IMPORTANT NOTE: This message is intended for caregivers of children ages 3+
Any younger and I would not take my eyes off them. With 3-5 I would say **do not ever ever leave the bathroom even for five seconds just to grab something really quick**
Just do what you can do with what you already have in there, whether it’s wiping the counter with a baby wipe or washcloth and some hand soap, picking up a few random things that have fallen on the floor, or swirling out the toilet with the brush, even if you don’t have the spray – you can always do a more throrough job later when you have more time.
You may need to take breaks to assist with cleaning or to “watch this”.If the bathroom is clean and kiddo is happily playing independently, sometimes I use this time to check emails, write blog posts (as I’m doing now 😄), or do some fancy makeup just for fun!
I think it’s also important to mention that ultimately, my goal would be to be present in the moment, playing with kiddo throughout the bath, taking the opportunity to have meaningful conversations and observe their play, and then inviting them to practice cleaning the bathroom with me — which we do occasionally, as with the rest of the house; I try to strike a balance. Sometimes I just have to get it done to keep the evening flowing toward bedtime.