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How often do YOUR kids bathe?

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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:
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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?

Hygiene specialists will generally recommend daily washing, preferably bathing or showering, but sometimes it doesn’t work out that way. In SA, something as simple as water restrictions may even influence the family’s bathing habits. What do you think? Should kids have a bath or shower every day, or is it ok to skip a bath occasionally?

How many times a week does your child bath, on average?
 
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