to take my noisy children..

[fishoutofchlorinatedwater]

to a private swimming pool in a (not particularly swanky!) club of which we are members in the middle of the day? Twice this week an elderly lady who has been swimming at the same time has complained to me about the noise which they are making and pulled cats bum faces at me for the entire time which we are swimming. She claims that she "cannot stand the screeching" , winces every time they make a noise, and puts her fingers in her ears. For most of this time, she is attempting to relax on a lounger at the side of the pool rather than actually swimming.

It has really spoiled my afternoon, as I'm sure it has hers, however club rules clearly state that children are allowed in the pool between 9 and 5 (and not otherwise). We have been well within this time. Presumeably she is free to swim after 5 (and if not, she has chosen to join a club which allows children to swim during the day).

My children are 2 and 4 (boys, which shouldn't be relevant, but they are fairly typically boisterous). They are not doing anything too awful, but there is a lot of giggling, a bit of splashing (each other / me - nobody else) and generally larking around. They are having fun. Sound echoes in the pool environment. I have asked them to keep the noise down (repeatedly) but it is fairly futile, and to be honest I'm not really sure I should have to as they are just doing what children do in a swimming pool.

[Meringue33]

Tell her to sod off :)

[MacaYoniAndCheese]

Being her some ear plugs? What a sourpuss.

YANBU.

[overprotection]

She probably fought in the war, she has earned the right to a world without children in it, show some respect.

[gordyslovesheep]

is that a flaming Overprotection ...I am not suprised.

I dislike screaming kids full stop - and if mine where being overly loud in the pool I would stop them - so without being there I can't say if ywbu or she was over reacting - I suspect it's a little of both

[Kooza]

I wouldn't worry too much. A woman once got angry at me for splashing her slightly as I swam past apparently. She was actually IN the pool at the time so I was a bit as to why she was complaining about getting wet. It's not like I was using an outboard motor or something.

Some people are just joyless. Some are expert at it.

[PoppyWearer]

I wonder if you are a member at the same club I recently quit because it is full of people such as the lady you describe in your OP...

[overprotection]

No "gordyslovesheep", that was sarcasm, D- for you.

If children are allowed somewhere then adults who hate children should piss off someplace else. Been on holiday recently abroad and reminded me just how much of a difference in attitude there is to children in the UK to other countries, so many people who dislike children here, very sad.

[gordyslovesheep]

ohhh thanks!

[fishoutofchlorinatedwater]

OK most of you are with me, good! It's not like I'm putting earplugs in myself and letting them scream to their hearts' content. I do try to keep the noise level down. But it's just not very realistic to expect an excited 2 year old to swim silently...

[CloudsAndTrees]

I chose to be a member of a gym that only allows children in the crèche, or swimming pool between 3-5 on weekdays, and 2-4 at weekends. I made this choice for a reason. The lady you are talking about could have done the same.

[TheCraicDealer]

YANBU To be honest, if it was a large echo-ey pool, with just me, you and your children and they were making a lot of noise I would privately be a bit cat's bum in my head. No-one likes other people's children squealing, especially if the parents don't seem to be taking into account other people.

However, you're not breaking any rules, there is a "kid free" time specified after 5pm, she could knock herself out lying around on the pool lounger then if it bothers her so much. That's why I'd keep my Unreasonable thoughts to myself in her position.

If she says anything just say, "oh I'm sorry- maybe you could take this time to go and use the gym facilities?", and then look pointedly at her stomach or bingo wings.

[thebody]

If its open to children then that's it really. She probably joined the club hoping to avoid them. Oh dear.

[Ledkr]

I've just left my private gym after ten years as the regulars were making me feel crap when I took the kids there to swim.
All that tutting and eye rolling gets me down.
Of course the sound of children enjoying themselves is terrible but hogging the sauna and jacuzzi then jumping into the pool and obviously pissing is fine!!
Miserable bastards.

[Ledkr]

Thing is in an echoey pool a child's high pitched voices sound loud and you can tell a two year old to stop.
I think it's just another example of how we value children and young people in our society and then wonder why they are disrespectful.

[SgtTJCalhoun]

YANBU. Presumably you pay the same gym membership as her?

I'd have have said "seriously?" and laughed in her face.

[crazypaving]

ledkr you've just given me a penny dropping moment. that's why all the sweaty men in the jacuzzi swim a length of the pool at random intervals! oh god I feel ill

[HeffalumpTheFlump]

YANBU! So few people bother to spend quality time with their kids doing things like this, if I see this it makes me really smile!! You have to be pretty cold to hear children giggling and having fun and react like this. I pity her actually.

[Floggingmolly]

If it really is screeching, then she may have had a point. Why do they have to screech?

[VerySmallSqueak]

Kooza hit the nail on the head.

Some people are just joyless.

You have paid to be in there,just as she has,and you are following the rules.

Next time tell her if she don't like it,to be a love and close the door behind her.

[forevergreek]

I would be annoyed a bit tbh. Our children are 2 and 3 and obviously make child noises when out. If they started screaming and screeching and making a racket I would make them leave.

There is general playing and day to day life, and ignoring that other people the right to peace also.

[parakeet]

I think you are absolutely in the right here OP, and I say this as someone who disapproves of children being screechy in restaurants and places where you have a reasonable expectation of some peace. But a swimming pool? Children are supposed to have noisy fun in a swimming pool. Just ignore her silly faces and if she continues to moan at you, tell her you're not breaking any rules.

[fishoutofchlorinatedwater]

Screeching was her description, it wouldn't be mine. I'd describe what they were doing as giggling, occasionally squealing, and calling out to me / each other. All 'happy' noise. Am going to take the advice of the majority and ignore / continue as we were. I am actually really pretty on top of them being noisy if we are somewere like a cafe where I think it's reasonable to expect some peace (in general I just avoid taking them to anywhere too nice, as my 2 year old doesn't have much volume control yet), but I don't want to spoil their swimming with constant requests for quiet.

forever, I'm interested, are your children quiet in a swimming pool? I'd also remove my children if they made a racket in a cafe or a cinema or similar, but surely pools, parks etc are places where they should be allowed to just be kids and have (reasonably) noisy fun?

[forevergreek]

Not quiet but just talking level. They are 2 and 3 and can't swim yet so are next to me/ dh when in pool. There isn't a huge need for them to shout to anyone as they aren't far away.

I suppose we aren't very loud/ noisy as a family. Even in parks tbh, they might shout to someone from a distance or for them to run after them, but wouldn't just shout it run around in circles screaming.

[ouryve]

forever you'd not much approve of my 7yo, then :(

[fishoutofchlorinatedwater]

Are they girls, forever? . Maybe the difference is that DS1 can swim - and does swim a bit away from me, and then calls back to me and DS2. Although DS2 is just generally quite giggly and vocal. And as a duo they would regularly just run round in circles screaming (happy shouting, not tantrummy screaming).