12yo still takes baths, not showers

[Anonymous]

My lord OP, what is your hygiene routine? Do you only bathe once a week? Do you only wash your hair once a week using a loofah and filthy water? You can’t figure out why she looks greasy????

The other moms were acting weird bc you’re not doing your job. Get her in a shower every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I prefer bathing to showering and do whenever I have time. It's a perfectly valid way to get clean, and yes, it's relaxing.

For a child who hasn't gone through puberty (doesn't smell), I still would insist they clean their body at least twice a week, bath or shower. If she's using bath bombs, she needs to rinse hair and body with clean water before getting out.

Twice a week? Sorry, no, only if we are discussing a six year old who never sweats or leaves the home.

[Anonymous]

This is so nasty. The looks you are getting aren’t because she takes a bath but because of bathing only once per week. So gross.

[Anonymous]

My 11 year old LOVES baths. However she does shower 2-3 times a week as well to get her hair washed. As long as there's a balance it shouldn't be an issue. I also love bathes. So relaxing and great for us mentally.

[Anonymous]

I used to read books in the tub as a kid until the water got so cold I couldn't stand it! I did that until college.

In hindsight maybe a sensory thing, water felt great

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to read books in the tub as a kid until the water got so cold I couldn't stand it! I did that until college.

In hindsight maybe a sensory thing, water felt great

Absolutely my kid has LOVED swimming/water since she was a newborn. She loves being at the beach and the pool, as do I lol.

[Anonymous]

Ok, conditioner before shampoo IS actually a thing. what's not a thing is not getting your hair clean, rinse it out in a shower. my DD also loves baths with kindle, whole shebang, but she always finishes by rinsing clean in a shower.

she showers daily, baths are not a daily thing, no time!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please explain the conditioner before shampoo

OP. It keeps her hair smoother and shinier. She has greasy and frizzy hair that the conditioner before shampoo helps with.

I also forgot to mention that she washes her face twice a day with a cleanser and water. Thank you for your responses!

Did you actually answer the question as everyone is asking about whether she is also taking showers? Or is that once per week bath (plus washing her face every day) all that she’s doing?

OP again. That's all that she's doing. On long weekends she'll bathe twice a week, but that's it.

I don’t think the baths vs showers are the issue. The problem is that she isn’t doing SOMETHING more frequently. No wonder they were giving you looks. I’d be surprised if she didn’t start to smell by the end of the week. I think she probably ought to be bathing/showering every day, maybe every other day in the winter. If she’s staying home on a long weekend and doesn’t want to shower, that’s up to your family’s discretion if she’s fine or the odor gets strong, but when she’s in public, she needs to be showering/bathing/washing more than her face more frequently.

[Anonymous]

It never occurred to you that your tween should be bathing?!
She’s taking one bath per week and not even washing her body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 12yo (almost 13) DD takes baths every week. She says she doesn't like showers because they are "less relaxing". She loves bath bombs, uses them often, and sometimes will read on her waterproof Kindle in the bath. Is this weird? Her younger sister only takes showers. It came up when I was chatting with mom friends and a lot of them gave me a look when I mentioned it.

Do I force her to start taking showers or just let her be?

Why are you talking to your friends about your nearly teenager's bathing habits? Super weird. And really not appropriate. DD is too old for you to be sharing that sort of information, that's one.

Two, I'm 50 and take baths most nights. I decompress and relax, and it helps my joints (prob not an issue with a teen). I rinse off with the hand held when done so if cleanliness is the issue, you can be clean after a bath.

Leave her alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 12yo (almost 13) DD takes baths every week. She says she doesn't like showers because they are "less relaxing". She loves bath bombs, uses them often, and sometimes will read on her waterproof Kindle in the bath. Is this weird? Her younger sister only takes showers. It came up when I was chatting with mom friends and a lot of them gave me a look when I mentioned it.

Do I force her to start taking showers or just let her be?

Why are you talking to your friends about your nearly teenager's bathing habits? Super weird. And really not appropriate. DD is too old for you to be sharing that sort of information, that's one.

Two, I'm 50 and take baths most nights. I decompress and relax, and it helps my joints (prob not an issue with a teen). I rinse off with the hand held when done so if cleanliness is the issue, you can be clean after a bath.

Leave her alone.

Have you read the thread? It probably came up in conversation because OP's daughter smells.
It's fine to take baths to relax, but that is all OP's kid is doing. She is not cleaning herself at all.

[Anonymous]

Its fine as long as her hygiene is good. She may adjust her routine with puberty. My advice - don't make an issue of this unless you see a problem (e.g. she smells, is visibly dirty, etc.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Its fine as long as her hygiene is good. She may adjust her routine with puberty. My advice - don't make an issue of this unless you see a problem (e.g. she smells, is visibly dirty, etc.)

OP already sad that her daughter is greasy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to read books in the tub as a kid until the water got so cold I couldn't stand it! I did that until college.

In hindsight maybe a sensory thing, water felt great

Wow, so did I. And I "hid" it from people (by just not mentioning it) because I thought it was weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to read books in the tub as a kid until the water got so cold I couldn't stand it! I did that until college.

In hindsight maybe a sensory thing, water felt great

Wow, so did I. And I "hid" it from people (by just not mentioning it) because I thought it was weird.

I used to do that as well. However, I scrubbed and rinsed off afterwards, and because it wasn't an everyday thing, definitely showered all the other days. And washed hair in clean water.