OT: What age did your kids switch from baths to showers?

[justhat]

We just bought a new townhouse and we love it, except for 1 thing-there is no bathtub in the house. Both bathrooms have showers only. Not a big deal overall so we bought it anyway, but with a 2yo and another baby coming in August, we're wondering what we should do. To replace one of the showers with a bathtub will cost $5000-$8000 according to the builder and that is a lot a of money so we're debating what to do. My mom thinks we should just use an infant tub for the new baby and get our 2yo daughter to take showers, but everytime we've taken her in the shower with one of us she is not thrilled when the water hits her head. So is this something she'll outgrow soon (we can use her inflatable tub for awhile, but not sure how much longer she'll fit) or do kids not take showers till they're older, like 5 or 6? We'll be in this house for the next 4 years so she'll be about 6.5yo when we move again and our son will be almost 4yo so it quite awhile to deal with it if it will be a problem.

 

[daisyduck123]

Oh goodness...I do feel for you, but I'm sure someone on here will have some good suggestions.

Me DD11 started taking showers around Kindergarten age.
The same with DS8.

I couldn't wait til they were all old enough for showers...because I wouldn't have to make sure the tub was clean all the time (like I did when they took baths).

 

[Hannathy]

What about getting one of those shower heads that can disconnect and be hand held then you can direct the water only on her body not over her head. My DD loved those when she was little Her aunt had one.

 

[DisneyTeacher]

Once my DS got too big for his infant tub he went in the shower with one of us. He didn't know any different so it never bothered him. He had a health issue that made tub baths tough as a baby so we really didn't have a choice. When he takes a bath now it's all for play.

 

[marlynnp]

Target sells (and I'm sure other places do too) a hand held shower attachment that is 2 pieces. You replace the regular head on you shower with the one piece and then there is a handheld shower that comes with a suction holder so you can mount it at whatever level you like. There is a diverter on the regular head so you can use one or the other or both at the same time.
You can mount the handheld part low enough to hit you daughter on the shoulders rather then the top of her head. My daughter (6 now) liked this much better. I think it was about $40.

 

[Bird-Mom]

Both of my dds have taken showers from birth. They prefer showers to baths unless I get in the tub with them. When they were tiny, either my dh or I would take them into the shower and pass them back out to the other parent when clean. If you are worried about slippery babies, kangaroo corner sells a mesh sling that is great in water. Now they hop in the shower together and get very upset when time is done.

The handheld attachment sounds like a great idea until your dd gets used to the shower idea.

 

[Stephres]

My three year old spotted a bug in her bath and has been taking a shower ever since. She cries when I try to get her in the bath. Our swimming teacher actually recommends it for young children to get them used to water splashing in their faces.

 

[sara74]

DD has been taking showers for over a year now (so she was almost 3 when she started to) still loves the tub but likes to sing and shake her tush in the shower too! DS is 20 months and wouldn't go near a shower yet. I like the attachment idea. And I laughed at the swim instructor comment since DD has no probs with water in her face in the pool but sputters and fusses if a drop gets on her face in the tub!

 

[penguin087]

Just make sure nobody flushes the toilet on her! I always worried about my son getting scalded when we lived in a duplex. The apts shared cold water but not hot so If the other tennant flushed the toilet the shower would get burning hot.

 

[hezreck]

I'm the odd one out here. My DD is 8 and still takes baths. She has taken a couple of showers, but I still have to stand outside and help her get the shampoo out of her hair. She can't get it all by herself. Even if she's taking a bath I wash her hair for her. She has long hair, so if it's not all out it's impossible to get the comb through.

 

[eeyoreforever]

I'm the odd one out here. My DD is 8 and still takes baths. She has taken a couple of showers, but I still have to stand outside and help her get the shampoo out of her hair. She can't get it all by herself. Even if she's taking a bath I wash her hair for her. She has long hair, so if it's not all out it's impossible to get the comb through.

I guess I'm the other odd one then. My youngest dd (11) still loves to take baths. She will take a shower sometimes, but the majority of the time, she loves being in the bath. I don't think either of my dd's started taking showers though until they were about 8.

 

[Our 2 Princesses]

I guess I'm the other odd one then. My youngest dd (11) still loves to take baths. She will take a shower sometimes, but the majority of the time, she loves being in the bath. I don't think either of my dd's started taking showers though until they were about 8.

I was beginning to think my dd was odd too. She's 10 and will still only take baths.

 

[malibuconlee]

What about getting one of those shower heads that can disconnect and be hand held then you can direct the water only on her body not over her head. My DD loved those when she was little Her aunt had one.

I agree, plus it makes cleaning the shower much easier.

 

[gris gris]

My DD is 3 and just started using the shower about 2 months ago. We bought one of the handheld things too, but most often she uses the normal shower. I'm not a big bath person so I'm happy she's in the shower, no more sitting around in your own dirt But I have to say I miss the bath a little bit, because she spent about 1/2 hour in there playing and I would sit on the floor and read a magazine. One thing about the shower though....make sure there are some no slip things or a bath mat on the floor. DD slipped once and went from the front to the back of the tub and that was very scary for both of us.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Will the lack of a tub hurt your resale in the future? I know by the end of elementary school I took only showers, but I am not sure at what age I stopped with baths.

 

[justhat]

Thanks everyone! I feel much better about it now. I never realized so many kids took showers so young (I think I was around 5 or so) so I'm much more at ease with the whole situation. She used to take a bath with me or my husband until recently when I became pregnant and relegated bath duty to my husband and he thought she shouldn't bathe with him anymore now that she's 2 so we switched to an inflatable tub.

As for resale, practically no one in this area has kids so the lack of a bathtub shouldn't be an issue (that's pretty much why there isn't one there now cause they don't really expect people with kids). We live in downtown DC, so while it's in a residential area, most of the other residents are older people with kids who have moved out, single people (all ages there), or in the apts in our area mostly young people without kids yet. I think that's why a bathtub didn't even occur to the builder.

I was thinking about one of those handheld shower heads so now we'll definitely get one after all the suggestions. I thought it would be easier to rinse them off and it's what I do in the bathtub at my mom's house and I love it. Oh, and Madison is all about splashing in the tub and pool, but when that shower water falls on her head that's a different story! Who knows why that's any different to her, but I guess it's just a quirk of the 2yo mind.