Carol L'Esperance writes:

<< Regarding daily bathing. I always told parents that their babies didn't
 need to be bathed everyday, but that it was a fun ritual, a time for them
 to look at their baby all over, to gently touch/massage, to kiss and
 cuddle, and when they emerse them in warm water, a very relaxing soothing
 time. I remember bath times not as a time of cleaning, but touch, voice,
 and visual communication.  >>

In a book called "Parenting as a Spiritual Discipline," (Jewish Lights
Publishing, VT, 1997) which I highly recommend, the author, Nancy
Fuchs-Kreimer, talks about bath time in connection with forgiveness.  For
parents it can be the objective correlative of the idea that their child, and
they, and their relationship, can be refreshed, made "like new," every day.
And I think all of us who have held, say, a three year old fresh out of the
tub can understand what she means.  My kids are lucky if they get 2 or three
baths a week but I can see the attraction of a fixed daily time for winding
down, touching, and admiring your child -- with getting clean thrown in.

But newborns don't need to be "made new" -- not physically or in
metaphorical, relational terms -- they're new already!

Elisheva Urbas, NYC
disclaimer: I sometimes edit books for JLP, though I didn't have anything to
do with this one -- I wish I had, it's a lovely book.

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