Hellobee Boards Topic: How far is too far?

Hellobee Boards Topic: How far is too far? https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 07 Jun 2026 02:25:19 +0000 avivoca on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706636 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 08:34:07 +0000 avivoca 1706636@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I've gone to the bathroom while she's in the bath, but the toilet is right next to the tub and I can reach her from it. I also don't run water in the tub, I use the shower instead and sit her out of the spray. Alivoo01 on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706610 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 08:24:22 +0000 Alivoo01 1706610@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I've ran (more like sprinted) to grab his towel or wash cloth a handful of times that was maybe 20 feet from the tub. Otherwise, I don't let him out of my sight. He's a busy body and likes to stand up, lean over the tub, etc. So scary because I'm afraid he'll slip and fall and get really injured. Now with the recent news of second hand drowning (I think that's what it's called), even more reason to stay put. Boheme on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706601 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 08:18:34 +0000 Boheme 1706601@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I keep him in arm's reach because he's wild and loves to slip and slide around. He's almost 13 months. Smurfette on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706581 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 08:07:41 +0000 Smurfette 1706581@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I will go to the bathroom while she is in the tub but I don't leave the bathroom. She likes to stand up and slips so easily. LuLu Mom on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706575 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 08:05:39 +0000 LuLu Mom 1706575@https://boards.hellobee.com/ At 20 months, I've stepped outside the bathroom to grab a towel from the linen closet which is right outside the bathroom door, the whole time my eyes were on LO. I felt guilty. I will look at my phone if she's playing, but I'm always sitting right on the toilet within touching distance of her and facing her so I can see her out of the corner of my eye. She's very steady in water, but I'm not going to chance it. Trailmix on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706569 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 08:04:33 +0000 Trailmix 1706569@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I have left the bathroom very quickly on occasion, to get a towel or something. Our apartment is very small, I actually counted the steps from our bathroom through our living room to the nursery and it is 12. So, I've walked approximately 12-15 steps away and back. I can always hear them tho. I don't like to do it but when I'm doing baths by myself with two, it's sometimes necessary... pui on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706558 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 08:00:19 +0000 pui 1706558@https://boards.hellobee.com/ For a young kid, I wouldn't even leave the bathroom. yoursilverlining on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706555 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 07:58:52 +0000 yoursilverlining 1706555@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @looch: I do the same - wash face, put on night cream while LO takes a bath. I've also folded laundry in the bathroom while LO is in the tub, responded to emails, etc. I'm right there; even when I'm doing other things I can see her out of my peripheral vision at all times. wonderstruck on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706493 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 07:36:36 +0000 wonderstruck 1706493@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I never leave the room or take my eyes off my one year old, and I can't see that changing for quite awhile. I've read too many chilling stories where mom or dad leaves the room for just a minute to check on their other child or grab clothes or towels from the other room and comes back to something horrifying. I would never be able to forgive myself. It doesn't take much water at all for a young child to drown, and drowning is usually silent without all of the crying and splashing most people falsely associate with it. Adira on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706423 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 06:29:56 +0000 Adira 1706423@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Xander's only 15 months, so we've never left him when he's in the bath. We're already right next to the tub! We're pretty good about making sure we have everything we need before starting a bath so that we don't have to go grab anything! looch on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706410 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 06:14:18 +0000 looch 1706410@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I usually use the time my son is in the bath (aged 3.5) to wash my face and brush my teeth, get myself ready for bed. I am literally watching him the entire time, though, so I am okay with that. Plus, the bathroom is a no phone zone. blackbird on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706402 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 06:08:00 +0000 blackbird 1706402@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I would never go that far away! And when E was younger, I was more vigilant. But now that she's 14 months old, if she's in the tub, I'll use the toilet if I have to (it's not even a foot away from the tub, though- i can literally reach to the end of the tub while on it)) or sit on it (closed) and eat my dinner or use my phone. At this age, it's not a big deal and the water is very shallow and I am right there. When she was younger, she would slip and I would have to pull her up. Now if she slips, she rights herself before I can even reach her. hilsy85 on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706400 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 06:02:40 +0000 hilsy85 1706400@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I've never left the room and I only check my phone if one hand is on Lo. He also likes to walk around the tub tho, so I'm always nervous. Pumuckl on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706394 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:38:18 +0000 Pumuckl 1706394@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Never, never ever do I leave him alone in the tub! That's just plain dangerous. Kids have drowned in puddles so how easy would it be to get in trouble in a tub full of water. So in my book you're not being unreasonable at all. Anagram on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706387 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:32 +0000 Anagram 1706387@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I have a small bathroom, so I will do other stuff in the bathroom--go to the bathroom, put on makeup if I need to. If I'm facing the sink, I can still see her in the mirror. Plus, even though she is 11 months, she still sits in an infant tub because it has low sides and she can't pull up and stand up in there yet. I never leave the bathroom though. Cherrybee on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706365 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 03:25:15 +0000 Cherrybee 1706365@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My LO sits in one of those bath seats (like a swing seat) so I will use the loo while she's in there (mind, my loo is less than a metre from the bath, facing it!!) or stand at the bathroom door and speak to DH for a few seconds (again, the door is right next to the bath!!). I wont leave the room, though. If my baby was just in the bath and not in a seat, I don't think I would take my hand off her!! I'm probably a bit paranoid but it's better to be paranoid than sorry..... Sapphiresun on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706352 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 01:59:39 +0000 Sapphiresun 1706352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Not very far. I'll go pee or go to the closet to grab a towel for her, but my toilet is close enough that I can touch her, and the closet door opens pretty much flush to the bathtub. Freckles on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706332 Wed, 18 Jun 2014 00:20:01 +0000 Freckles 1706332@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Any child under the age of 5 shouldn't be left unsupervised. I once had to go to the kitchen to grab an extra yogurt container, but that was literally 5 steps from the bathroom. I can't imagine folding laundry or checking email or whatever while DD bathes. I think anything outside of the bathroom is too far! Foodnerd81 on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706327 Tue, 17 Jun 2014 23:55:06 +0000 Foodnerd81 1706327@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I wash my hands one foot from the tub, or check te time on my phone. She is trying to stand all the time now and not that stable so I have my hands near ere the whole time. Once I stepped intothe hall, one foot in the bathroom still, to call the dog over bc he was freaking out. In pretty paranoid about it. Pepper on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706324 Tue, 17 Jun 2014 23:49:38 +0000 Pepper 1706324@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I never take my eyes off of him when he's in the tub. I don't think you're being unreasonable at all. lilteacherbee on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706323 Tue, 17 Jun 2014 23:48:59 +0000 lilteacherbee 1706323@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My LO is still pretty young (7 months), so I barely even walk a few steps from him. If I need to walk to the other end of the bathroom for a second, I keep my eyes on him. Almost always, I'm sitting right beside the tub. Drowning really freaks me out!! NurseMommy on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706322 Tue, 17 Jun 2014 23:48:37 +0000 NurseMommy 1706322@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @HLK208: it's even scarier now that she tries to climb out of the tub!! She can slip an smack her head so easily! googly-eyes on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706321 Tue, 17 Jun 2014 23:47:39 +0000 googly-eyes 1706321@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @luckypenny: That actually happened to me. I was grabbing something, can't remember what, about (edit, I didnt estimate right last time) 10 feet from where lo was in the tub, and I got to her in a second. She was fine but scared. I don't know if it's a reflex, or what, but she didn't breathe in the water. HLK208 on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706320 Tue, 17 Jun 2014 23:45:52 +0000 HLK208 1706320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I don't step away while my 2 year old and 5 year old bathe. DD (at 24 months) still slips and slides in the bath. I've caught her so many times and I wouldn't be able to if I had been distracted or stepped away. googly-eyes on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706319 Tue, 17 Jun 2014 23:45:47 +0000 googly-eyes 1706319@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I don't think you're being overprotective at all. Truthfully though I have left the room when lo was in the bath! Not 25 ft away and I'm still listening for her but I'll go grab a towel or whatever. I have to get better about that. sunny on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706317 Tue, 17 Jun 2014 23:43:42 +0000 sunny 1706317@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I don't leave the bathroom to even go in the hallway. I'm afraid I'll get distracted. luckypenny on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706316 Tue, 17 Jun 2014 23:43:16 +0000 luckypenny 1706316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I'll go to the bathroom ! That's the only time I can go without someone clinging to my leg lol I mean really, if she goes under I can get up and grab her really quick. She'd have to be under for a minute to really start drowning. 3 seconds would just scare the crap out of both of us. Kimberlybee on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706314 Tue, 17 Jun 2014 23:41:19 +0000 Kimberlybee 1706314@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I understand totally and don't think you're being over protective at all. My DD is 13 months and I always have one hand on her at all times to help her balance during bath times. We don't use a special baby tub anymore. She stands, squats, or sits down in the regular bathtub. We have it lined with a nonslip rubber mat but it can still be slippery with the water and soap mixture. birdofafeather on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706312 Tue, 17 Jun 2014 23:40:11 +0000 birdofafeather 1706312@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Only in the last month at 16 months have I even walked out of the bathroom when LO is bathing. And it's just been to grab something in the next room. I wouldn't do a task where I was out of the room for longer than 20 seconds. Our house is also only 600 sq ft and the bathroom is no more than 15 ft from any room in our house. NurseMommy on "How far is too far?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-far-is-too-far#post-1706311 Tue, 17 Jun 2014 23:39:54 +0000 NurseMommy 1706311@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @erwoo: that's exactly how I feel. Thanks for the validation.