Adventures in the Bathroom

For most of us, bathrooms are for that quick wash or a super quick shower. Of course, there are people who like to spend their time in a bathroom at a leisurely pace, pampering themselves or for getting that extra ‘Me time’ too. And then there are people for whom a bathroom is a place to explore and experiment and a place to have loads of fun.

For our 11 year old son, Aaryan, a bathroom is an adventure zone. He can spend hours under the shower, if the loud, stern, rebuking voices from his parents does not interrupt his fun time.

Bathroom, an adventure zone, a fun field??
Yes, it’s absolute fun for him…

1. He likes to use different liquids and soaps to bathe. So, apart from the regular and different soaps and shower gels, some days, it could be a shampoo which is used liberally all over the body, some times it is the face wash and once he even used the Tide bar!!
2. A shampoo should be diluted with water before application, say some beauty experts. I don’t know if he has heard this but he practices it in his own creative style.What’s better than pre-filling shampoo bottles with water. So, when you are busy with a thousand things running in your head and out of habit, tilt and press the shampoo bottle on your palm, as you manage the sudden spurt of watery shampoo which fills your palm and drops on the floor too, you mentally (and sometimes loudly) scream, “Nannaaaaa….!”
3. A toothpaste is nearing its end. Worry not, it becomes full again. You guessed it right, water is patiently added into the tube too!
4. A bar of soap lasts for just 4-5 days. That’s because, all the while the shower is on, the soap lies either in the mug of water or on the floor (but never in it’s case on the counter) and needless to say that bars like Dove become a pulp and the hard and transparent Pears become soft and translucent.
5. Yesterday, I asked him to wash his Crocs. A few minutes later, I enter the bathroom to place his towel and I see that the Crocs are covered in the rich lather of Pears soap!! I grated my teeth and calmly he said that his feet and the crocs would smell wonderful now!
6. KG’s shaving gel is not left alone too. Thankfully he does not uses it to shave but he uses it sometimes, to wash his hands!
7. A few days ago, he went to stay with his grand parents at their home. He saw my dad brushing his teeth with a mixture of salt and mustard oil at night. Next day, he does the same too. The only difference was that he used the rock salt which was kept in a bowl since ages as per Feng Shui.
8. He likes to build up lather with the soap and blow out bubbles with it. He can even splash water on all the walls of the bathroom including the ceiling!
9. He can stand under the shower for ages but would never let the water touch his face! He is so averse to water on his face that I have to either send him back into the bathroom to wash his face or give instructions to do so, everyday!
10. After the bath, he likes us to smell his hands or hair and guess what he had used!!

According to KG it is harmless fun while I think his fun leads to wastage too. KG counters that this phase will last for a very short while, while I think he should have fun responsibly, he says… and we continue to argue while the sonny boy continues his adventures in the bathroom!