# alone in the bathtub



## amandaleigh37 (Jul 13, 2006)

When is a child old enough to play in the bath for a few minutes by himself? What do you have to consider before allowing this?

I was just thinking about this recently... my DS is 2 1/2 and LOVES playing in the bath. It has been very tempting at times to go finish cleaning up the kitchen or go put in some laundry while he is playing.







Usually I will just bring a magazine in there to look at while he plays.

BUT I also know someone (not personally, but a colleague of DH's) who lost a daughter to drowning in the tub







I think she was 2 at the time. I don't know the details of what happened, but I do know it can happen. So I don't believe there is such a thing as being too cautious here.

What do you think? (I'm not looking for a particular age, necessarily, since I know there area lot of factors to consider - one family's bathroom might be 10 feet away, another might be on another floor... kwim?)


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## mysticmomma (Feb 8, 2005)

I would stay on the same floor and maybe use a monitor if you are more than 10 secs away. I often go into the room next door to straighten up but we have a small house. My kids are water savvy so I've been doing this since they were probably 20ish months.


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## goodheartedmama (Feb 1, 2007)

Mine are 2 and 3. My laundry room is literally right next to the bathroom, so I will do laundry while they're playing (I can stick my head right around the corner and see the bathtub from the dryer) or I'll walk to the linen closet to grab their towels. You kinda have to know your kid and what you're comfortable with. I'm not comfortable being where I can't peek at them every 10 or 15 seconds.


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## jeliphish (Jul 18, 2007)

DD is 2.5 and I just stay on the same floor. If I go and clean the kitchen I will just carry on a conversation with her. It is never more than 3-5 minute intervals that I "pep" in on her though


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## Raene (Jul 24, 2008)

Not younger than 4 in my opinion. Not b/c they will go under, but because they might "forget" not to get out and that's where I worry there will be falls into the water, or onto the tile.


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## GardenStream (Aug 21, 2007)

I am just now to the point that I don't hover when DS2 is in the bath. He'll be a year soon. I will actually walk about 10 or 15 feet away from him now. I just make sure I can see him at all times.

If it's only DS1 in the bath, then I'm comfortable walking away from him, but I stay on the same floor of the house. I make sure I can always hear him and if he is out of sight for more than a minute or so I'll yell back and make sure he is OK. We have a walk in closet in out bathroom and I'll go in there and hang the clothes up. It's only about 10 feet away from the tub, but I can't see DS when I'm in there. He'll be 3 in a couple months.


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## JamieCatheryn (Dec 31, 2005)

After 2.5 I felt comfy enough leaving the room for a moment for a chore or being primarily in the next room but checking in, like, every minute.


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## alisoncooks (Apr 9, 2009)

My daughter is nearing 3 and I let her play often alone in the tub (and have been doing this for nearly a year). Our house is SUPER small (can see the bathroom from the living room, only a few steps from each bedroom). I always listen to her while I tidy up her room for bed or get her jammies or check my email (all keeping her in my sight).

And, no blasting me please, but I let my 10 month old sit alone while I grab her jammies or get a towel (just a few seconds). I don't leave her alone long b/c she wants to pull up on the edge of the tub...which, obviously, isn't good


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## Treece (Apr 5, 2006)

My apartment is super small at approx 500 sq ft. My ds2 is 15 mo. Sometimes I will leave him in the tub while I turn the heater on so he isn't cold when he gets out. BUT I am within about 8 feet of the bathroom door. Mostly I stay in there with him and piddle around in the bathroom. DS1 at the same age, I lived in a similar sized apartment BUT I couldn't leave him alone for a second cuz he would be out of the tub which I bathed him in a Rubbermade tub since we only had a shower and he didn't like that. It worked.









As far as letting a child bathe themselves completely, I think that it really does depend on the child. Some are ready at 4 or 5 while others may be older. It depends on their maturity. Do they know that the water stays in the tub? Do they like to wash themselves? What about legnth of time in the tub? My younger brother who is 13ish still needs to be reminded to get out of the tub.


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## Evan&Anna's_Mom (Jun 12, 2003)

I think somewhere between 2 1/2 and 3 I started coming in and out of the bathroom. By then I knew the kids had learned not to jump or climb in the tub and were good at holding breath and surfacing (they could swim by that point). Also, they are loud so if it got quiet I would instantly know something was wrong. At that point I would stay on the same floor and check every little while. Honestly, them making a flood in the bathroom has always been a bigger issue than safety  I still tend to stay on the same floor (they are 6 and 9) but mostly to remind them to tone down splashing or to monitor shower time (new water restrictions for drought).


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## *ami* (May 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Evan&Anna's_Mom* 
Honestly, them making a flood in the bathroom has always been a bigger issue than safety 

Yes, I can't go far because there's always a risk that DS will start dumping water out of the tub. He's 2, and I do occasionally run into the next room briefly to grab clothes or put away toys.


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## amandaleigh37 (Jul 13, 2006)

Thanks for the responses!

I guess my instinct tells me it's ok to step into the kitchen to put dishes away, or whatever, since like many of you - our house is small and I can hear him. But there's always this nagging guilt that I shouldn't do that... maybe it's from hearing about this other child that worries me







Even though I look at DS and he handles himself very well in the tub... I don't know exactly what would have to happen for a 2 year old to drown in there...


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## mamarootoo (Sep 16, 2008)

our 2 year old can't be left alone in the bathtub. she likes to be standing up most of the time, and one of our constant struggles is to keep her from jumping









it works out for us, though, because DH does bathtime (except for hair washing a few times a week, which i still do) while i get jammies, nighttime snack and water ready, then relax for a while. she likes to be in the tub for 45 minutes or so









i would say if your child has pretty tame tub time, and you make sure you can hear him, or be there in a few second if something goes wrong, he should be fine.


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

My DC are 5 and 2 and bathe together, most of the time. Our bathroom is on the main floor, and I'll step out to clean up the living room, etc. But I won't go up or down stairs, and I won't spend more than 3 to 5 tops out of the bathroom. When it's warm out, we just leave the door open. HOWEVER... DS (2) will stand up, move around, walk around, etc. He has slipped more than once. I didn't leave DD alone before 4 or so and only leave DS more freely because DD would scream if something happened. Please be cautious.


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## glorified_rice (Jun 5, 2005)

I only really feel comfortable with it now and my ds is 4. He is not rambunctious and doesn't have a history of doing dangerous things, but I err on the safe side of things. When he was a bit younger, I would leave the room for short periods to get pajamas out, etc... but was always just a few steps away because we have a small house. Even now I always stay in the vicinity of the bathroom and peek in often.


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## MommytoTwo (Jun 20, 2004)

I leave DD (4.5) to play, but only with the door open. My house is fairly small too, and I can hear her jabbering away.
DS will be 2 in May. I still stay with him, because he does still slip once in a while. I will go down the hall to get washcloths/towels but he is within sight and it only takes me 20 seconds.


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## bobandjess99 (Aug 1, 2005)

We have like an 800 sq foot house and the bathrom is in the center and opens up so I can see into it from anywhere, LOL!! i would NEVER go downstairs or outside, but sitting in the living room, literally 5 feet away folding laundry while I can SEE dd splashing away in the tub, and could be to her in 5 seconds if something happened? sure. Anything much beyond that, and I'm not okay until they are MUCH older..6 or more?


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## Pumpkin_Pie (Oct 10, 2006)

My son just turned 2, and I don't feel like he is anywhere near ready for me to not be right there with him. I have only just started dashing upstairs to go to the bathroom while he is eating in the morning, and only then if it is something like yogurt or applesauce.


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## LuxPerpetua (Dec 17, 2003)

I started at age 2.5. DD is very water savvy, knows not to get out or climb, and sings or talks constantly so I can always hear her. If it ever gets quiet, I just take a peek in.


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## melijack1 (Nov 18, 2008)

My son is 3 1/2, and for about the last four or five months I have been comfortable with getting him in, getting him washed up and then dumping his toys in and letting him play for a while. Once I'm done with the washing up part I go into his bedroom (on the same floor of a 1,000 sf house) to get his towel and jammies. Then I go back into DSD's room and watch TV or read on her bed. The bathroom (we only have one) is in Mona's room, because it is supposed to be an office but we converted it to her bedroom. So I don't sit in the bathroom, but I'm not even ten feet away from him.


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## Smithie (Dec 4, 2003)

We also have a bathroom that opens off the office (since we use the "master suite" as dh's office.) I'm totally comfortable folding laundry or reading or surfing in the office while the kids bathe. It's all about line-of-sight IMO - whenever I'm out of the line of sight (to put away clothes, etc.) I start the silent countdown in my head to remind me to get back to my station.


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## Jen_in_NH (Jul 16, 2007)

My son is almost 2, and usually I stay with him. Occasionally, I'll fold laundry in the hall, but I can still hear him talking to the boats







If I have to run down the hall, I'm not too worried about it. I wouldn't be downstairs cleaning the kitchen yet, but a few seconds away is OK for us.


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## KsMum (Nov 1, 2006)

My DD is almost 3, and if I do leave her for a minute to grab a magazine, my cell phone or something like that then I'll start her singing one of her songs, then she'll continue to sing while I'm out of the room and I can hear her.


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