A WOMAN has admitted that she only bathes her four children once a week, at most.
In a recent episode of the Him and Her podcast by Lauryn Bosstick, the creator of The Skinny Confidential, a blog, book, podcast and YouTube channel, Lauryn got real with holistic nurse practitioner Veronica Max about how regularly she bathes her children.
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Veronica explained to Lauryn and her husband and co-host Michael Bosstick: “My children probably bathe maybe once a week.”
She then questioned why they would need to wash more, as she questioned: “Why would you need to? Why are they dirty?”
Following this, Veronica revealed: “First off, I just let my kids do what they wanna do.
“I have four children. I’m not going to fight with my kids over little stupid things like bathing.”
Veronica highlighted that her children are nine, seven, five and two, and in the summer, they swim in the family’s pool.
She continued: “Now they swim – we have a pool, and they swim in the summer, so I guess we call that bathing.”
As a result of going in the family pool, Veronica shared that this has impacted their bathing habits, as she added: “So it’s probably even less than that.”
The nurse practitioner said her priority with her children is having them make their own decisions.
She concluded: “Our kids have autonomy over their bodies and their rooms and they can make all the choices Around that, assuming they’re safe.”
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @tscpodcast, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 411,800 views in just one day.
But social media users were left horrified by Veronica’s claims, and many took to the comments to express this.
One person said: “My Latina mother would scream.”
What do the experts say on bathing kids?
ACCORDING to experts, you might not need to wash your child every day.
The NHS recommends that you do not need to give a newborn and older babies a bath everyday – but if they really enjoy it, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t.
They suggest you may prefer to wash their face, neck, hands and bottom instead. This is often called “topping and tailing”.
The NHS advises parents to choose a time when their baby is awake and content and to make sure the room is warm.
Then use a bowl of warm water, a towel, cotton wool, a fresh nappy and finish off with clean clothes.
If you’re still unsure, don’t worry, as we’ve spoken to the experts to get all the info on bathing your kids – including top tips and whether there’s such things as too many baths!
Joyce French, cleaning expert at HomeHow, revealed the average recommended time for bathing kids is around two to three times a week for young children aged 0 to 5.
She said: “Kids starting school may require a daily scrub; however, a thorough wash three times a week is still sufficient enough.”
Elsewhere parenting expert and qualified Early Years Practitioner Kirsty Ketley shared her advice on bathtime.
The mum-of-two, who shares her tips on her website, said: “Under 5’s don’t need to be bathed everyday, unless they are really mucky, and it’s not necessary to use lots of products on them.
“Often kids with severe eczema, for instance, can be advised to bath in only water, two to three times a week.”
If you choose to bathe your child every day, and there are no medical reasons why you shouldn’t, a bath before bedtime is a great way to relax a child.
Plus it’s a great start to a bedtime ritual or routine.
But cleaning Expert Joyce said parents should be wary about giving their children too many baths.
She said: “Bathing or showering too often can actually disturb the skin’s natural protection barrier.
“This can lead to dry, irritated or infected skin, especially if you use harsh soaps or boiling hot water.”
Another added: “My African mother would literally faint.”
A third commented: “This is wicked.”
Not bathing after the pool is insane
TikTok user
Meanwhile, someone sle wrote: “This is going too far.”
At the same time, another user chimed in: “I can’t believe this is real.”
Whilst one TikTok user claimed: “Not bathing after the pool is insane.”
Not only this, but another was horrified, and slammed: “Absolutely disgusting.”
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