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What age to start bathing separately?

SteppingUp's picture

Just a general question for those of you out there with boys and girls for (s)kids. SS3 and SD5 still take baths together. There have been a few times where we've left the room and come back to see them laying naked on top of each other in various ways (that are incredibly sexual) and giggling. I think that's totally inappropriate and we've told both of them that they should not be touching each other's privates in any way. I know this could be completely innocent, and probably just normal kid stuff but I'm starting to think that SD should start showering herself. I grew up with a sister who was much older than me so we never bathed together...I guess I just don't know what the norm is! DF is also wondering how much SD has seen of BM and her boyfriends "at it" and wondering if this behavior is her copying what she's seen?

Of course, we're also thinking that if we enact a separate bathing time for each of them that there's no way that BM will do that because it will take up more of her own time to supervise. Also, we know that the kids will be bummed because they like playing together in the tub. So what do you think is the appropriate age to start splitting them up?

Comments

WHERESMYWART's picture

I am not sure there is an appropriate age but obviously when the kids start to notice the differences and start acting on it as yours seem to be doing, it would be a nice time to start separating them. I am sure they love bathing together and having fun but I am sure with the right toys, they would love having the whole tub to themselves. I think my sister and I had to bathe together forever but we were both girls. I used to bath my BS and BD together until I left the room and heard him giggling. She was maybe 18 months or so and had figured out he had something down there. I went off, he was only four but I told him that this was not acceptable behavior at all and would not occur again or there would be very serious comlications. Of course he was four at the time, but I wanted to get it through his head the first time.

And I wonder why the kids are as sexual as you say. My SS's were the same way. When DH and I were dating, me and him were snuggling under the covers on the couch while the kids were playing in the bedroom. All the kids were six and under and the oldest saw us lying together and went and told his brothers that we were F*CKing. Where does a six year old see this and know this type of language? DH says that his whole XW's family is like that. 11 year old SS said something about condems yesterday and floored hubby. I guess he doesn't hear how SS is overly concerned about how my Breast jump and down when I run and such or how he talks about this girl and that girl.

rubysunshine88's picture

I have a ss4 and sd5 and they still bathe together, however, fiance and I have been recently talking about spliting baths up because of the same behavior. They are beginning to be very curious and sd5 seems to be getting kind of bashful in front of anyone when shes changing. I think the best time to split them up is when they start acting like they need privacy or start asking a lot of sexual questions or when they start acting in sexual ways (unintentionally of course)