How To Transition Children From Baths To Showers

Bathing your baby for the first time is amazing and scary. You’re mesmerised by their tiny little limbs and smiles but also terrified because they seem so fragile and you are worried about not supporting them properly in the water. I still remember the first time I gave my eldest a bath over 7 years ago, she hated it, but that soon changed. As your child grows older, they may want to make the switch from baths to showering on their own. This can cause anxiety for parents and kids alike, but there are a few things that you can do to make the transition easier. Here are six helpful tips. 

A toddler sitting in the bath playing

Don’t Rush The Process

Having your children shower every night can be quicker and more convenient than bathing them yourself, but that doesn’t mean that you should rush to get your kids out of the tub. Bath time is a fun and creative experience that children can easily enjoy for years to come, and it’s one that doesn’t involve a gadget or console. Cherish this time instead of willing it away for ease. 


Start With Baby Steps

When your children first start to shower, you can’t expect that they’ll be able to do it completely alone. For this reason, you should take baby steps and start by having them play with bath toys in the shower while you supervise. You could even head to this website and invest in a larger shower so that you can shower together. If your child gets upset, you should cut the time short. 

Teach Them About Safety

Although you shouldn’t overwhelm your child during their first shower experience, you should take the time to teach them about shower safety. After all, you don’t want them to get hurt and be given a bad impression of showering. Start by showing them how to set the water temperature and explain that showers are slippy. Also, teach them to dry themselves before stepping out. 

Help Them With Hygiene

You should teach your child how to clean themselves properly in the shower before they get used to their own privacy. After all, bathing makes this a whole lot easier than showering does. Also, make sure that they know how to keep shampoo out of their eyes and what to do if any manages to get in there. Explain the importance of hygiene to show that showers are vital. 

Keep Your Bonding Time

Bath time is an amazing opportunity to bond with your child, but there are lots of other opportunities for bonding too. As your child gets older shower rituals will be a lot different than those of bath times, but there are other ways to spend time with one another as part of the washing routine. You could dry and brush their hair, paint their nails, or just relax on the couch in bathrobes together. You don’t need to miss the special times. 

Always Stay Close By

Once your child starts to do more and more things independently and you can trust that they will behave sensibly it may be time to let them shower without supervision. You will know when you are your child are ready. While they are young you should stay near the bathroom in case they need your help and let them know they can call you if they need anything. I leave my eldest to shower on her own, but ask her to call me when she is ready to get out because our shower is inside the bath and it can be difficult for her to get out.

With these tips, you should find your child’s transitions from baths to showers a whole lot easier. 

***Disclosure: This is a collaborative post***

No comments

Thanks for your comment (unless it's spam in which case, why?)