Thousands of children drown every year, at home.  What begins as an every day ritual can end in disaster.  Why?  Because the phone rings, or someone comes to the door, or you remember something on the stove, and a young child is left unattended in a bath tub.  This doesn't only happen to infants but to older children as well.  Kids get excited, and are getting in and out of the tub, or stand and sit down again. All these actions can be dangerous in a bath tub.  Children can fall and hit their heads on the sides of the tub or on a fixture causing loss of consciousness.  Don't let this happen to one of your kids!  Here are some bath tub safety tips to help kids stay safe:

1. Children can drown in as little as one as one inch of water.  If you need to leave the bathroom, take the child with you.  DO NOT leave the child unattended and do not allow older siblings to watch young children.
2. Before starting the water flowing, bring everything you?ll need to the bathroom and keep it at arms length.  (e.g. towels, portable phones, shampoo and soap, combs or brushes, etc.)
3. Bath rings and other devices are available to you to make bath time easier; they are not substitutes for supervision.
4. Water temperature is important!!  Small children can burn or scaled easily.  When filling tubs test the water with your elbow or a thermometer.  Water temperature should not exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit.  There are many companies that sell devices to assist you in getting water temperature right.  Also, once the tub has 1-3 inches of water in it, there can be hot spots.  Using your hand, swish the water around and make sure water temperatures are evenly distributed throughout the tub.
5. Many companies sell plastic, padded devices to go over bathtub fixtures.  These devices can help in keeping little heads from being injured.
6. Keep toilet seats down and purchase a toilet seat lock or keep bathroom doors locked. 

There is a lot of information on the internet about bathtub safety, take some time to surf the net to find devices to keep your child safe, and they might even make bath time fun and easier for you.