DD is 4 and DH asked when it would start being inappropriate for him to bathe her. I hadn't really thought about this before and said it's probably fine until she is able to bathe herself. But is that pushing it? Is this a real issue or is DH trying to get out of bath duty? 
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I think it is totally fine! By the time it would be inappropriate, she'll be bathing herself.
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I don't see an issue with a dad giving a daughter a bath or a mom giving a son a bath as kids! The kids will let you know when it's time to stop helping-- whether you are the same sex as them or not.
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I don't see an issue. I'm sure your daughter will decide when she wants more privacy. Currently, DH takes on bath duties for our two LOs, and DD is still under 2.
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Edited my post. It made it seem like your DH has never bathed her yet (which might not be the case) but the question is more about when it will get inappropriate. I agree with others that it will be when your daughter says so or that by the time she wants more privacy, she'll be bathing herself. My babies aren't born yet, so I really can't say much.
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Huh, things I never even thought of with a DD
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I feel like it's such a non-issue till puberty. I wouldn't even think about it at 4.
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@mrsrugbee: I kind of agree
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When it's uncomfortable for her or when she is old enough to bathe herself. unless someone is a pedo they aren't sexualizing their child so there shouldn't be anything "inappropriate" about it.
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I see no issue, until she can start bathing herself!
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I think you're fine for awhile yet! This is something I have never even thought of. DH always does bath time with DD. She's only two though.
When do kids start bathing themselves?
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@delight: good question! i want to know when kids start bathing themselves too.
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@delight: my nephew just turned 5 and he's been showering himself for at least a year now. I was definitely still being bathed at 5 though. I think like everything it varies by kid! It's also a lot easier for a kiddo with short hair to wash it alone than one with long hair.
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I see no problem with it until they are older and by that time they are bathing themselves. We have had our first "daddy is a boy" issue thought, DD1 is almost 3 and she was changing (herself of course) and she yelled at DH to get out of her room so he doesn't see her boobies....yeah that happened. He was mortified.
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@catomd00: hmmm good point. Our DD has curly hair and it takes a lot of conditioner and combing in the bath to get the knots out. I don't see her able to do her hair by herself for ages. Although half the time we don't wash it so maybe by 4-5 she could bathe by herself. All these questions I haven't even thought of yet!
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@LuLu Mom: LOL your DD is hilarious! Our DD is in a "nipples" phase. She likes walking around counting hers. "I have two nipples. Mommy has two nipples, daddy has two nipples." Ugh. Why can't she just count her fingers and toes like a normal kid!
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Thanks everyone! Glad to hear everyone agrees!
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I agree with everyone; till LO is ready to bathe themselves, then no one will need to be in there with them period!
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@delight: I'm glad I don't have the only nipple obsessed kid... we've had lots of conversations in the car along the lines of "Mommy has nipples, Daddy has nipples, Grandma has nipples, Uncle Josh has nipples...etc"
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I remember showering with my dad until I was in elementary school. Nothing weird about it at the time. I think our culture can become a little hypersensitive about this kind of things. It's you kid, as long as they are comfortable bath time with Dad is just fine.
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DH does DD's bath most of the time. Just to clarify he's fully clothed and not in the tub/shower with her. He's starting to get uncomfortable with it so he is spending more time trying to get her to bathe herself. I don't see her being able to wash her hair for awhile (it's almost to her butt). And honestly as far as washing her body, she can do it, but prefers not to most days.
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@MamaG: oh yes, DH is fully clothed and not bathing with her, just sitting on the side of the tub.
He has recently started locking the door when he showers so she can't come in and hang out in the bathroom with him, like she used to do. He thinks now that she's old enough to have a long term memory, she shouldn't be seeing him in the shower anymore. Heh. But I think he agrees it's still ok for him to bathe her, he was just wondering when the cutoff point was.
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@youboots: Completely agree! I remember my dad giving me a bath when I was in the first grade or so.
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@mrsrugbee: I disagree. Having a 12, 8 and 2yr old DD's I can assure you that my 8yr old would be mortified if my DH bathed her and she's not near puberty. I'd say closer to 6 would be the cut off given my experience with my girls. You have to start teaching self awareness and chances are they won't be as comfortable with that situation.
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@Crisark: good to know, will keep that in mind. Can they bathe themselves by 6? I would think so, right?
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@Mrs Panda: yes for the most part. I'd still help with rinsing out hair but I always kept the shower curtain pulled across so she had her privacy and just rinsed from the front.
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