Liz Atwood is back with a musing about dirt and bath time this Tween Tuesday:

Let’s talk dirt.

My tween has gradually been assuming more responsibilities for his hygiene—brushing his teeth, giving himself a bath, even choosing a deodorant, although so far he doesn’t seem to need it. I’m glad to see him showing more responsibility, although it feels a bit strange. When you bring a baby home from the hospital and that last piece of umbilical cord falls off, the first bath is one of those milestones you remember. I have pictures of both my boys’ first baths, which they are embarrassed for anyone to see.

Bath time always seem to mark the beginning of the end of the day. When I was especially tired and bedtime still too far away, I’d say, “Time for a bath.” Just getting to that point told me the day was almost over.

The bath was a chance to check to see if their bodies were OK—look at scrapes and bruises—and a chance to talk one-on-one about what was on their minds. Often our most meaningful conversations took place when they were in the tub.

But now that both boys are bathing themselves, I miss that time to talk...