My Question of the Day: Parents of a five-year-old are in a heated debate about how to handle an on-going situation with their daughter. Since birth, Dad has enjoyed sharing a bath with his baby girl. He liked the idea of being able to hold her and keep a watchful eye on her so that she didn’t slip in the water and drown. Mom was pleased to see Dad taking such an active role in the care of their daughter and sometimes all three would bathe together. It was fun family time.

About the age of three, Mom begin dropping the bug in Dad’s ear that he was going to have to stop bathing with their daughter next year because the little girl would be at the age where she would be curious about “boy parts” and “girl parts.” Dad scoffed and thought it was absurd to think he’d have to stop sharing this special bonding time in the bubbles with his daughter.

Age four came and went and still Dad and daughter were sharing a bath. Mom would hear them sharing their day and Dad would take this time to lovingly correct his daughter about different things that needed to be addressed. Still, Mom thinks it’s time for father and daughter to stop the shared baths.

What do you think?

My 2 Cents: I can appreciate that Dad wants to share some special time with his daughter, but it’s time to stop the co-bathing.

There are other ways to bond with your child(ren), and Dad needs to discover a new way to do so. His daughter is growing up and he’s messing with her age of innocence here.

He’s also messing with his own innocence. All he needs to happen is for his little girl to go to school and talk about how she shares a bath with her daddy and she’s seen his boy parts, etc.

Mom is going to have to be more proactive. Maybe she should bathe the little girl before Dad gets home, and eventually the daughter will get accustomed to bathing alone. Even if she puts up a fuss to begin with, if Mom sticks with it her daughter will eventually understand that this is the new system.

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