Teaching children to be autonomous is part of responsible parenting. Because childhood is mainly a stage of learning, where children must develop all kinds of skills, skills and knowledge that they will be able to develop throughout their lives. Many fathers and mothers tend to infantilize their children to the extreme, simply because they think that because they are children they should not have those responsibilities.
But everything that children learn and assimilate from childhood, are habits that will allow them to function in any aspect of life. Hygiene is an essential part of any person's care and therefore teaching children to bathe alone is essential. Because poor hygiene can be the consequence of various diseases and that is something that can always be avoided.
Teaching a child to bathe alone
The bathroom is one of the most beautiful parts of care routines from children's childhood, where it is generally enjoyed the most and where children really enjoy the last bit of games before going to sleep. For this reason, on many occasions that excess protection is maintained instead of helping children to be autonomous. Although the reality is that it is a step that they will have to take. Take note of these tips to teach your child to bathe alone.
Security before everything
The first of all is to ensure the safety of the child and never leave him alone while in the bathroom. At any moment you can have an accident and in the bathroom, they are always dangerous. Prepare everything that the child may need in the bathtub on hand, so that they do not have to make strange movements. And above all, always stay by his side to help him with everything he needs, because he will always need you to be by his side.
When to start?
There are no rules in this regard because each child is different and you have to respect their times, but around 4 years is a good time to start with some autonomy. In addition to teaching your child to bathe alone, you can teach him to brush his teeth and do other chores at home. Any exercise of autonomy will be favorable for their development.
Explain how to do it step by step
You can first teach him to use the sponge to clean his body. To make your work easier, puts everything you need at your fingertips, such as the sponge and the bath soap in a convenient container to use. If the gel comes in a bottle that is heavy, your child won't be able to handle it easily. It is preferable to use a small bottle with a dispenser more suitable for the child's hands.
You do not have to bathe completely by yourself, hair for example requires more skill and can take a while to learn. Enjoy the process and go little by little, first you learn to wash your body well. Teach him where to sponge and even use his own hands. There is no better sensory exercise than washing with your hands, let your child know his body that way.
When to teach her to wash her hair
There are also no rules and it depends a lot on whether you have long, short, straight or curly hair, because each type of hair is more or less difficult to wash. With six years, children have more ability and dexterity in her hands and arms so she can wash her hair, so that may be a good age. But always attending to the needs of the child, if before that age you consider that they are ready, go ahead. Similarly, if you need more time to learn, absolutely nothing happens.
The habits that children acquire during childhood determine what their habits will be in adulthood. Make sure these are always healthy habits, hygiene, food, health and self-care. This is the best way to ensure that your children will know how to take care of themselves when the time comes.