When I welcomed my first child, finding time to shower became the highlight of my day. I would carefully arrange everything to ensure I could indulge in my body wash, savor a brief moment of steam, and finally cleanse the remnants of motherhood from my hair.
Once we established a routine, I adhered to it closely. Even though my personal spa time was rushed, it was essential for my sanity. I’m one of those people who is far more pleasant to be around after a caffeine fix and a shower.
I would feed and change my little one, and if he was still awake, I’d place him in his seat and bring him along to the bathroom. As he grew older and was easily entertained by TV, I would turn it on for him. When he outgrew his bouncy seat, I’d lay him on his back and let him gaze at the colorful toys dangling from his play gym.
Our bathroom was conveniently located next to the bedroom, so I felt secure leaving him in the other room. I would peek out from behind the shower curtain about a hundred times to ensure everything was alright.
However, one day, after stepping out of the shower, I discovered my child was missing from the play gym. In a matter of minutes, he had learned to roll and had managed to position himself under a nearby bench. That was a frightening moment — but as my family expanded, it paled in comparison to the chaos that would unfold in my home while I attempted to shower.
Like the time my daughter decided to use her bed as a launching pad to swing from the chandelier. Or when all three of my kids thought it would be entertaining to try on every piece of makeup I owned, leaving a colorful mess in the sink with the water still running. And then there was the incident where my youngest snatched our dog’s bone because he wanted a snack. Honestly, trying to shower while a toddler is around is one of the toughest challenges imaginable.
I suppose this is karma, as I remember my own mother telling me how I once scooted down the street on my bottom while she was in the shower, completely oblivious to my absence until the neighbors brought me back home.
Moms everywhere can relate. The simple act of showering, putting on fresh clothes, or even treating ourselves to a hair mask is what helps us feel human again. Our lives may have transformed, but the desire to take care of ourselves remains, as it brings a sense of normalcy and self-worth.
When it comes to showering, toddlers can be quite the handful — and Sadie, a mother of a three-year-old, recently went viral on TikTok for illustrating this point. In her video, she humorously advised fellow moms to skip shaving their legs, as the mayhem that ensues in their absence isn’t worth the effort.
While all she wanted was to smooth her legs, her toddler and dog had other plans. Sadie is not alone; many other parents chimed in with their own shower-time disasters, sharing sentiments like, “I have two-year-old twins… I know the struggle,” and “This is sooo relatable lol. I have four children under the age of seven. It happens.”
It seems like leaving the hair on your legs might be the best choice to avoid the inevitable chaos. Toddlers certainly know how to maximize their mischief while their parents try to steal a moment to themselves.
If you want to learn more about family and parenting, check out this article from our other blog, Home Insemination Kit. For those interested in the journey of parenthood, Make a Mom is an authority on home insemination. Additionally, American Pregnancy provides excellent resources on pregnancy and home insemination.
Summary
This article highlights the chaotic reality of showering as a parent, especially with toddlers. The author shares personal anecdotes about the challenges faced when trying to maintain a sense of self-care amidst the chaos of parenting. The humorous take resonates with many parents who have experienced similar incidents while attempting to shower.
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