s/o to when to stop showering your child

MSUMamaof2

DH and I (whoever is available at the time) take our 2.5 year old DS into the shower with us to bathe him.  At what age do you think it's inappropriate for a child (especially of the opposite sex) to shower with you? 

My thought is that we're about there, with me, anyway.  DS1 knows his body parts and has "noticed" that Mama doesn't have the same body parts, if you get my drift.  I have no problems answering any questions for DS1 when they come up, but he has a very good memory, and I guess I'd hate for the little guy to have "memories" of showering with his mother.....LOL. 

CalinsBride

We take baths with DS, but whoever is in there wears a bathing suit. It's less of a nudity hang-up, and more due to the fact that:

A) DS grabs everything lol. I'll leave it at that. DH isn't a fan.

We only BF before bed, but DS immediately thinks it's milk time whenever he sees "the girls".

C) Bathtime is a fun photo op, and neither DH nor I want to be photographed naked.

erbear

my sister showers with her boys (4 and 6). Doesn't seem to be an issue yet.

JoLiz

I think it is up the the parents and children involved.  As long as the kids and the parents are all comfortable with their decisions.  I say heck... save some water.

essey1234

my best friens kids and my neices love to bath with LO, at about 5 years old, we have them wear a bathing suit in the tub to help teach them about privacy, before that it doesn't seem needed

emiliemadison

I think it's perfectly fine until someone (parent or kid) starts to feel uncomfortable. Our kids (girl and boy) still shower with both DH and me. They are 5 and 3. It doesnt bother them in the slightest and we aren't embarrassed. They know that boys and girls are different but it's just another fact for them. Broccoli is green, snow is cold, boys have a penis and girls have a vulva.

I'm not worried about scaring them or of them having memories of showering with us. Any memories they have will almost certainly be positive and happy, since they enjoy shower/bath time.

Naked bodies aren't a mystery for them to wonder about or question. They know what normal adults look like.  As they get older, they are developing natural modesty in front of others, but not shame or embarrassment. They understand that being naked is ok at home with mom/dad but that sometimes it's best to be private. And when they decide that they dont want to be naked in front of us, we will respect that, just as we will respect when they dont want to shower  with us any longer.

Tonya_G

I had no issues showering with DS up until he was about 4... I don't know why, I just knew it was time to stop. I guess it was more of an awareness. he'd known body parts and all since he was old enough to start learning the words, but there was just a change in him around when he turned 4. I think it depends on the kid. And I think you just have to listen to your intuition. That said, he bathes with his little sister occasionally (thinks it's great fun to pour water on her head- she doesn't agree with this!), and doesn't take any notice of her body being different than his- probably because he was aware that mommy's body was different than his, and mommy is a girl like sister.