I know, another list of tips, but this one came to mind because my children do not only bathe at home (where I know it’s safe).  They bathe at the in-laws, at my parents’ house, at their cousins’ house, at the public pools and private clubhouses, so I was thinking this would be an awesome opportunity to talk about some of the tips and tricks I use to control my environment.  Like all good experiments, bathing children is in a controlled environment.  While outcomes and behaviours are unpredictable, the objective really is to minimize risk while maximizing fun.  Enjoy.

• Use the minimum amount of water necessary.  Risk is directly proportional to water volume.  My younger daugher (who is 18 months) will still sometimes slip while sitting in her baby tub and will slide backwards so that her face can potentially be underwater.  I don’t know how it happens, even in supervision, but because my water level is probably less than half the baby tub - she never gets fully submerged. 
• Use baby tubs.  As in my previous post “When Should you Stop Using The Toddler Tub?” risk is directly proportional to tub size.  I still don’t see any benefits of using the full-sized tub as opposed to the toddler tub (other than bragging rights and maybe that it can fit more people).  When I do use the full-sized tub, it is because there are at least 3 kids in it and even then, my water level is probably 3-4 inches deep.  I know, not a lot of water, but even for my 3-year old, it’s enough.  Just add bubbles for added fun.
• Bring everything you need before you start.  It’s easy to forget sometimes - the towel, the wash cloth, the whatever, but I do try to bring everything I need so I won’t be drawn to stepping away from the bath tub.  This even includes novels (as their baths can be a 30 minute affair) and sometimes the telephone.
• Ensure slip resistance is in place.  This could mean at the bottom of their toddler tub or the adult tub.  Soap is a highly slippery substance, even bubble bath is slippery - so to ensure reduction of slippage, line your tub with mats or decorative non-slip rubber.  Again, there are no guarantees, but slipping can be dangerous, even for adults.
• Use aids when at all possible.  I’ve used a baby support frame for bathing my children.  This means, I have both hands at my disposal.  However, one arm is really still holding on to my baby, but without the added pressure of really holding them up.  There are a variety of baby bathing aids that serve this purpose. 
• Use coolest water first, then add additional hot water to achieve the ideal temperature.  It’s harder to adjust the water to be cooler with cold water vs adjusting it to be hotter with hot water.  Plus, using too hot water out of the tap is a scalding potential.
• Put the toddler tub furthest away from the faucet.  Some taps are mechanically easy to turn on and some taps are even easier to push to the hot water side.  To avoid curious fingers and minds, I will wedge the tub as far away from the faucet as possible.
• When in public areas (pools and such), use crocs.  In Hong Kong, with the density of people streaming through public pools (even in private pools), I’d take caution and wash/rinse my children with their crocs on.  I’m sure microscopically, the floor is a zoo.

This about rounds out my tips.  I know, even taking a bath can be a challenge in itself, but the risks are too great to ignore.  Happy bathing!