Taking Baths with Your 2 Year Old Son.

My five year old son still wants to take baths with me, but I think he is too old and it makes me feel uncomfortable. If you still feel comfortable with it than it is ok. I also had to separate my two boys when they were 4 and 6 because they paid a little too much attention to each other's private parts.

Hi B.,
For quite some time I allowed my son to bathe with me. I did this until he was about 4. When he started to want his privacy then I gave it to him and created soem of my own, because at that point I knew he would understand.

As far as when is a good time to start talking to him about other people touching his private parts, I would say RIGHT NOW. This is a conversation that you can never have too soon. I explained this to my son as soon as he could talk and I will do the same with my daughter. There are too many people on the loose preying on the innocence of our children.

In the meantime, enjoy the innocence and the quality time that you get to spend with your little guy for as long as it lasts.

Hi B.,

My son was fascinated with my body parts because they are so different from his or his sister's (whom he would bathe with). After a while, he lost interest. Both my children showered w/ my husband and I until around 5 or 6. I think it's different for everyone. You have to do what you feel is best for your family. I stopped dressing in front of my son when he was around 7...but he still walks in on me sometimes and he's now 9. I don't want him to feel embarrassed about the human body; but want him to respect the privacy of the other family members.

Regarding talking w/ him about "good touch/bad touch", I personally think “2” is too young for that kind of discussion. Perhaps waiting another year or two would be best. I can't recall exactly how old my children were...I just did when I felt it was right and they could understand. I think the most important thing is that it's not a "one time" conversation; but, instead, a "regular" conversation you have to reinforce the concept and keep communication open. This is the way I've handled all sensitive topics with my children.

Hope this is helpful. :)

I dont have a son so cant speak as to the baths. On the other side your son has already shown that he is now old enough to be taught. Easiest is to teach them that no one is allowed to touch them anywhere that is covered by a bathing suit.

Anything covered by the suit is private and no one is allowed to touch.

What I have read on several occasions is that when they start worrying about privacy, you should start worrying about privacy. So, when they start asking you to leave when they use the potty or start asking to bathe all by themselves, then you should be a little more modest too. That is around the age of 5. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it before that, but my husband is already uncomfortable showering with our 3 year old (a boy), so it does depend on comfort level and how each of you were brought up.

I also live in Surprise, and I have a son that just turned 2 in Feb. I never took baths with him and when my husband did, he always wore boxers or a swim suit. I dunno why my hubby wears clothes cause the kid is seeing "it" now that he's trying to potty train him anyways! I always just put on some shorts and sat on the side of the bathtub while he's splashin around. My son has seen me change before, he always points and says "boobies". I told him girls have boobies and boys don't. I told him "boobies are no touch", and he understands that at least. It's funny when we go to the store though and he sees the bra's. He runs up to them, points and starts yelling "boobies, boobies mama, boobies!" My husband and I just start crackin up!

Hi B.,

My son is 2 and I still take baths with him. I say it is based on your comfort level. If it makes you uncomfortable then stop because your kids will feel your uncomfort and then start to get weary themselves.

When I take a bath with my 2 boys I wear a sports bra LOL..I know it gets cold in there and my hubby laughs at me but I think my boobs are too big and the boys are always noticing when they are in the way of us playing in the bath. If I shower with the boys I wont wear a bra.

When my son (age2) notices my naked parts I make sure to tell him the difference between mommy and him...I think this is a good time to be a little honest but always to your comfort level.

Good Luck!!!

Now is the time to stop. I have 2 boys, they just turned 3 and 5 and it is amazing the questions that they ask and what they come up with. They also both started talking early and with that comes a very smart and inquisitive little boy! I think that since he is able to understand the difference anytime is good to start telling him that nobody can touch him. We started telling our boys when they started touching themselves and thingking their parts were toys. We use correct termonology for our boys body parts because if somebody does touch them they usually wont. I have also told my boys that we never have secrets from each other, only surprises. If someone ever does try to touch your child (I pray that never happens) chances are they will tell them to keep it "thier secret" and if your child is trained that they don't have sectets because secrets are bad, they will let you know what is going on. Hope this helps, good luck!

my son was much older when he started to take notice of my differences but I would say now that he has noticed you might want to stop. Also maybe while changing him or when ever he talks about his "winkie" OR "Bum" that would be a great time to say thats yours and only Mommy/Daddy can touch it and only when changing your diaper to clean it. or something along those lines.

I think it is fine to have baths with him. He is your son and I think it is rediculous how so many people try to associate something sexual with you having a bath with your baby...really. I of course came from a very open family where my hippie parents would walk around naked when we were kids....but honestly I am a perfectly normal person none the less. Oh and I have absolutely no issues with sex or nudity. I am very normal. So I think it is most important that you not act like its a big deal or something inappropriate. I think that can give them issues. Just my opinion.

I shower with my 2 year old son because we don't have a bath unfortunately. Obviously I can't send him in himself. I have to wash his hair and such. At any rate we sees me naked when I a getting ready in the morning and also in the shower. I have already told him my parts Vs. his. He knows Mommy has a vagina and gets a period and uses tampons. He knows women have babys which grow in their bellies and come out of a woman's vagina. Kids are smart and I think we need to be honest and not candy coat. My friend/workout partner has a daughter 2 1/2 also and she is also privy (sp?) to all of this. I think you should be straight up with your son. With regard to telling them no one should touch them.....I have already said it to him a few times. But I phrase it like "If any one ever touches you and it feels uncomfortable its not ok. I am also addressing the issues of smoking. My son now says "I don't smoke, smoking is unhealthy." I am also teaching him about going with strangers or accepting candy from strangers. I don't think there is a too soon. We are protecting our children. That is our job. Of course, I watch Lifestime and so i may be paranoid...but I don't think we can be too safe.

Relax..... enjoy this amazing time with your child. Take this opportunity to use simple, age-appropriate words to label what he asks about. He's two, he'll move on fast to something else. If you're really, really concerned about being naked with him, use lots of bubbles! I recommend the Avon Sensitive Skin bubble bath..... you can sit in it for along time and you won't be all itchy... more importnantly, neither will your son. I think now is a good time to start talking to him about appropriate and inappropriate touching... in short, simple phrases - remember, he's two - he needs information in small pieces with simple language. Also, with a positive tone - you don't want to scare him. A good way is to say that the parts of the body that are covered bu swim suits are private parts and he shouldn't let anyone else touch those parts unless Mommy says it's okay. Simple. As he gets older, you can talk more. Remember to include that if Mommy's with him and the doctor needs to touch him, that's okay... sometimes parents get so restrictive with their language and their fears, they forget about the safe times and places.
Really, the best advice I can give is just to relax and enjoy these special moments. Some of my favorite memories of my little guy and gal were in the bathtub - we had some of the greatest conversations, some of the best learning experiences - for both of us, and some of the most calming, relaxing, rejuvenating moments during a sometimes sleep-deprived, working-full-time existence.
Relax, enjoy your sweet-smelling little miracle and don't rush into too much information too soon.... relax!

He is still learning about the world around him and noticing things that are the same vs. different. I would be careful to not teach him that the body is something bad. I still bathe with my 2 year old and so does my husband. It is all personal choice, but learning that we are different and pointing that out is natural. Relax, and let life happen. If you are uncomfortable, then don't bathe with him...but he'll be fine either way.

I think now is a great time to teach him about the differences between male and female and also to teach him about what is appropriate touching and what isnt.I taught my girls around this time and luckily for me I did because I had trusted a cousin to babysit them when they were 2and a half and 4and a half and one day I was dressing my 3 yr old and telling her he was coming to watch them and I got a wierd feeling and so I asked her if she liked having him watch her and she said yah but sometimes I dont so I thinking maybe he was mean to them asked if he was nice to her and she sais yah but sometimes he touches my pee pee so I started asking her how does he touch you and she showed me and I knew he was molesting them.It was the hardest thing to go through the police investagators really could of cared less there were 5 children involved altogether and when I took my girls to be interviewed they told me flat out that because she didnt speak clearly enough that probably nothing would be done and that they had a saying there that if its under 3 it free.They were supposed to go pick him up and took too long my incle packed them up and left state.He ended up molesting my cousins son and finally was arrested I tried to get the cases put together and my state wouldnt cooperate so believe me now is the time to start teaching him.

Bathing with a two year old is convenient for sure. I would suggest you just alter your attitude a bit, so that your son will view the bathing experience, not as a special and fun play time with mom, but rather a simple, ordinary task to clean one's body. Just get it done and get out of the tub. Have fun and play the rest of the day!

When you start to feel a little uncomfortable with it and question it you should think about stopping. I think every child notices things at different ages. But this does bring up the question about the talk. I have three kids and always found it helpful to open up the conversation with simple sentences and let them ask questions, then be honest and simple with the answers. If they are asking questions then you know they can understand the answer. If they don't ask questions then wait a couple of months and gently bring it up again. But at least say only mommy, daddy and Dr, with mommy can touch or look because we need to make sure everything is ok and clean. Make sure you also say don't let anyone make you touch them there either!