Hello!

My little boy is hasn’t even turned 9 months old yet but he is obsessed with wanting to stand in his bath. I’m worried he is going to slip over and hit his head. How can I stop him?
I’ve got a bath seat but he has figured out a way to get out of it. I try and distract him with toys, I sit him back down constantly and I’ve even allowed him to stand to get it out of his system but nothing seems to work! He can’t stand without holding onto something so I don’t think he is ready for the shower yet either. Any suggestions?


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  • mine loved to stand and wouldn’t sit either, he’s 2.5 years old now and still stands


  • As the mother of a little boy who chipped his front tooth a month after he cut it BECAUSE he slipped over in the bath trying to stand up, I totally feel your pain.
    Distraction is 100% the key here. Bath toys aren’t for fun. They are for keeping them occupied so they forget the things they really want to be doing. Mine is the 3 now and still just wants to stand up. Its a battle.


  • My advice would be make it as safe as possible, for example non slip mat or stickers and supervision, if your close enough to assist if something happens or he gets a little to advantageous. Perhaps some sticky foam shapes for the wall or colored bubbles to keep him distracted and engaged in being in the bath as apposed to climbing out of it!


  • We had the same problem, we just say sit down or do you want to get out. She holds onto things and we are always within arms reach if she did slip


  • My 1 year old also does this. I tell her to sit down and when she does, I applaud her. Buy a non slip bath mat and sit down next to your child so that your eyes are level.


  • If possible i would stop him from standing, I would hate him to slip and hurt themselves.


  • Put maybe 10 bath toys in the bath. Every time he stand up, take a toy away. Put in cupboard or a box so he knows he’s not getting it back.

    You could even give the toy back once he’s sitting.


  • I don’t think you can stop him, he will see you sitting him down as a game and keep doing it. The best thing I would suggest is to make sure he is on a non slip mat and if you have bath pillows put them where he is likely to fall to stop him getting hurt.


  • as long as he is supervised I don’t see the problem. mine was the same. cheeky monkey! get in with him!


  • Start showering with him, and pop down some rubber non slip stickers in the shower. If you are sitting to support him while he stands, it should be safe enough and your son will have the fun he is looking for. It’s just a phase, it will pass like everything else, and in the meantime he is enthusiastic and curious about his water time. Just set up all the towels easily nearby and be prepared for lots of water and drips as you will be more awkward than usual getting out of the shower!


  • Personally every time my son would stand in the bath I’d take him out, eventually he stopped standing (as he loves his baths)


  • We use the bath seats and that works for us — our girls don’t mind sitting when they’re in the seats and only ever try to stand when they’re not in them. We also use a non-slip mat in the big bath upstairs because it is oddly shaped and doesn’t fit the two seats in there and just persist with getting them to sit when they want to stand….


  • non slip mats and be right near the bath at all times


  • afraid all you can do is make sure it has non slip mats to help with his grip


  • We have a non-slip bath mat and have always told our children they must sit down. Just check the water isn’t too warm or cold. When it is too warm our girls refuse to sit, even though it feels fine to us if we cool it a little they sit. Whenever they are no co-operating we ask then sit them back down as many times as it takes. If you give in once they will keep testing the boundaries to see if this time is the time you will give in.


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