Parents Should Know, At What Age Should Children Have Their Own Bathing?

Illustration of mother and child (Pexels / Ketut Subiyanto)

JAKARTA - Because they cannot be independent, children often bathe with their parents when they are young. It is also possible that children take a bath with their siblings for the same reason. By taking a bath with parents, knowledge transfer occurs.

Children are introduced to all their limbs and their respective functions. This includes teaching which parts of the body that are not allowed to be played by the children themselves or by others in moral and health terms.

This knowledge is important for children to recognize, but at what age should children bathe themselves?

Launching Kompas, Tuesday, February 23, the habit of bathing with parents and siblings must be stopped after the child is five years old. In the book Adik Bayi Come from? AZ Early Childhood Sex Education, published in 2016, explains important things for parents to know.

At the age of five years, the child's reproductive organs have started to develop until they begin to feel a sexual response. Importance and must be aware of, sexual response, especially from people of the opposite sex.

Given this, children over the age of five need to be independent. Parents can teach toilet training or defecating and urinating from the age of three. So by the age of five the child has started to be independent.

At that age, parental assistance also needs to be separated based on gender. For example, a girl takes a bath with her mother.

So, how do you explain when girls ask why you shouldn't take a bath with your older brother or father?

The answers given need to educate children about body parts related to sexuality. For example like this:

"You need to know about the difference between a male and a female body. Because as a woman or a man, you cannot touch other people's limbs. "

Besides educating about body parts, parents also need to provide knowledge about gender identity. This is useful for building perceptions that are free of gender bias.

For example, from the simplest activities at home, cooking and sweeping the floor. Both can be done together regardless of gender.

In addition, children also need to be guaranteed a comfortable feeling when they see the mother's body. Reporting from Fatherly, of course seeing other people's bodies naked will feel uncomfortable for children. Moreover, he already recognized the function of each part.

This means, mothers need to recognize the child's awkwardness or discomfort and respond immediately with educational explanations.