To find swimming abysmal

[KeepOnPloddingOn]

I just hate it. I hate the floors, I hate the dirty wet loos, I hate the screaming, I hate the long mirrors reflecting your swimming cosied body, I hate the chlorine, I hate the life gaurds all buff and toned and fabulous, i hate the gritty floors, i hate the perves, I hate the snot, I hate the hairy drains, I hate being half naked infront of strangers, I hate the slippiness, I hate all the inconsiderate splashes, I hate the faff, I hate the dry skin and hair it gives me...

But, alas I must go for my dd (who always hates it, but I'm told to encourage her anyway - she is one)

[whynowblowwind]

I HATE swimming.

I'm a member of a naice private gym, it's better than the local leisure centre but I just don't enjoy swimming at all.

[DorisAllTheDay]

YANBU. I love the physical act of swimming, but I loathe the whole Swimming Pool Experience. Give me a lovely warm sea on a secluded beach and I'll be in and out of the water all day long. I was born to spend my life holidaying in the tropics - but sadly I don't have a salary to match!

[KingJoffreysBloodshotEye]

YANBU!

Swimming pools are merely a soup of other people's wee, spit, dirt, dead skin cells, poo crumbs and hair.

WTF?

Why? Why would you do that yo yourself??

[wobblyweebles]

When they're only one I don't think you need to take them.

When they're 5-15 it's a fantastic way to wear them out with the added bonus that you get to a point where you don't have to get in with them.

[CMOTDibbler]

Find a cleaner pool. And a swimming costume that covers more of you.

None of the pools I go to have buff life guards, nor have I found any perverts.

I've been proper swimming (as in, face in the water, up and down continuously) for a few months now on a regular basis, and am really enjoying it. But swimming with ds was less of a pleasure till he was 6 and able to swim lengths tbh

[EyelinerQueen]

Exactly what KingJoffrey said. Public pools are foul.

I don't do swimming (unless it's gorgeous clear water somewhere hot and fabulous.)

[Sparklingbrook]

I have to agree, When DS2 turned 8 I did a little dance knowing that I never had to do it ever again.

I don't mind a nice hotel pool, but not fussed.

We have a Lido up the road. Heated apparently but you wouldn't know.

Swimming-meh. I will stick to walking for exercise I think.

[PuppyMonkey]

Yanbu - just reading your post has made me feel a bit anxious. Hated swimming as a child, still can't swim, no intention of learning, yes it might save my life, whatevs, so might learning to fly a plane.

[racmun]

I also hate it. I have never taken ds and he is nearly 4, dh takes him at weekends since he was about 2 1/2 amd he's suffered no I'll effects from not going younger.

I agree it is rank

[KeepOnPloddingOn]

Well I have informed dh it is his thing from here on in. Dd screamed and hated it. She was ok after about 20 mins, then I was bloody fed up and wanted out.

[InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream]

I wouldn't bother taking her. Send her for swimming lessons when she's about six. YANBU.

[InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream]

at puppy

[tabvase]

Flip-flops might help - I don't brave public pools or spas without them

[diddl]

Who says that you must go for your 1yr old??

I love swimming, but only go when the local fab lido is open.

[ManchesterAunt]

Yanbu!!

[PasswordProtected]

Swimming is my favourite firm of exercise, but I only swim in pools at 5* hotels, where I usually have the pool to myself ;-)

[redexpat]

YANBU. I now use my asthma as my get out of jail free card. Nothing brings it on faster than chlorine - in the air or the water.

Perhaps you could develop a form of mild asthma like mine

[KeepOnPloddingOn]

red you genius! I have exzema (mild) it comes and goes. I could use this as am excuse!
"Oh no. I couldn't possibly go into a pool of chlorine with my exzema wrists. Sorry..."
Perfect. Thank you :)

[museumum]

Baby swimming lessons in a lovely little hotel pool we have all to ourselves. Followed by cuppa and catch up with the other mums. It's great.
Public pool, not so keen.

[BackforGood]

YANBU - the one birthday I REALLY looked forward to, from all my dcs, was when the youngest turned 8, they could all go swimming without an adult .

[Artistic]

As someone upthread said - find a good pool. Usually comes at a price but gives you clean(er) pools, jacuzzi/steam room/sauna, nice changing/shower rooms, cubicles to change, hair dryers & straighteners, child free & less crowded times to swim & overall a positive experience.

I had bad knees but swimming helped me become mobile again. Love it! But ONLY in exclusive pools def not in in places as OP has described.

[merrymouse]

I love swimming. I have always been happy in water.

However, there are pools that are the seventh circle of hell - all just a conspiracy so that the council can tick the box saying they did something to improve people's health and parents can tick a box to say that they took their children swimming and apparently a few people floating around having a good time because they like bumping into people and being splashed. The changing rooms are wet and muddy and full of abandoned nappies, the lockers are broken and the lifeguards stand around gormlessly hoping that it will all be over soon. The smell of stale fat from the cafe merges with the smell of chlorine.

If you find a pool like this it is miserable. However, that is not what swimming is supposed to be.

[Sparklingbrook]

No matter how posh the pool/surroundings are I will always hate the cold walk from pool to changing room and the getting dried and dressed bit.

[vladthedisorganised]

Oh Lord, YANBU. Apart from missing out the choice between sitting in water so shallow it's basically a puddle, or having 9 year olds jumping on your head.

Plus with a small child you don't get to do any actual swimming, just going down slides again and again and again and again and again.

[KeepOnPloddingOn]

I am sorry to shock here, but the pool i describe is a posh-ish hotel one!