At what age would you leave your second child to bath alone with your first child?

[lilima]

Just a matter of interest, at what age would you let your second child bath with your first on their own.

I am talking as if your first child is at least 4.

[AnyDream]

My DD is nearly twelve and I've only just started letting her stay alone in the bath with her DD 2.5 yrs old.

This is because I did some reading on child bathtub drownings and the majority of them occured when an older (but still young) sibling was left to supervise a younger child. A child of that age can not be relied upon to a) notice anything is amiss b) respond in a life-saving manner even if they did notice.

Please, don't risk it.

[lilima]

No - I am not doing it. A friend of mine has a 4 year old, and a 18 month old, and sometimes leaves them for a good 10 minutes while shoe does stuff in the kitchen etc. She reckons that she can hear what is going on.

[diva det]

i wouldnt leave my 7 year olds and they are responsible
how could i ever live with myself if something happened????
old enough i would say would have to be a very responsbile teenager!
old enough to babysit- old enough to bath!!!

[lilima]

My thoughts were if they were old enough to babysit, then they would be old enough on their own.
18 month olds slip over etc.
I have a 3 yo and a 15 month old, and I wouldn't leave them even for a second

[Arimeh]

Geez I must be a horrible parent, DS is almost 3.5 years, and DD1 is 22 months, and I've left them to bathe alone for ages now. They both fight and laugh and play - and we CAN hear everything so I don't feel that I need to be in there with them. If the room goes quiet, then I yell out to each of them and make sure they BOTH answer me. If they don't, then I'll run in there, or DH will run in there.

And I'm sure that DS would tell me if something was happening to his sister, he's pretty responsible (for his age). Plus the bathroom is pretty close to the loungeroom (small unit) so we would definitely hear them fall over.

[~clover~]

I leave DS (2) with DD1 (8) all the time. I occasionally leave him with DD2 (5) as well, but I can hear them & am checking every few minutes. My ears are always extra sensitive if he's with her. I do leave him alone as well. While I'm in the kitchen almost next to our bathroom. I'm the same as you Mel. If it goes quiet I yell out.

[Artechim]

I would. I have left DS in the bath by himself since he was about 20 months. I am in the next room and can easily hear what he is up to. The 2-3 times he has slipped over in the bath were accompanied by a lot of splashing, he sits himself back up and then cries. There is no way I would be able to miss that and it hasn't happened for well over a year now. If it goes quiet for a few seconds I call out to make sure he is alright.

I am actually a bit surprised that people are so worried about it. It just doesn't seem like a danger to us. When DD is sitting better in there then I will most likely leave them to play in there together, as I said before I can hear everything from the next room. To be completely honest, I have never been able to figure out how a toddler can drown in shallow water?? Surely they just sit back up again??

[Liz]

My DS (4) and DD(2) bath alone together. We are in and out most of the time getting pj's ready and stuff (and telling them to keep the water IN the bath LOL) They are always nattering and splashing (or fighting LOL) and like others have said I keep an extra ear out for them. It's been a while that we've left them alone to bath... can't remember really.

But I wouldn't just say cos I do with mine that it's ok to leave any 4 & 2 yr old alone. I know how mine play in the bath... and know they're not prone to falling over etc. Not to say they don't fall over ever... we've had some almighty spills before with DS.. usually when he's mucking up, jumping around etc (showing off to us usually) If there's a lot of splashing and jumping I'm in there telling them to settle down.

I'm aware of the dangers with little kids & baths. But I'm comfortable with how my kids are and that we are keeping a good eye & ear on them.

[Pandora]

They can't if they hit their head on tap or bath on the way down.
I almost drowned when I was two so maybe I'm just paranoid but I've only just started leaving my eldest alone in the bath now and then only for a few seconds at a time.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

I wouldn't risk it either, not until they are quite a bit older, my 2 are quite often very vocal but i also know that DD1 likes to tip water over her sister in an attempt to 'wash' her she's only 20mths herself and i wouldn't trust her alone in the bath.
I just bought the little stick on non slip mats for her and my main worry is that she will be walking around slip and knock herself out, if she does that and doesn't cry i might just think she's splashing like a maniac like normal.
DD1 is not scared of water and often puts her head in to 'drink' it, water safety to me is paramount, a child can drown in the tiniest bit of water.

I don't judge other people and each child is different, mine is just a maniac and doesn't know her boundaries and there is no way i would leave her with her little sister, as it is now if i'm home alone and need something i RUN through the house, if DP is home i make him come in and watch them before i even leave the room.

[~MummaBear~]

i leave my boys (6) and (4) alone in the bath and if dd is in the bath i stay but i am in and out the bathroom when the boys are in there and you can hear them through the whole house. I do leave DD (2) in the shower by herself/ with the boys but i dont leave her in the bath.

sounds kind of funny but i think if my kids were to drown they would actually have to get out of the bath and lay on the floor as there is always more water on the floor than whats left in the bath ROFL

[Arimeh]

I'm with Liz as well, I know my kids and they don't muck around in the bath water, they just sit there and play. Occasionally DS will tip water over DD1's head, but boy does she let us know it! The worst thing they do is tip water out of the bath.

[Lulu]

sounds kind of funny but i think if my kids were to drown they would actually have to get out of the bath and lay on the floor as there is always more water on the floor than whats left in the bath ROFL

Thats the actual reason I don't leave my two alone.....the MESS!

[megs]

I'm like you Arimeh, I leave the 2 older boys in the bath on their own. They make that much noise and mess that you know what they are up too. I stay in the bathroom whilst my youngest is in the bath as I don't trust them at all with him, and I too agree they would have enough thought due to their age to do something if he went under (well not quickly enough) but I then generally get DS3 out and take him to the get dressed whilst the older two then have fun. They don't have deep baths and they have done swimming lessons since they were little so I know they are familiar with water.

[Glamourcide]

DD2 just had her first birthday and DD1 is nearly 3, I often pop them in the bath and get back to the stove to tend to dinner while keeping both ears tuned for the bathroom. They both splash and sing really loud and carry on and DD1 always yells out if DD2 stands up or does something she knows is dangerous, I go running if I hear her yell, 'HAY-LEY!' in that stern tone of voice lol.
They're never left unattended for more than a few seconds at a time, I go and stick my head in to check on them or yell at DH to get off his bum and do some parenting while I cook.

[krisp]

My DS is 4 and my DD is 2.5 and they are supervised at all times. Things can happen so very quickly and they are just way too precious to take any risks with.

[ShootingStar]

I would leave DS by himself (almost 4) but if DD (almost 2) was in the bath, either DH and i have to be in there. I dont think i will leave her alone in there until shes old enough to know not to stand up and she can swim basically. Probably around 3 years-ish?