For most parents, bathing the kids is part of the routine: Supper, bath, bedtime story and bed. Who else recognises the clarion call of “BAAAATH-TIME!”? the A recent article hints that it may not always be this simple, however- some parents bathe their kids as little as once a week, others’ kids shower twice a day. Before you recoil with horror at the idea of a personal hygiene disaster, check out this bath-time advice according to circle of moms, and see if you agree:
Different families, different bathing styles:
How many times a week does your child bath, on average?
Different families, different bathing styles:
- Dirtiness and germs: Some moms believe that if their kids haven’t been playing outside or working up a sweat, then bathing on alternate days is ok, while others insist that germs and dirt build up, and a daily bath, whether the kid has been outside or not, is essential.
- Skin and hair types: Some kids have oilier hair than others, while some have dryer skin types- both of these factors may influence the frequency of their bathing needs and styles. Soaps and even hot water may have a negative effect on dry skin, so a child with that skin type may shower or bathe less often than a child with normal or oily skin. If your kid has oily hair, you may wash their hair more frequently than a child with dry hair.
- Puberty is apparently where the rules change: A pubescent child will start to perspire more, and will need to bathe more often. One of the reasons given for this is that a daily bath or shower will lessen the risk of body odour and consequent teasing by peers.
- Seasons: Summer is more likely to be accompanied by more frequent baths, as children will be spending more time in the hot sun, and, as a result, become smellier, faster. Some families admit to less frequent bath-times in winter months.
- Tomorrow’s schedule may include school or a church meeting or some other reason why parents may prioritise bathing, insisting that their child is squeaky-clean before going out in public.
- Today’s schedule: Kids and families are under loads of pressure in terms of time. With after-school sports, homework and other extra-mural activities, there may just be too few hours in the day to include a daily bath. This is particularly true of families with many children.
Time-savers or stinky kids?
How many times a week does your child bath, on average?