At what age did you feel comfortable leaving the room with you child in the bath?

[Anonymous]

Kids under 5 are supposed to be within arm's reach around water. It is called"touch supervision. That is the recommendation.

Not "earshot"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't remember exactly, but pretty old. Like 4 or 5. And even then I could hear them the whole time and if it was silent I would run back up.

That might seem extreme but kids can be surprisingly dumb. Fall over on their face and be so disoriented they don't just sit up. I saw an 18 mo old get rescued at the pool. He was in about 6 inches of water and fell in face first. His parent was sitting right next to him talking to someone else and the little dude just splashed around for about 10 seconds before the life guard ran over. I was even standing there, watching, and not processing what was going on.

It's why there are life guards at the bottom of waterslides for big kids and grown ups. I always thought it was dumb and then I saw a video of a grown man stopped at the bottom of the slide, face up underwater, just thrashing his arms around instead of sitting up. The lifeguard literally had to save him.

So...yeah. At least 4 or 5.

Both of my sons are lifeguards. They have both gone in after kids whose parents were sitting/standing at the edge of the pool. This scenario is more common than most people think. They said it's 50/50 that they get thanked or yelled at by the parents after.

[Anonymous]

As soon as you feel comfortable leaving that is when you switch to showers, OP.

[Anonymous]

This is a good overview:

https://www.ahchealthenews.com/2021/11/15/when-baths-kill/

And don't think bathtub rings are protective, they have been associated with drownings.

https://www.dds.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Drowning_BathtubDrowningsEng_20190311.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is the same as leaving your kid next to a highway alone.

They are just as dead whether they drowned or are hit by a car.

This doesn't make any sense and doesn't answer the question. Are you sitting with your 17 year old while they take a bath? No one is suggesting this isn't dangerous at certain ages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As soon as you feel comfortable leaving that is when you switch to showers, OP.

And what if your kid wants to take a bath? God you people love being sanctimonious and obtuse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is the same as leaving your kid next to a highway alone.

They are just as dead whether they drowned or are hit by a car.

This doesn't make any sense and doesn't answer the question. Are you sitting with your 17 year old while they take a bath? No one is suggesting this isn't dangerous at certain ages.

It is trying to point out that at certain ages, water is a lethal hazard. Just like a moving car is.

So if they are too young to be left alone near one, then don’t leave them near the other.

[Anonymous]

I left the room when my kid was about 6. He proceeded to panic while choking on water he started pretending was scuba gear. I was literally out of the room for one minute..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it weird that my kids are 12 and 15 and I honestly can’t remember the answers to questions like this?

Mine is 15 and same here.
I think the better question is, at what age does your child feel comfortable leaving you alone in the bath?
Other than being on the phone, being in the bathroom is the time when all the 'must ask" questions arise.

Stay close to them OP. If it is just a few minutes or seconds, it can wait. They grow too quickly so enjoy the NEED to be around them phase, blink and it is gone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I made mine sing if I left the bathroom so I could hear their voices. And I didn't leave the room until they were maybe 4 or 5. I don't screw around with slipping in the tub, or potentially drowning.

The majority of accidents that happen in a home happen in kitchens or bathrooms. Bathrooms are all hard surfaces and corners.

I also used to make my kids sing if I had her to step outside of the bathroom. And if I stepped out, it was just that, I just stepped out of the bathroom to grab something. I would never leave them alone in the bath for more than a minute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it weird that my kids are 12 and 15 and I honestly can’t remember the answers to questions like this?

Mine is 15 and same here.
I think the better question is, at what age does your child feel comfortable leaving you alone in the bath?
Other than being on the phone, being in the bathroom is the time when all the 'must ask" questions arise.

Stay close to them OP. If it is just a few minutes or seconds, it can wait. They grow too quickly so enjoy the NEED to be around them phase, blink and it is gone.

I'm OP. You have literally no idea how old my children are or why I asked this question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it weird that my kids are 12 and 15 and I honestly can’t remember the answers to questions like this?

Mine is 15 and same here.
I think the better question is, at what age does your child feel comfortable leaving you alone in the bath?
Other than being on the phone, being in the bathroom is the time when all the 'must ask" questions arise.

Stay close to them OP. If it is just a few minutes or seconds, it can wait. They grow too quickly so enjoy the NEED to be around them phase, blink and it is gone.

I'm OP. You have literally no idea how old my children are or why I asked this question.

So..how old are they and why do you ask?

You are either crowd sourcing safety for your own kids or wanting to feel justified in judging someone else (probably your SIL)

[Anonymous]

My kids are 11 and 6 (almost 7). 11 year old mostly showers, but I think I’d leave the room for a few mins at a time around 5 or 6. That said, at that point she typically chose to take a bath with her little sister and I’d be in the room for that. I think she switched to mostly showers around age 9.5.

The other day I was in the room next to the bathroom and thought “when did I start leaving the room? Should I?” I decided since she splashes and sings the whole time that I was comfortable with the next room.