when did you let your kid play in another room so you could take a shower?

Kristal - posted on 03/01/2012

When my oldist was small I put her in her play pin in the bath room with me. We would play peek a boo around the door:) now with my youngest I just wait till she is sleeping. And my oldist will come to the bathroom if she needs me.

Jen - posted on 02/28/2012

Why not just take him in the shower with you?

Jaime - posted on 02/28/2012

my daughter is almost 14mo and usually my husband and i take turns watching her while we shower. but her bedroom is adjacent to the bathroom and even flushing the toilet wakes her up in the morning, so we have to shower either at night or while she's awake anyway. but she does really well playing by herself. our house isn't baby-proofed (God forbid, lol) but she has never gotten hurt on anything and she stays away from the things that might hurt her, like the heater, which we can't exactly pick up and move (it's kind of built into the house). She knows it will hurt her if she gets too close, and she steers clear. May be different when she gets older, but only mommy and daddy can touch certain things and she is good about following that rule right now.

Deanna - posted on 02/28/2012

i have the same comments as others....when he was younger i would bring his toys in with us..i think he was maybe 3 i would put dora on and leave the bathroom door open and tell him if he needed me i would be in the bathroom and it has been fine. i have had the odd incident when he tries to get him self a drink haha.

Heather - posted on 02/26/2012

Can you move your high chair into the bathroom? You can feed them while you shower. I have two little guys now, so showing is super tricky and I usually end up doing it at night after I put them to bed, but when I only had one, I used to let him snack while I showered.

Julie - posted on 02/21/2012

Depending on the age of the child maybe you can start off by pulling the high chair or play pen bouncer...ect... To the door of the bathroom so you have an eye on the child I started off doing that at about 8 months with my daughter when she turned 1 yr I would leave her playing or watching t.v. But ever few minutes would call her and keep calling till she came to the bathroom( always keep the doors open) then would ask what she was doing and remind her to be good and that I would be finished soon I think as long as you can either see the child ( high chair play pen ect...) or get the child to come to you when you call them that it is up to you to decide what age is best try sitting and explaining what your going to do

Karen - posted on 02/21/2012

When I first started to take showers home alone with her, she was about a year old. I would take snacks in the bathroom and let her play in there while I showered.



Now shes 2 and gets a choice. She can join me in the shower if she wants (and sometimes does), or she can walk around our apartment while I shower with the door open. She comes and goes. I have toddler proofed almost every inch of this place, because she forced me to with her craziness. I am always prepared to jump out if I need to.

Nicole - posted on 02/20/2012

I usually try to shower at night anymore just to save time in the morning & so I can actually have 10 minutes to myself. I do shower in the mornings at times tho, and my oldest son was about 11-12 months and I would let him play in his room because it was off the bathroom we had in our old apartment and I would just put up a babygate so he couldn't go anywhere else. Now that we have a house my bedroom has a bathroom connected to it, so I let my older son sit on my bed and watch cartoons (he's 2 1/2 now) and my 8 month old son I put a babygate up in the bathroom doorway and he crawls around and plays in the bathroom where I'm at. I put a bunch of toys for him to play with and keep the bathroom door open so I can keep an eye on my older son. Every kid is different, I trusted my older son probably a lot sooner than I would trust my younger one, my younger one gets into things whereas my older one never really has.

Jackie - posted on 02/13/2012

My son is 16 months old and i still put him in his crib with a few toys while i hop in the shower quick. Sometimes i bring him in the bathroom with me and put him in his highchair. I don't let him stay out because he is a little monkey and will get into everything.

Sabrina - posted on 02/11/2012

not on option to me i run a bath for my child while i shower and she plays while i dress in there and then its her turn and she is usually done at that point ,i would say almost 5 years, i have a really good girl but i wouldnt leave her to sit for that long in trust unless i leave the door open and do constant yell for their name to keep them coming to the rest room and say just checking then leave the water on and peek on them to find trust in that they are watching t.v.

Lexi - posted on 02/08/2012

When my son was little enough to stay in the play pen or his crib I would leave him to play while I showered. Was he was out and running around, I started leaving him alone to shower when he was almost 2, 20 months or so I think. He would sit on the couch with a snack and watch his favorite show. I always keep the bathroom door open and I can peek out and see parts of the living room and the couch if he seems suspiciously quiet. He is really good about coming when I call him to "check in". I don't usually shower long tho. Not the nice relaxing showers. It's 5 - 10 minutes max of peeking out and wondering what he is up to. lol House is well childproofed tho so the worst he can do is make a mess, nothing that could hurt him or make him sick.

Rebecca - posted on 02/06/2012

About 2 1/2 with the door open. Of course you can always bring them and a few toys into the bathroom with you. I have older children who can come get me if need be.

Bee - posted on 02/05/2012

my son is almost 4 months old and my daughter is 17 months old. i usually wait until my son is napping and my daughter sits in the bathroom playing on the floor or in her room. i leave the door open and i can see her through the shower door. shes usually knocking on the shower door while im in there but she is always good.

Liz - posted on 02/05/2012

My daughter is 21 months old. I have always just brought her in the bathroom with me. She started asking me to get in when she was about 10 months old. Ever since then, she has just showered with me. My son is a month old now. I wait until he takes his morning nap and DD and I hop in. She can open all of the doors in the house and will just take all of her clothes off and get in on her own if I don't invite her. :)

Amanda - posted on 02/05/2012

I put on a movie in his room and lay him down at about nap time and leave his door slightly open and leave bathroom door slightly open to where i can hear him if he gets up and walks around

Jessica - posted on 02/01/2012

Usually if your gut says that it is okay and safe to do so then you should trust yourself. Sometimes we just cannot coordinate nap times and things that need to get done- we know that all too well in our household. Do whatever you think is best.



As for me, James is 9 months old tomorrow and I have never left him in a room by himself (except for a moment) unless he is in a play yard or crib. Usually I put him in his crib with his favorite toys and "lovie" when I need to shower or get a few things done where I won't be able to keep my eye on him; although we are baby proofed he loves michief and is so mobile now. We also have a cat who is very good with him and loves to play but I don't want to risk any mishaps if I am not there to monitor their interaction.



At first I was told not to put him in his crib for moments such as these because he may begin to confuse his crib with play time and activity but it hasn't happened to us. I think his room and crib is a safe haven for him and he knows that at night time when it is dark that he is supposed to sleep comfortable and during the day or if the lights are on and I set him in there that he can play (and usually fall asleep doing so before I get back).

Jessica - posted on 02/01/2012

people will think i'm silly, but my daughter was almost 3 y/o. She gets into everything so I would usually have to make her sit in the bathroom with me so she didn't get hurt and in trouble. But now, she will sit and play (sometimes color on the wall) while I take a shower. My little one who is 13 months old, I put back in the crib. i just think it's up to you and how comfortable you feel leaving them for a few minutes.

Keri - posted on 01/25/2012

We got "baby gates" for the areas we didn't want him going in. Often times, Mom or Dad's showertime became his. But I think we were finally able to let him play by himself while we were nearby but not in the same room when he was about 3.

Ashleigh - posted on 01/24/2012

My son is 16 months old and I just recently started leaving him alone in his room with the gate up cuz all his toys are in there but when I take showers I make sure my house door is locked and I leave the bathroom door open so I can hear him if anything was to happen

Ashleigh - posted on 01/24/2012

My son is 16 months old and I just recently started leaving him alone in his room with the gate up cuz all his toys are in there but when I take showers I make sure my house door is locked and I leave the bathroom door open so I can hear him if anything was to happen

Stifler's - posted on 01/23/2012

My son is 2 and I wouldn't let him alone while I showered LOL

Brittney - posted on 01/22/2012

Well with my oldest son when he was a newborn I usually did wait til it was his nap time and yest there was times that before i got out he was already up and crying but to little to roll or crawl.. when he got alil older i used to put him in this bouncer in the bathroom when i was taking a shower.



I also have a 20mth old son and before i do anything it make sure he is still sleeping or if hes up I take care of him first such as if he needs a bath first or make him breakfest then I put him in his room with his food and put a movie on so he can watch and then i put a gate up and then i hope in the shower i also make sure there is music on in his room and light from the window and that he cant get into outlets whicih is covered and something is also blocking it. Just make sure that the bathroom door is open if you still feel unomterable you'll still be able to hear them.

Staci - posted on 01/22/2012

well my baby is 10 months old and since we spend most of the time in the master bedroom, when i need a shower i leave her in the room to play with her toys or watch tv (she loves watching commercials more than the actual shows) and i go into the master bathroom and take a shower. i have to do it during the day cuz at night i give her a shower to get her ready for bed, its the only way i can get her to calm down enough to go to sleep.

Hannah - posted on 01/22/2012

I'd like to shower in peace but my son insists on following me around the house (he's 2) when I go in the shower he puts the toilet seat down climbs up and plays with all my perfumes and nail varnish that are on the window sill! I often leave him playing in his room in the morning because he wakes up really early and with a new baby nearly here I need my rest!

Amanda - posted on 01/20/2012

Like some of the other moms have said, it all depends on when you feel your child is independent enough to leave alone. My son is 2 1/2 and I would always have him shower with me until a few months ago. I waited until I felt that he wouldnt get into stuff he shouldnt be. I have a child safe knob for the outside door so he doesnt have a chance to get out and he is always welcome to come in the bathroom if he needs me. Even if you have to try it out one day and see how it goes and then decide if you will continue.

Kelly - posted on 01/20/2012

Personally, i bring my son with me into the shower or i bring toys into the bathroom although it is small i bring some trucks for him to sit on the floor with. He is 22 months old. I also keep a child safety door knob on the inside of the door so he cant leave and keep the curtain some what opened so i can see and talk to him. Other than that i spend alot of time waiting for my 2 older daughters to get home from school and then have them keep an eye on him. If they arent around i wait till hes napping and keep a monitor nearby.

Janel - posted on 01/20/2012

I think it's really up to you and how comfortable you are and how independent your son is. My daughter was very independent from the get go. When she was younger (maybe 9-10 months) I would just leave her in her crib with some toys and take a shower. I'd put a baby monitor in the bathroom with me so I can hear if she started to cry. As she got older I would leave her in her bedroom while I showered and now I just tell her what I'm doing and if she needs me she'll come in.



I think it is very much dependent on comfort levels and your overall parenting techniques. I enjoy the fact that my daughter is so independent and that I can trust her to "be on her own" some other mothers tend to worry a bit more and don't want to take any chances. I don't think there's a right or wrong way or a magic age.



Good luck!

Alicia - posted on 01/18/2012

In general I prefer to shower while he is napping. If that isn't possible for whatever reason, I just bring him into the master bedroom with a few toys. We don't have a door from the bedroom to the shower area, just a door to close off the toilet area. He is 14 months old and he does well. If I can't hear him for a bit I usually talk to him and if I don't hear him talk back I peek my head out to see what he is doing. i wouldn't leave him alone in the house longer than it takes to throw a poopy diaper in the outside trashcan... You only get one shot with your kids.

Brianna - posted on 01/16/2012

my daughter is 26 months and when she turned 2 i started letting her play in my bedroom while i shower i put cartoons on tv and give her blocks to play with but i shower in my bedrooms bathroom with the door open so i can still keep a eye on her but the bedroom door is closed so she cant run about the house.

Nikki - posted on 01/16/2012

when my daughter was 14 months she was able to look at books or play with toys she had an attention span of 10minutes so i would put a blanket in the bathroom with some toys so i could still see and hear her it was long enough to take a quick shower otherwise i waited till nap or take one at night when my husband was home

Korin - posted on 01/16/2012

When you can trust your child not to do anything sneaky while you arent watching. My daughter is almost 2 and she plays in her room or the bathroom while I shower. I make sure she is involved with something before I go shower though.

Casey - posted on 01/16/2012

I always tried to put my daughter in her room(which I knew was kid safe) with the door closed-she couldn't open it, then I took the monitor. I just started to be able to trust her around age three because I was afraid she would fall down the stairs or something. You just never know what they can get into.

Janice - posted on 01/16/2012

I dont believe there is much in my house that my daughter could get hurt on so I have showered with her in a different room since she was an infant. Once I could no longer use the swing I would just turn on the TV. I'm in an apartment so the bathroom is with-in earshot of the whole house. I would keep the door open so I could hear and she could come in if she wanted. She often gets in the shower with me too. I started bring her in around 9 months and now at 2 she actually washes and rinses like she is grown ;) Actually, now that her brother is here I leave her alone less. I only shower if he is asleep in his crib because I'm afraid she will accidentally hurt him.



But maybe I'm lucky my daughter doesn't open doors, or climb on any furniture besides the couch or put small objects in her mouth.

Jamie - posted on 01/15/2012

18 months I started letting him watch tv while I took a shower. It worked but I was paranoid that something would happen in those 10 minutes.



I always said I was never going to let my children watch TV, but after 18 months of being so stressed out of not being able to shower in the morning I broke down.



I sometimes would be so worried about him I would jump out and check on him and then jump back in.



Whew....I'm actually glad those days are over #stressful

Vanessa - posted on 01/15/2012

My kids are 2 and 3 and i still dont leave them playing if i cant wait till their dad is home then i put them in their infant/toddler rockers strapped in with a sippy to watch cartoons while i shower better sade then sorry

Emma - posted on 01/15/2012

I started leaving my eldest (now 3) alone in the living room with cartoons when he was about 18 months. When I had my second (now 2) I would bring her in with me in her bouncer or toys in the tub until she was about 15 months. Now I leave them both with toys in the lounge room but we have a very baby proofed house otherwise I would be too scared to do it. I am due to have my 3rd in 6 weeks and will start the process all over again! But in saying that I only take 5 minute showers when its just me and the kids and keep my longer hair washing, leg shaving showers until the evening when my partner is home or the kids are in bed.

Monica - posted on 01/15/2012

my husband works in healthcare. i don't recommend leaving a child unattended in a living room or place that is not confined. i can't tell you how many times he has had to operate on kids who get into "stuff" when their parents were gone for just a minute. with that said...my daughter's bedroom is her safe place. nothing in there she can hurt herself with...just her mattress and some books/toys she can't choke on. the lock to the door is on the outside so i can lock her in. i have a monitor in there so i hear and see what all is going on. I take a quick shower and let her play. i would never leave her alone in my bedroom or the living room. she can unlock the front door, pull cords down in living room, get into oven, sink, etc. she is an explorer and i have never been able to keep my eyes off of her without her getting into trouble.

Tammy - posted on 01/13/2012

When my daughter was still in a crib, I could take a shower any time. She had a crib tent, to keep the cats out and keep her in, so she was all safe in there. But now that she's in a regular bed, I never leave her alone. I just wait till she falls asleep at night or I wake up before she does. You have to make adjustments when you have kids.

Kasarah - posted on 01/13/2012

With my son which was my first I never did anuthing while he was awake which made me feel tied down 24/7, so when I had my daughter Iput a baby gate up in there bedroom whivh is babyproof and leave the bathroom door open (which is next to there room) and it works and still does for me.

Shana - posted on 01/13/2012

My daughter is almost two and a half and I still don't trust her to be alone... even for a shower. So I have to wait til she's napping/sleeping, OR a few times in desperation because we NEEDED to go somewhere and I NEEDED a shower I put her at the end of the tub and took a shower while she played with her tub bubbles..... Not sure how anyone else feels about letting their little ones see them naked but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, and I don't feel bad about it because she'll never remember seeing me naked anyways.

Rachael - posted on 01/13/2012

I left my son from when he was about 18 months. I would put on his show or give him toys and then leave the door open and shower quickly.

Sarah - posted on 01/13/2012

my youngest is 2 next month and ive never left him while i take a shower he would be in everything tv would be pulled over the lot i know how cheeky he can be i always shower at night when hes in bed ill get to have a shower day time when he starts nursery lol

Katherine - posted on 01/13/2012

I would take a shower at night to advoid leaving my kid alone... if you can do that. I would sometimes wash my hair in the am...but that would only take a few minutes

Christina - posted on 01/13/2012

My daughter was almost 18 months before I felt comfortable taking a shower while she played in her room. We baby proofed her room so she couldn't get into anything, and I put the baby gate at the top of the stairs. At first I would keep her in her room, but she would cry the whole time, so now I let her wander between the bathroom and her room (they are three feet apart). Most of the time she'll stay in her room. I think its because she knows she can get to me if she needs to. It took a looooooooong time for me to stop being nervous, but every parent and child are different. My husband still won't leave her in a room by herself for two seconds while he goes to answer the phone. Its us being overly careful, but you learn as you go.

Roxie - posted on 01/12/2012

My son is 10 months and i will take a shower while he's playing in the room. However i leave the bathroom door open and keep the baby monitor in the bathroom so i can hear him. His room is 5 feet from the door so he can walk and go as he pleases. Sometimes i bring a few toys in the bathroom to lure him in there if i know i'm going to wash my hair..lol..but i think it's different for every child, but we baby proofed the crap out of his room so i feel safe with him by him self for 15 mins or so.

Leslie - posted on 01/12/2012

I don't. either my honey watching her or I wait till she is sleep.

Belinda - posted on 01/12/2012

I used to put my 15 month old in her playpen with 2-3 toys. I would also put Barney on for her. That was her favorite. My bathroom was not far from the living room so I would leave the bathroom door open and take a look at her every few minutes! She wouldn't realize I was gone because she was either playing or watching Barney.

Brittany - posted on 01/11/2012

I started when my daughter was about 9 months old or so, only she was strapped in her high chair with some cheerios and toys, while I was in the shower (with the door cracked open). Her high chair was at most 8 feet from me.



I started then, because she would scream if I set her on a blanket with toys in the bathroom.



Starting at about 16 months I would put on a short show on the TV. It would distract her just enough that she wouldn't get into things. Now at 2 I leave her in the living room to play and take her brother into the bathroom with me. At this point she'll knock on the bathroom door if she needs something.

Brandee - posted on 01/11/2012

I usually try to do it before my 2 year old gets up only because she wants to wash me off cause she tells me I am not doing it right. But I would say if you don't want to leave her alone take some toys in the bathroom for him to paly with and just peek out and see what is he is doing. That is what I did with my daughter and plan on doing with my son when he out grows his bouncer

September - posted on 01/11/2012

Our son is 3. I allow him to play in his room while I shower which is just a short distance away. Our son tends to do the back and forth thing while I'm in the shower showing me what he's playing with and interacting with me. I think it really just depends on the child.