Bath Time - Peoria,IL

Maybe I'm overly cautious, but the big concern is they slip and hit their head and it only takes a few inches of water for them to drown... SO I'd say when he can take a shower

I might get reamed for this, but I let my three year old play by himself in the bathtub. He is just like your son and loves to play in there. He also likes to have some privacy and I respect that. I am in the next room (with the baby or folding laundry or something), and frequently call out to him to ask him how it's going. I also go in and say "hi! what's going on?" every 1-2 minutes. He will make me some "coffee" or a "cookie", I will pretend to take the treat, and then leave. I never tell him that I'm checking on him because I don't want him to think there is something to check on him for..... I only recently have felt comfortable with his age and maturity to do this, but I think it's just fine. I also don't fill the bath up very much. Honestly-- I think it depends on your child. We take swimming lessons and live at the beach so he's pretty water safe.
I would never leave a child younger than 2 in the bath, and I would never leave my three year old with ANOTHER child in the bath (playing could get rough), but by himself with some bath toys--- he's fine.
Only you know what will work for your child! Good luck!

I leave my 3.5 and 6 year old in the tub alone all the time. I am upstairs with them, but I am doing things like folding clothes, getting out school clothes for the next day, maybe doing some exercising on the the stability ball or lunges right outside the door. I will run down the stair to throw in some laundry. I am gone for mins at a time, but I feel I can be productive while they play.

my son will be more like 6 or 7 yrs old before this begins.

I actually bring a book in and read while DS (he'll be 3 in June) is in the tub. He's all over the place in there, but if I leave the room, he wants to come with me.
So I read. Baths are usually about 20-25 minutes.

I'd totally leave him if he'd let me! :)

Our son is three and we let him be alone in the tub with us in our room. He likes our bathtub so we can be in our room and still see/hear him.

He's great about not standing up, etc if he did that a lot I'd worry, but I think as long as they understand the safety stuff it's ok. When he gets lonely he calls for us or when he's done he yells...I want to get out NOW...which cracks me up.

OK, this is one of those areas where others would probably consider me a bad mom. With all 4 of my kids I've always left the bathroom to do other things while in the tub. When they were toddlers I used the suction tub ring until they were pre-school age. My youngest is 4 now and I usually just run the bath and leave her be (with the door open). As I'm doing things around the house I walk back and forth past their bathroom many times and say "how's it going?" and she says "I'm playing!" or "I'm ready to get out". Then I stop what I'm doing and go help her wash and dry.

I think if you are in ear shot and pottering around it's fine , I wouldn't go downstairs so I could hear what was going on. I have 3 kids (7 , 5 & very nearly 3) and the youngest we let play for a little once she is washed , sometimes her 5 yr old sister get's in with her , the eldest is a boy and takes a shower instead of bath and does this all by himself. I think Kristina M is being a little unrealistic in her son being 6 or 7 , I am sure he will want to do things himself by then!

My 3 year old son loves bathtime too. I used to sit next to him and read magazines but it was pretty uncomfortable sitting on the toilet for 30+ minutes. We live in a small apartment so I'm steps away from the bathroom. I normally fold laundry or some other chore while he's in there. I am constantly listening for him singing/splashing but I'll drop in every few minutes to check.

I let my 3.5 y/o play by herself and have probably for like 6 months. She knows that she is to sit and play, not stand up or try to get out. I can hear her and check on her periodically. If she's ready to get out she just calls to me and I come help her. I think you'll be fine to let your son play, it can be tiring to sit in there endlessly! Plus you can get stuff done and they learn how to play by themselves!

My son will be 3 in September and I'm constantly in your situation. Our main floor bathroom has a tub and is in about 5 steps from our kitchen. I feel very comfortable letting him play in the bath while I cook dinner etc. What makes me feel comfortable is that I can hear him and that I don't put a lot of water in the tub.......probably just about under his belly button. He's also in swim classes and goes under water. I think you're fine.

Oh, I remember those days too ! I don't have a specific age to recommend, but I don't think I would leave a three year old in the bathroom alone. I used the bath playtime to clean the rest of the bathroom- sink and toilet, and maybe even mopped the floor. You could always bring a book or some other little project to catch up on so you don't feel your time is wasted.

I would say 5 would be better. My 2 boys, 3 and 5 yo, take forever in the bath too. So i stay in there but set a timer for about 15 minutes and tell them when it rings, time is up and you are out. Otherwise i would have to bribe them to get out also and its a big ordeal. But im not comfortable with them being in there alone unless its for only a minute.

My DD is 4 and i have just let her have some alone play time. but our tub is in view from our lliving room with the door open.
so i can still see her and can hear her if need be. but i dont fill it very much either.... and we also take swim lessons and she knows water saftey.

i have one of those non-slip floor mats that i put in the tub so shes not sliding all over the place.
she lets me know when its time to get out.
and i judge by the water temp. when it starts to get cold -- time to get out.