Dear Diane,
My parents-in-law recently came to stay. One night I ran the bath for my children who are five and seven – a girl and a boy. My mother-in-law blurted out she hoped they weren’t getting in together, and I said they always do. She seemed upset and kept saying it was “wrong” and that they were too old.
Confused, by email
Dear Confused,
Playing in a bath together is one of the joys of childhood. But it may be that your mother-in-law’s memories of bathing cause her distress and shame. It would be kind not to bathe your children together when she is in your house because it causes her such distress. The nicest way of deciding when to separate the children is when one or other thinks they are too old – or if the way they are interacting makes you feel uncomfortable.
Diane Levy provides expert answers to your parenting queries. Send your questions to: [email protected]. Diane’s parenting books are available in book shops.
