The family bathroom presents a parent's paradox.
You can't get your school-age kid into the bath or shower. And you can't get your toddler or teenager out.
What's a water-conscious mom or dad to do?
These 4 easy family bathroom ideas for scheduling can help conserve water and tame morning-rush tempers.
Ease the rush-hour crush by setting a time limit (and a timer) for older kids and toddlers in the bathroom.
Ten minutes is plenty for most kids, unless they've tackled a quarterback (teens) or a Quarter Pounder (toddlers).
People who live in homes with only one bathroom and more than two people have an additional challenge - they can run into massive traffic jams as everyone tries to use the space at once.
Timing is of the essence here for a successful shared-bathroom experience.
Especially if the children in question are of the opposite sexes. (Warning: The problem only intensifies as the kids enter their teen years.)
One family I know copes by designating specific bathroom times for each child on school mornings or other high-traffic times of the day.
For example, one kid gets the room from 6:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. Another child reports for duty from 7:00 to 7:30.
Firm rules are necessary here.
Our family favorite: If you snooze (during your allotted time), you lose your turn in the bathroom. No whining allowed.