"Adventures in Bath Land"
Adventures in Bath Land: Published 10.13.10 CLT
By Allan Olson
Giving baths at my house is always an adventure, primarily because you never know how it’s going to go.
As a young child, I remember having a tub full of toys in the bathtub while taking a bath, so when we had our first child I was adamant about him having toys as well.
Over the years these toys have been tossed and replaced and tossed again.
The oldest kid now thinks he’s too big for a bath, so he insists on a shower.
As for the other three, it varies on the day if they get a shower or bath. Last week I threw all three in the tub. I know better than this, but I wanted to get it all done with at once.
The last thing I said was, “Don’t make a mess, I’ll be right back.”
“Okay, we won’t,” they all replied. “Yeah, right,” they were probably thinking as I walked out the door.
Now the tub toys are virtually non-existent. They get a cup (or three) and a washcloth each.
I listened to them from the hallway while they were in the tub, laughing and, of course, splashing. I let it go on, even though it sounded like a war zone.
All that separates the tub from the rest of the bathroom is a shower curtain, and I think the only thing that would keep them from soaking the floor would be a door from the top of the tub to the ceiling.
I walked back in the bathroom, and I thought I was going to need my water boots.
“I thought I asked you not to make a mess,” I said.
They all laughed, and I opened the shower curtain and saw that the tub that was nearly full when I left was now nearly empty, and the kids were taking turns jumping from the ledge of the tub into the water, each one trying to make a bigger splash.
“You’re not supposed to get the floor wet,” I said. Of course, they think it’s funny and laugh harder. “My turn,” another kid says.
I let them have some fun, but finally I decided it was time to put a stop to it when the last jumped soaked my pants.
I made sure everyone’s hair was wet and start on the shampooing process. What a chore! I poured shampoo into my hand and reached for the closest kid’s head.
“Me do it,” my youngest, stubborn child said.
That started a chain reaction, and each of them had to shampoo their own hair. I gave them some shampoo and made sure it was scrubbed in.
Then came the rinsing, an even bigger chore. I let them dump water on their heads a couple of times, then took over myself to make sure the suds were gone. While I was refilling, another sibling would take the opportunity to assist me, nailing the other with a cup of water. They don’t seem enjoy the rinse process as much and protest, and I get wetter.
Finally, one kid done and sent to mom for the drying stage. For some silly reason they always want the opposite party to dry them. Usually we humor them and let them have their way.
The process gets repeated two more times and soon the only job left is to clean up the water-soaked floor and get them into bed, which is a whole ‘nother challenge.
At Grandma and Grandpa’s, bath toys remain a staple and they know where to find them every time.
Thanks for reading and have a great week. As always we appreciate your comments and feedback so drop us a line at cltimes1@arvig.net.
By Allan Olson
Giving baths at my house is always an adventure, primarily because you never know how it’s going to go.
As a young child, I remember having a tub full of toys in the bathtub while taking a bath, so when we had our first child I was adamant about him having toys as well.
Over the years these toys have been tossed and replaced and tossed again.
The oldest kid now thinks he’s too big for a bath, so he insists on a shower.
As for the other three, it varies on the day if they get a shower or bath. Last week I threw all three in the tub. I know better than this, but I wanted to get it all done with at once.
The last thing I said was, “Don’t make a mess, I’ll be right back.”
“Okay, we won’t,” they all replied. “Yeah, right,” they were probably thinking as I walked out the door.
Now the tub toys are virtually non-existent. They get a cup (or three) and a washcloth each.
I listened to them from the hallway while they were in the tub, laughing and, of course, splashing. I let it go on, even though it sounded like a war zone.
All that separates the tub from the rest of the bathroom is a shower curtain, and I think the only thing that would keep them from soaking the floor would be a door from the top of the tub to the ceiling.
I walked back in the bathroom, and I thought I was going to need my water boots.
“I thought I asked you not to make a mess,” I said.
They all laughed, and I opened the shower curtain and saw that the tub that was nearly full when I left was now nearly empty, and the kids were taking turns jumping from the ledge of the tub into the water, each one trying to make a bigger splash.
“You’re not supposed to get the floor wet,” I said. Of course, they think it’s funny and laugh harder. “My turn,” another kid says.
I let them have some fun, but finally I decided it was time to put a stop to it when the last jumped soaked my pants.
I made sure everyone’s hair was wet and start on the shampooing process. What a chore! I poured shampoo into my hand and reached for the closest kid’s head.
“Me do it,” my youngest, stubborn child said.
That started a chain reaction, and each of them had to shampoo their own hair. I gave them some shampoo and made sure it was scrubbed in.
Then came the rinsing, an even bigger chore. I let them dump water on their heads a couple of times, then took over myself to make sure the suds were gone. While I was refilling, another sibling would take the opportunity to assist me, nailing the other with a cup of water. They don’t seem enjoy the rinse process as much and protest, and I get wetter.
Finally, one kid done and sent to mom for the drying stage. For some silly reason they always want the opposite party to dry them. Usually we humor them and let them have their way.
The process gets repeated two more times and soon the only job left is to clean up the water-soaked floor and get them into bed, which is a whole ‘nother challenge.
At Grandma and Grandpa’s, bath toys remain a staple and they know where to find them every time.
Thanks for reading and have a great week. As always we appreciate your comments and feedback so drop us a line at cltimes1@arvig.net.
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