Baths and Showers

Updated on September 24, 2010
F.P. asks from Chesterfield, MO
23 answers

My kids are almost 7 and 9. My ? is do your children take baths every day and are they taking them before school in the morning or in the evening before bed time? Just wondering what other mothers do. So much to do in the evening and too little time in the morning. But usually my kids take them every other day and after sporting events for sure.

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S.B.

answers from Redding on

Bath or shower every night before bed. No going to bed stinky. It makes the mornings so much faster. Sometimes my son wanted up early enough to also take a shower before school, but I never bought into the "I'll do it in the morning, mom" because like I said, no going to bed stinky at my house.
I think my kids slept so much better going to bed all nice and clean and relaxed. That way their pillows and things don't get smelly either.

That's what worked for us.

2 moms found this helpful

K.I.

answers from Seattle on

My 7 yr old takes a shower every morning...my 5 and 2 yr old take baths every other morning, if they are not super dirty, if they are it is every morning. The 16 yr old takes them before dinner and the 19 yr old takes them when ever his lazy butt gets out of bed, usually @10am :)

In the summer, its hardly ever...I just make them go jump in the pool!

2 moms found this helpful

More Answers

D.B.

answers from Detroit on

My son's (5 yrs and 7 months) get baths on alternate nights. If I tried to bath them both daily, I'd spend all my time elbow deep in cleaning products. Of course, some circumstances require the quick shower for the older one (playing and getting filthy, messy dinnertime) and an extra bath for the baby (blowout diaper, sloppy meal time, excessive spit up smells). We do the bath/showers at night. I was raised that going to bed clean was the only way to go. And now that the older one is, well, older....showers are just easier and faster. He still enjoys the once a week bath, but some nights, we just don't have time for it.

Loved Scarlett's response about how her DH thinks showers are cleaner than baths....my hubby is the same way. He said taking a bath is liking trying to clean yourself in your own filth. LOL

3 moms found this helpful
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T.F.

answers from San Francisco on

My eight year old takes a bath every other day. During the summer she took them more often because she took a shower or bath after swimming. I'm trying to transition her to showers. Her pediatrician said children don't really need a bath everyday until they start puberty and that is actually drying to the skin. My daughter also doesn't play organized sports and I imagine if she did she would be taking them everyday.

2 moms found this helpful

C.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

my kids get a shower every day. They are 3 and 5. There are just so many germs and they get sweaty playing and running around and dirty that they really need a shower every day. We do it at night after dinner that way they can go to bed feeling clean and comfy! We have dinner at 6pm (sometimes earlier) and then showers at 7, then story time at 7:30 and bed at 8pm. It takes a while to get into a good routine and there are days when it doesn't go perfect, but that is our routine for the most part

2 moms found this helpful

S.J.

answers from St. Louis on

My little ones take a bath or shower every evening. I usually read to them while they are in the bath and they enjoy playing in the tub. If they shower, it is only a 5-10 minute shower. Once they turned 5, they started showering more than taking baths. It uses less water, takes less time and my DH believes it gets them more clean than a bath.

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C.B.

answers from Dallas on

My 8 soon to be 9 showers every day but we wash her hair 4 times a week. Now, my 6 to be 7 year old HATES baths. I literally have to fight to get him the bath so I let him go every other day. We do baths around 7pm right before bed unless my daughter is washing her hair we do hers at 6pm.

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

I have a little boy that is always rather in need of a bath.

He takes a shower in the morning as part of his chores, and a bath at night to wash the day away and as calm down time. He's adhd-c, and the bath before bed is SUPER necessary even on the *rare* occasions he doesn't need one, unless he's being carried in from the car already asleep. He does sports at least 2 hours a day in addition to his regular outside play in spring and fall. And in winter and summer it's 8-10 hours of sports each day. So when I say rarely doesn't need one, I really do mean it. Phew!

<laughing> I'm not really sure how the boy manages to get dirty while he SLEEPS, but he really does manage it. He even washes his sheets once a week. Sweaty sleeper. I think he's even running, jumping, sliding in his dreams.

2 moms found this helpful
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M.S.

answers from San Francisco on

Usually a bath every evening. It is relaxing to them and I bathe my kids together so it saves water and time!

M

1 mom found this helpful
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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.S.

answers from Eugene on

I have an 8 year old daughter who normally takes a shower every other evening and after every sports activity. Lately if she doesn't like the way her hair turned out she will take a shower two days in a row. I didn't think that would start at 8.

1 mom found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Dallas on

My 9 year old takes a shower every other night unless she's been sweating, and my 3 year old takes a shower with me every night at about 8pm because she gets filthy every day.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.A.

answers from Little Rock on

My 2 year old takes a bath twice a week. My 4 year old also took a bath twice a week up until he started school. He now takes a bath nightly. My 10 year old takes a bath nightly. Myself and my children have eczema. My oldest usually just has in on his face during the winter months. My 4 year old has it on his back and my 2 year old has it on her face and in the bends of her arms and legs. Mine is usually on my legs and underarms and irritated by shaving. My dermatologist told me to just take a bath once a week!!!! I don't think so!!!! I would reek after the 2nd day. My husband would quit coming home!!! Our pediatrician told me to just bath my kids once or twice a week unless they play in the dirt or something. I have kept to that for the most part until they start school. Once they start school, they come home stinking and sweating from running on the playground so we started nightly baths.

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J.K.

answers from Phoenix on

I have a 7 and 9 year old too (and 3 others) and they bathe every night before bed.

1 mom found this helpful

L.U.

answers from Seattle on

My 8 year old showers every other day, or after soccer. My 5 year old takes a shower every 3 days or if he is nasty, lol. Sometimes we take baths, but that is probably on the weekends, when we have more time.

1 mom found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

Our daughter always took a bath or shower every evening. We live in Texas and if you did not sweat or get caught in humidity,then you get dusty or caught up in all of the pollen.. She has never had a problem with dry skin until she started attending college up North..

Even infants need to be washed or really washed down, they get so sweaty..

D.H.

answers from Kansas City on

When my girls were little they took a bath every other day and Saturday night so they'd be clean for church. When they turned 10 they started showering every night. They both had body odor about that time. Now one showers at night (she dances most days of the week) and my other one showers in the morning (unless she has a super early morning). But everyday they shower and sometimes twice (depending on how active they were and how much they sweated that day). Don't know if your kiddos are boys or girls, but at a certain age and certain time of life they need to start showering everyday. If my youngest doesn't shower everyday, her hair looks super oily. My oldest will just smell bad (but she has started her period and has hormonal smells). So depending on your chidren's activities and hormonal stage of life will depend on how often you have them shower. Hope this helps somewhat. Good luck and God Bless.

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M.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

My son every few days, it's like a major battle to get him in, then a major battle to get him out! I imagine this will all change with puberty and girls lol
my daughter I have to bathe daily as she plays hard outside and gets filthy

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R.K.

answers from Boston on

my son is 8 and takes one every morning before school. If he has soccer practice he takes one at night when he gets home. He has plenty of time in the morning. We get up 45 minutes before the bus comes he eats, takes a shower (I time it bc otherwise he would stay in there all day), gets dress, has time to watch about 10 minutes of tv and then he's out the door.

J.D.

answers from Kansas City on

So as you can see, it really depends on your child and your schedule. :D While it's different for everyone my DD, who's just turned 10, used to take a bath every other night unless she got extra sweaty/dirty and took one a couple days in a row. Now she takes one every day - she was doing it at night but switched to doing it in the mornings so she can wake up better and do her hair. Good luck figuring out what works best for your kids and your schedule. :)

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M.B.

answers from Sacramento on

Yes they take baths every day!
If they are not morning ppl, showers in a.m. can wake them up or exacerbate the problem.
Let their personality dictate the time in this case.
My SD is a morning person but likes to go to be clean & warm so shower in evening.
It all depends on how your kids/household work.

L.M.

answers from Dover on

My kids have always taken their baths/showers daily. My son used to be nights but would jump in to wake up in the morning. Then later would shower at night (after sports) and again in the am. My daughter is just 3 so she gets hers at night.

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

My grandchildren are 7 and 10. They take a shower every 2-3 days. The 10 yo is a girl and starting to get some underarm body odor and so, on her own, sometimes has a shower sooner than her brother.

They bathe or shower in the evening soon after dinner is over. They rarely need help doing it. Their Mom reminds them and in they go. They like showers, for the most part if they don't have to have one every day. If they get out soon enough, they can watch a 30 minute TV program.

I read a few of the earlier answers and am surprised. My grandchildren are very active, running and playing hard. They don't stink. I know my nose is less sensitive now but still; dirty, yes but stink, rarely.

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