To watch movies and television shows, bathtime with babies, toddlers, and small children is often a time of sweet bonding and mellow conversation. Anyone who has actually parented knows that bath time can often be a battle, a mess, and a time of crazy chaos. Getting kids bathed and ready for bed, or having a morning shower to get ready to head out the door can be anything but calm!
My kids went through stages when it came to bath and hygeine. They did not all three love bath time from the very beginning–some did, some did not like the cold, the lack of control, or even the feel of the water in the beginning. Then, once I thought we got the bathtime routine in order, they each developed a temporary “fear” of bathtime–they were afraid they would go down the drain, or realized that water could be unsafe and it become more fearful than fun. This stage was passing, however, and they eventually got into baths and showers again for a while. THEN, early adolescence and they either wanted to shower and bath all the time or I couldn’t get them in the shower for love or money! What I am trying to say is that like many things in childrearing and family life, kids change over time and you can expect their attitudes about even the most basic things like washing and bathing to change along with them.
My best advice is to establish expectations and consistency, but to be prepared to adjust as the child does. Evening baths work great when kids are little and we even used them into the early elementary school years. I found with my kids that the less rushed they were during bath time, the better it turned out for everyone. Allowing for some lingering and play helped to keep things from getting too stressful or turning into a power struggle. Instead of trying to make your child fit into your idea of what bath time should be, it usually works better if you adjust bath time to fit the temperament and personality of your child.
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