Bathing question for 4 year old

kaylakim · January 2013

My daughter is 4 1/2, going to Kindergarten in the fall. She still takes a bath with her younger sister every other day unless needed more often. Every now and then, I will have her shower with me so I can teach her how to wash her hair, rinse well, etc in the shower instead of the bath. I have baby #3 on the way and with Kindergarten coming up, I'd really like to have her shower by herself. How young is too young to trust they are getting washed, cleaned, and rinsed well enough? She has very long hair, that is my main concern I guess.

Anyone have any advice? Experiences? I'm thinking of having her shower alone with my in the bathroom a few times to check on her and make sure shampoo/cond is rinsed out well to make sure she has it down.

Sorry if this seems dumb but I'm just trying to transition her to being a really big girl!

mrsseguin · January 2013

DS is terrified of the shower, but sometimes like to wash himself in the bath with me there. He can't do his hair by himself, he doesn't like water on his face. I personally wouldn't leave him to wash himself at this age in the bath.

It's worth a shot if you think she can do it...I would probably try it if DS was more into having a shower.

LoriLee14 · January 2013

LIke you said. put her in the shower while you are standing outside of this. This way you can gently direct her and keep her on tract. (if she is more likely to play instead of wash up) and to help sud up and check to see if she needs to rinse more. Then when you get more confident then you can leave the room but stay close by and that way she can holler if she needs you or needs to be checked before getting out.

jlw2505 · January 2013

My younger DD will be 5 in March and starts kindy in the fall as well. She showers but with my help. She doesn't like the shower head yet so we use a hand held and she does great but I still do most of the work. My 6 1/2 year old (in kindy now) showers on her own but with me in the bathroom to help as needed and just make sure all is rinsed out. I would say she does 99% herself at this point and is getting close to not needing me in the bathroom to help. I still help adjust the water at first but then she adjusts it as she goes if needed. She sometimes need help getting the shampoo, etc out of the bottles and will sometimes still not get all the shampoo out of her hair but I am thinking that by summer when she turns 7, she will be fine on her own. I am trying to remember when she started using the main shower head and being fine on her own and I want to say it was sometime last summer so around her 6th birthday. 4/5 seems young to me to do it all on their own.

Audtee · January 2013

DD won't be 5 until June and she washes herself in the bathtub or shower each night. She has long curly hair and washes and rinses that by herself each night too. It took a few months of practice with me helping but she figured it out. I have her take a bath or shower in my bathroom in the master suite while I get my things ready for work the next day, wash my face, put on my pjs, etc., so I can monitor her, but it's more for safety than to help at this point.

shellybird101 · January 2013

My DD was four when she wanted to shower by herself. I would let her wet herself for a little bit, then come back and give her some shampoo, have her apply it, help her rinse it out, then I would give her some soap and watch her wash herself(helping if she needed me) and then I would let her play for a minute or two. I think her shower was maybe 5 minutes long, but now she can do most of the shower by herself and she wants to do it all herself. I think she has cut her shower time down to maybe 3-4 mins, cause she no longer needs to play.

I do miss her playing in the tub, it gave me time to throw a load of laundry in or vaccum. oh well she's growing up Smile

stever · January 2013

DS isn't 4 yet but I can't imagine him being ready for independent showers by his birthday.

brewcitybride · January 2013

DD isn't too keen on showers, but she will shower with me every so often. My nephews and nieces LOVE taking showers, and two of them were 4 when they started doing it regularly. Mom turns on the water and they aren't allowed to touch it, but they soap up and do all themselves, and she helps wash their hair. By 6, they could wash their hair themselves.

kaylakim · January 2013

Thanks everyone! I think we'll try with her in the shower and me outside helping rinse and soap up. I appreciate all the insight.

Bathing question for 4 year old

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