Try THis Easy Trick To Keep Your Baby Seated And Safe During Bath Time

During my kids’ bath time, all I ever wanted was a moment of peace—just a chance to sit for a few minutes at the end of the day without interruptions. Was that too much to ask? You know that feeling after a long day of juggling chores, work, and toddler tantrums? As I settled down to watch my kids play peacefully in the tub, I hoped against hope that this time would be different—no fights, no accidents. Just a cozy, relaxing evening.

There was indeed a blissful phase when bath time turned into a serene haven. Evenings filled with laughter as my little ones would splash around joyfully, engrossed in their floating toys, while I enjoyed a rare moment of stillness. Those pockets of calm were pure gold, especially when the clock seemed to crawl between dinner and bedtime. Sometimes I’d even catch myself daydreaming—until reality came crashing back.

But then came the day that flipped everything upside down. It started with my daughter. You know how they say toddlers can be unpredictably endearing? Well, that charm quickly morphed into a challenge when she decided to stand up in the tub, convinced she had superhuman balancing skills. Spoiler alert: she didn’t. As she wobbled and teetered, I was left scrambling, lifting her back to safety more times than I could count. Each time felt like a mini workout, and frankly, I was exhausted just from trying to keep her in one place.

That blissful minimalist existence descended into a relentless cycle of “up, down, up, down,” with me dutifully ensuring she stayed seated—until I finally hit my breaking point. “That’s it,” I thought one evening after yet another battle. “We’re done with this.” As I lifted my squirmy, wrathful toddler out of the bathtub, a light bulb moment struck. Why was I wrestling with a situation I could simply avoid? What if I made standing up not an option at all?

And so began my experiment. I made a conscious choice: every single time she stood, out of the tub she went—without fanfare or threats, just a steady, calm response. “I can’t let you stand up in the tub. I’m going to take you out now.” And out she went, time and time again.

Now, I wish I could say that she got it right away, but kids are not operating on adult timelines. It took weeks of repeat lessons (and quite a few meltdowns) before the message got across. But eventually? She learned. The bathtub turned from a precarious playground into a safe space. No more standing; no more drama.

This approach, I soon discovered, applied to so much more than bathtub antics. It became a handy parenting tool for countless situations. My youngest toddler, for instance, has a favorite game of tossing her sippy cup on the floor when she’s finished. Cue the annoyance, right? But, with a simple solution, every time that cup hits the ground, it goes straight back to the fridge. Lesson learned.

With my older son, it was a similar dance involving his toy cars and the freshly-painted walls. I had to remove those toys until he understood the boundary. Or, when my 18-month-old dives for her brother’s Play-Doh and treats it like a snack, we agreed on a simple principle: the Play-Doh lives safely out of reach until she’s ready to play without taste-testing it.

I can’t promise these strategies will magically eliminate every tantrum; let’s get real, kiddos are little bundles of raw emotions, and they will be upset when things don’t go their way. And that’s entirely natural! As a parent, I’ve learned to embrace those emotional reactions as part of growing up. After all, learning about boundaries is an essential life skill, and it’s important they have space to express their feelings.

“You can be upset,” I tell my kids after setting limits, “but here’s what we’re doing instead.” Enforcing those boundaries has proven challenging at times, but the rewards are worth it in the long run. As difficult as those early days felt, what I gained from this clear structure has made day-to-day life so much more manageable.

And now? Well, you can find me sitting contentedly by the tub once again, droplets flying in every direction but with a deep sense of satisfaction that I’ve navigated this little parenting saga. All those ups and downs were just part of the journey, leading us to a place of calmer waters—both literally and metaphorically.