Essentially, there is no appropriate age to stop bathing with your child, it happens eventually. But some signs should be caught on as parents gradually let go and allow the child to shower by themselves. Over time, the child starts showing signs of feeling shy—this is the cue for the parent to stop. Once the child is about 3-4 years old, it is overriding to teach the child how to scrub and soap themselves. Parents should also allow the child to pick out their clothes and let them dress themselves. It may be tiring in the start when the child is still learning, they may come out of the shower leaving a mess, might mess up the way they button their clothes, pick out a funny combination—in such cases, parents should explain the child and teach them instead of giving in to frustration and taking matters into their own hands. Small activities like allowing the child to decide their outfit, allowing them to learn how to scrub themselves, letting the child wear their clothes encourages them and boosts their confidence—making them more independent.
Negative effects of bathing with your child
Firstly, to make things very clear, nudity is normal for a child, they do not look at it the way we do. We have a very book-taught concept of it in our minds and hence, feel awkward or embarrassed. Therefore, it is also very important for the parent to not take away from the comfort the child feels or perpetuate any shame towards it. As the child grows up, it is paramount to understand that the child may also have boundaries and it is very cardinal to respect them. Slowly, as they start going to school, it becomes almost necessary for them to build a few boundaries, understand touch and privacy. Another key factor that most parents ignore, is if the child is asking for privacy, they must get it with all understanding. Slowly, parents might see the child getting uncomfortable bathing together, might feel sexualized at times too, and hence, it should be stopped as the child reaches a level of maturity and once they are comfortable with cleaning themselves keeping in mind the hygiene factor. Excessive involvement may be overwhelming for the child. The parents should allow them time and liberty to learn and be independent. Bathing themselves will also help the child learn about hygiene and this is a small step towards making their own decisions and being sufficient.
When should you stop bathing with your child?
