S/O What are your rules in the tub?

[hillview]

My boys are 2.5 and 4.5. My 4.5 year old can be in the tub solo and while I do check in on him and am on the same floor as he is, I don't worry. My 2.5 year old can be in the tub solo while I say get a towel in the hall way for 20 seconds (closet is RIGHT next to the bathroom) or yell downstairs to DH to bring me the comb etc. I will leave them both in the tub solo while I get their PJs (again on the same floor). In general I am in the bathroom with them. They are not allowed to stand up and if they do they come RIGHT out. DS1 is great about this and DS2 is usually very good. They are not allowed EVER to turn the water on.

The boys were never left alone in the tub until they were >2 not even for a second.

Your turn!
/hillary

[boolady]

My boys are 2.5 and 4.5. My 4.5 year old can be in the tub solo and while I do check in on him and am on the same floor as he is, I don't worry. My 2.5 year old can be in the tub solo while I say get a towel in the hall way for 20 seconds (closet is RIGHT next to the bathroom) or yell downstairs to DH to bring me the comb etc. I will leave them both in the tub solo while I get their PJs (again on the same floor). In general I am in the bathroom with them. They are not allowed to stand up and if they do they come RIGHT out. DS1 is great about this and DS2 is usually very good. They are not allowed EVER to turn the water on.

The boys were never left alone in the tub until they were >2 not even for a second.

Your turn!
/hillary

These are pretty much our parameters exactly.

[Indianamom2]

I do basically the same thing as the original poster.

Right now, DD#1 is 5.5 years old and I feel pretty comfy with letting her bath alone for a few minutes. She knows that she absolutely may not stand up or she's done, but otherwise I feel like I can trust her.

Ds#2 is already a lot more wild, so the rules may change when he's older!

[khalloc]

My kids at 4.5 and 2 years old. They bathe together. Most of the time I am in the bathroom with them. But I will run downstairs (and I mean RUN) to grab the baby soap or shampoo if I forgot it on the counter. And I will also get their rooms ready for bed and stuff like that. The bedrooms are right next to the bathroom. And I am constantly checking on them. But 90% of the time I am in the bathroom with them.

[sarahsthreads]

The 5.5 year old mostly takes a bath on her own now. We check on her frequently, but she's often role playing with her bath toys and talking non-stop, so checking on her usually just involves making sure she's still talking.

The 21-month-old I'll leave long enough to grab a towel (the linen closet is just outside the bathroom door) but for no other reason.

I have left the two of them alone in the tub together long enough to run to my bedroom and grab the phone if it's ringing. I wouldn't leave them longer than that, though - just too many things can happen too quickly in the tub.

Sarah

[vonfirmath]

We have an 2-2/3 year old. I've been comfortable for a while leaving the bathroom while he is playing to grab clothes/diaper, or a phone.

We recently stepped out to let him bathe alone for 2-3 minutes at a time -- to see if he's ready for the responsibility. But he got scared and called us back. So he isn't ready yet.

[KathyN115]

DD is almost 4. Recently I have started leaving the bathroom for short periods of time - to get something, to change, etc. I will also let her take a shower herself, and I am in/out of the bathroom then too. But I am always within earshot, and she knows not to stand up in the tub either.

[Ceepa]

Standing is OK for practical reasons (full body rinse, putting away toys in the toy holder). Splashing is not OK. And no drinking the bath water.

[gobadgers]

I've been wondering about this recently. My kids don't take baths together on a regular basis because DS (10 months) is totally wild and DD (2.5 YO) doesn't enjoy the splashing, LOL. With DD we always had a no standing rule, but DS is unmanageable so far if he can't stand. I don't know what we are going to do with him.

With DS we can't leave the tubside for one second right now. With DD I will go as far as the linen closet right next to the bathroom to grab something, but that's it.

[m448]

The 6.5 year old can take a shower by himself. I make him keep the door open, use a timer and check in on him towards the end to be sure he got everything clean. The 4 year old can take a bath on his own but I wash him down at first, then I just let him play in the tub while I hang close by doing some work. The 18 month old obviously still gets bathed by me although most times she just joins me in the shower.