Anonymous wrote:God, I would never be out of earshot of a child in my care in the bath at ANY age. If an older child insists on privacy they can have the door closed but, like a PP, I let them know that if they stop talking or singing I will come in to check on them.

With three under four currently I do sometimes have to leave the older two in the tub to take care of the baby, but the bathroom door and baby's bedroom door are opposite each other so everyone is within view/10 steps. If I employed a nanny, leaving a young child alone in water would be cause for termination, I'd expect much better judgment than that.

"ANY age"? That's quite melodramatic. I used to nanny for 3 kids aged 13, 11, and 7. They would often all shower at the same time. I stayed nearby the youngest in case he needed me, but he did everything himself, and it was more habit from having been the one to bathe him up until he got too old/he was a little fearful being alone at night in their large house . If I had told the kids they had to shower one at a time and I was going to stand nearby with the doors open, they would have looked at me like I had three heads. And it would have been pretty inappropriate with the older kids, too. Think back to your childhood: was anyone listening to you shower?

God, I would never be out of earshot of a child in my care in the bath at ANY age. If an older child insists on privacy they can have the door closed but, like a PP, I let them know that if they stop talking or singing I will come in to check on them.

With three under four currently I do sometimes have to leave the older two in the tub to take care of the baby, but the bathroom door and baby's bedroom door are opposite each other so everyone is within view/10 steps. If I employed a nanny, leaving a young child alone in water would be cause for termination, I'd expect much better judgment than that.

Looks like op had a cheap nanny without even first aid or cpr. That is SO upsetting!

A local 5 year old recently died in the bathtub-she was alone for a few minutes at most.

A child can hit their head-no matter the age.

I would never leave a child in the bathroom alone until they are at least 7 years old and I think they can handle it.

I think a 5 year old can be in the bath alone but within ear shot.

Nanny here. I'd say under 4 it's a given to be in the room.
4-6, varies hugely by the layout of rhe house and maturity of the child. I have definitely had charges who were fully capable of taking a shower independently at that age and it would have been very odd for me to insist on standing there staring at them, but I also would be lurking surreptitiously nearby and rules would include the door staying open for me to check on them.

Yes, I would be miffed if my nanny left my child in the tub and was across the house in another room.

Too much risk for the child and huge liability for the nanny.

Anonymous wrote:Can you afford a trained (at least CPR and first aid) and experienced nanny? They're expensive.

OP?

I'm a mom. My kids are almost 4 and I am always within earshot when they are in the tub, but I will leave the bathroom and let them play as long as I can hear what they are doing.

By the time they are 5 or 6 I would fully expect to be able to run a load of laundry downstairs or something, but I expect I'll always be keeping a fairly close eye on things.

Age matters a lot, and the child in question matters also, but I wouldn't want our nanny out of earshot at any time, and I'd prefer her actually in the bathroom for anyone younger than 4.

My DD is almost 4, and if I walk out of the bathroom while she's in there, I stay on the same floor she's on, and I make her sing. That way if she stops singing, I know something's gone wrong. But I really RARELY leave the bathroom.

But I'm the parent. The nanny has been instructed to never leave either kid in the bathtub alone. I didn't want to assume.

My rule of thumb is age 4

Can you afford a trained (at least CPR and first aid) and experienced nanny? They're expensive.

Sorry, but you don't have a nanny.
But yes, she should know.

Is it wrong to assume that it is common knowledge for a nanny that you do not leave young children (i.e. >6) alone in a bathtub while they are taking a bath (and there is water in the tub)?

WWYD if your nanny left your child alone in a bathtub and was well outside of hearing range (I.e. on the other side of the house)?