When Did Bath Time Become Something I Begrudge?

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When my boys were babies, I loved giving them a bath. Carefully bathing them as they smiled and cooed. Watching them splash in the water and play in the bubbles. And who doesn’t love giving their little baby a bath in the kitchen sink? They were so sweet and innocent.

I was a sucker for those adorable baby and toddler bathrobes. I absolutely loved wrapping my snuggly little boys up and cuddling together before changing them into their clothes or pajamas. The calming smell of Johnson’s lavender babywash on their skin and fresh shampoo in their hair.

It was heavenly.

But somewhere along the way, things changed. As my boys grew older, I realized my love for bath time diminished. Suddenly, it feels like a chore. Something I no longer wish to do. I find myself asking my husband to give them a bath so I don’t have to.

Maybe it’s because they’re older now (five and three) and don’t need me to do as much for them?

Maybe because they’re not small and perfectly content to just sit there and play with the bubbles while mommy washes them up?

Or maybe it’s because bath time went from something fun for mommy to something more fun for them?

You see, now that they’re older, they think it’s funny to splash water everywhere. And when I say everywhere, I mean EVERYWHERE. Half of it ends up all over my bathroom floor and walls. And the other half ends up on me. In fact, it’s not unusual for me to change clothes after bath time because I am completely soaked.

When they were little, I was in control. Now that they’re older and discovered the word “no” (all while testing mommy’s patience), bath time is a game for them.

It’s the, “Let’s see how much we can aggravate mommy” game.

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You know how it goes fellow mamas. Your kids are in the tub playing and decide to splash the water all over you and the rest of the bathroom. Then, when you tell them it’s time to wash up, they deliberately go to the back of the tub and yell, “No, I’m not ready yet!”

Listening skills go completely out the window … skills they had completely mastered ten minutes ago. They just want to play with their toys, splash water all over my bathroom and stay in the tub for hours on end. Meanwhile, mommy wants to let them play for a little bit, get them washed up and out of the tub quickly so their eczema doesn’t flare up, and remain dry in the process.

I don’t know, maybe I’m just too much of a control freak who wants things to go smoothly with minimal mess. Or maybe I just miss the days of washing them in the sink and wrapping them up in their adorable hooded towels.

I know they will only be this young for so long and I should enjoy these moments. But it’s hard. REAL HARD. I try to keep these fleeting moments in mind and relax more during bath time (and by relax I mean, sitting on the bathroom counter and watching part of an episode of Call the Midwife while my boys play in the tub).

Regardless, any way you look at it, there is no denying bath time just isn’t what it used to be.

How does bath time look in your household?

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