Can anyone advise me about bathing sm children, under 4? How do u get them clean w/o invading their privacy?

Question

I have 2 kids, 1 1/2 and 3 1/2, and they are getting their backs, legs, arms, tummys, and heads clean... I know this sounds silly, but I am trying not to invade their privacy too much, but I fear they are not getting clean! How do you clean the private areas of small kids, without being creepy about it? HELP!

I have tried to teach them to wash themselves, but they are not catching on, My daughter does better at 3 than my son who's only 1 1/2. He's clueless!

Hello? At what point did I say I left them ALONE in the TUB? I DIDN'T! DUH!

Someone, slap that person for me? She's not real bright....

Ok... let me CLARIFY! They are NOT FILTHY. (OMG... infection? I mean really!)

I am with them, and work on teaching them to wash, and we use a Washcloth Puppet.

I just want the opinion of other parents on the best way to wash their kids Privates because YES... I do feel a bit uncomfortable doing it for them. I thought there might be a better way to go about it...

apparently the wash cloth is the most popular method.

Answer 1

I have four children aged 5-18, so this I get :)

My five year old has HFA (high functioning autism), she she is right around this level developmentally. The first thing I will say is that with kids under four you really don't have to worry about privacy issues. I have found that boys are more private than girls, at least at my house. As soon as my kids bring it up, I start to back off, but that didn't tend to be until they were over 6-7.

What I do with the little one, is get her in the bath, wash her hair (she likes to help), and then load up her washcloth with soap. I sing songs to her in the tub. She generally gets a good part of her body done, and then I either let her know what she missed, or finish it up. Then we are done.

I will say that my 9 year old STILL has to be checked on in the shower. A lot of the time, she will go into the shower, let the water get on her and then get out - so I am constantly saying come here and smelling her hair and her arms lol.

Eventually, they will learn to keep themselves clean! Good luck!

Answer 2

Im happy you brought this up. I was thinking the same the other day. I wash my kids all the time, I have a boy that is gonna be 3 on Sat. He's no problem to wash. It's my 7 month old daughter I have to pay more attention too. I feel like sometime Im not washing her privates good enough in the bath. I usually double check when she's out of the tub and I wash again. I dont want to hurt her and especially with soap. (I use baby soap) I just feel like I dont wash her good sometimes, Maybe I worry to much but I want to take good care of her in that area. I know she cant do it. So all tips are welcomed...just wanna be a good mom!

Answer 3

well there little kids so u just go into the bath room and wash them.. u should not leave a 1 1/2 yr old and a 3 1/2 yr old in the bathroom by them selves thats a danger right tere at there ages thay dont need privacy thay need to be clean and safe duh. what kind of a mother would put a 1 1/2 and 3 1/3 yr old in a bath tub and leave the room ppl likt that need to have there kids taken away thay could die in there while u are out tring not to invade there privacy that thay dont have or need at that ages. be a mother...
well hes a 11/2 for god sake ur suposed ti clean him and sho him how it is suposed to be done it takes a while for kids to get it. my 14 month old knows how to wash himself but when he is done washing himself i wash him agine to make sure he is clean thats the part of being a mother/father ya know if u cant do that u dont need kids or anything... kids at that age dont need privacy a a toddler let alone does not need privacy. a kid dont need privacy till thay are like 10-11 years old cause thay still need some help cause uo to that age alot of kids dont like to wash them selves fully
okay well than if u dont leave them in the tub by there self what privacy are you so worried about invading if u are in the room than this privacy u think thay need you are already invading it. so y worry about it and just wash them up that part of what a mother.father is suposed to do

Answer 4

You know what...you are those babies' mother! What they have, they have because of you. :)

With my two boys (1 year as of yesterday, yay! and a 28 month old) I just flip their little parts over, pull the skin back, wash here wash there and all is good. If you were having this problem with a child you were babysitting or a niece, it would be different, but these are your kids. Don't feel bad about washing them yourself...you're supposed to. You're the mom! And at their ages, they really can't do it for themselves.

Answer 5

At that age you are going to be doing it for them for a while so use a washclothe and just do it, when the start taking a interest in washing themselves which will probley be around kindergarten or first grade work up a lather for them on your hands and let them get the soap from you to wash their private area's

Answer 6

Come now kids that are 11/2 and 31/2 HAVE NO PRIVACY , just clean the children unless if you want to go to children services for stinky children with diaper rashes. COme on be more mature and think children need cleaning just like you. Use some soap and water and a rag and stop thinking to much into it.

Answer 7

I have a three year old girl and a 8 month old girl. I know how you feel the older my first daughter gets the more uncomfortable I am about cleaning her privates so to help I started using a body puff. It gets her clean without touching her privates. She is also learning how to do it on her own now and having a body puff makes it easier for her to handle. They make kid body washes that smell great.

Answer 8

What do you do when your 1 1/2 year old needs his diaper changed?? Do you not wipe his butt and private areas off?? Did you not wipe your 3 years old's butt off also when he was in diapers???? I don't see what the difference is in the bath tub. An area of their bodies needs to be washed and cleaned. There's nothing creepy about it. You're their parent! They depend on YOU to teach them what they need to learn. They need to learn how to properly clean themselves. And right now, you're only teaching them how to half clean themselves. There's nothing to be afraid of! They're VERY young kids! They don't even know what privacy is. They don't care! What they care about is getting clean and spending time with you.

Answer 9

Don't invade their privacy when they are what, 11?? Kids need you to help clean them at this age. They won't get clean. It's like saying " I can't go to the doctor cuz they will invade my privacy! I mean come on! Yea, i know how you feel, but do this later in life when they know how to take care of their body and clean themselves properly.You can start by teaching them though.--♥Good Luck

Answer 10

well, with kids that young they really don't have much privacy.....as they get older they'll feel less and less comfortable even w/ you in the same room as them when they are bathing, but right now, all they see it as is their mommy taking care of them and cleaning them. I know it might seem wierd, but the less you make of it, the less they will. It's just one of those things that you have to do to ensure the health of your children. I have a little one that is now 4 and up until he was 3ish he had no clue how to wash himself and actually get clean. Now he does it by himself, but I still stay in the same room, just to be safe. If they don't feel uncomfortable, you don't need to.
:)
I hope that helps ease your mind......