suppose if I had 7 kids I would bath them once a week, that’s still one bath every day. The addition of each child lessens the bathing frequency for his or her older sibling. I see how this works :-)

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_junWQRYTtdA/SXiIKDL-_xI/AAAAAAAACeQ/X-AcZy16lB4/s1600-h/SNV36510.JPG

30 09 2009
jamsco

Okay, I seem to be in the minority here. I wonder, is there something genetically different about kids that make some require baths more commonly?

30 09 2009
heidi

well i know babies for sure its not even recommended that you bathe them every day because their skin will dry out. as for older kids, maybe we’re just lucky?

2 10 2009
Lisa M

We bathe nightly (unless we get home late, etc. and don’t have time). It is more of a “custom” than a need — They enjoy it, and it seems to relax them and let them know it is time for bed. I was shocked when my sister in law told me they only bathed their son once a week, but I guess we are not the norm – they are!

7 10 2009
Naomi D

In the summer, our kids need the mud and sand de-caked nightly. But in the winter they don’t get nearly as dirty and the air is usually very dry, so it’s 2-3 times a week. But, no matter what, they always have a bath Saturday night.

9 10 2009
Emily

It’s been daily for ours during the summer (and dirt play, popsicles, etc.) but we switch over to 3x/ week in the winter to prevent their skin from drying out too much.

8 12 2009
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