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AIBU?

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Original poster

Family swimming times - AIBU?

345 replies

FamilySwimming · 17/07/2025 18:47

Just looking for a sense check on this one.

The two local leisure centres only have certain very limited times for family swimming, meaning in the kids' pool. So if I want to take my 2 year old swimming, the only times we can book are between 12 and 2pm.

My 2 year old eats lunch at 12 and then has a nap every day. Surely this is pretty standard for any child who has one nap per day?

AIBU or is this an absolutely insane time to schedule family swimming? I feel like I just won't be able to take her swimming until she's stopped napping completely.

I spoke to them on the phone and they basically said that my toddler's meal and nap schedule isn't their problem, but I was under the impression that this is most toddlers' meal and nap schedule, hence the AIBU.

OP posts:
Confusdworriedmum · 17/07/2025 20:24

FamilySwimming · 17/07/2025 19:57

Genuine question. This is the kids' pool that is very small and only about a metre deep. Do school age kids really learn to swim at that depth?

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Yes. If they can't swim the school are not going to throw them in the main pool. I'm guessing the school swimming isn't the problem though. We don't have much time at our local pool on Saturday as it's mostly lessons and swim club. Annoying but not much we can do.
At least you've found a pool with better times now.

tiredmoodymum · 17/07/2025 20:24

Shatandfattered · 17/07/2025 19:12

My local areas pools are tailored for exercise rather than family fun too now. In my day we had the best pool and leisure centre in Scotland. Now it's gone and replaced with a ridiculous substitute centre that is a small lesson pool and a length pool. I've never taken my kids purely because it's systematic set up and with kids (with the added supervision for asd) it would be nothing but a stress and hindrance to us and other swimmers who are there to use it for purpose. We have a large fun pool with slides and waterfalls and lazy rivers a bit further afield, could you find one the same close enough perhaps?

Not the magnum by any chance? 🤣

Teacupover5 · 17/07/2025 20:22

PIayer456 · 17/07/2025 18:54

I can’t believe you rang a leisure centre to ask them to adjust swim times to suit your child’s nap routine.

Are you not embarrassed at your sense of entitlement?

Brilliant Comment !!…😂😂😂back in the dark ages my boys had to fit around what I had planned and they have grown into amazing adults !

RareDeer · 17/07/2025 20:20

FamilySwimming · 17/07/2025 20:04

We've got another year of it I reckon because the nursery won't drop naps. It suits them to have all the children on the same schedule.

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Things so frustrating. I hate nurseries who do this. All because they want a bit of a break. My son wouldn’t have slept at night if he had been napping regularly at that age, any time he napped he’d be awake till 9 or 10. Kids are all individual, they aren’t robots, and it drives me crazy when childcare settings treat them so.

NoSoupForU · 17/07/2025 20:20

I'm treasurer of our community led pool. Without school swimming hire we couldn't survive so we prioritise them for slots. Likewise party hire on Sunday afternoons when the pool is otherwise pretty quiet.

We have family swim over lunch and it's quite busy. We also have parents and babies session 2 mornings from 9.30-10.30.

Miniatureschnauzers · 17/07/2025 20:16

Miniatureschnauzers · 17/07/2025 20:14

@FamilySwimming so I was feeling quite understanding about your frustration with the limited swimming times, but now you’re expressing frustration about people who don’t work choosing to go to to the Gp at 8am…( or have I misunderstood? I hope I have!). I’m getting the feeling now that a part of you would like not only the leisure centre, but also all retired and otherwise non-working people to also work around what suits you best…. Hmmmm. What a dreadful world it would be in which people who had worked hard for many years or who were not working for a myriad of reasons were not allowed at the GP or in banks or other places at certain times!

Edited
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And @FamilySwimming I’ve just read that in your ideal world retired people would not be allowed to go clothes shopping at lunchtime! You must be having a laugh 😂

stichguru · 17/07/2025 20:15

Is this in school times or school holidays? The fact is that they will make a bunch of guaranteed money on school swimming. If that's the time they haven't got schools in, than that's the time they have the family sessions.

Miniatureschnauzers · 17/07/2025 20:14

BIWI · 17/07/2025 20:07

Absolutely. I have every right to do so IF IT SUITS ME. Why wouldn’t I, if I wanted to? I’m not a second class citizen just because I’m retired!

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@FamilySwimming so I was feeling quite understanding about your frustration with the limited swimming times, but now you’re expressing frustration about people who don’t work choosing to go to to the Gp at 8am…( or have I misunderstood? I hope I have!). I’m getting the feeling now that a part of you would like not only the leisure centre, but also all retired and otherwise non-working people to also work around what suits you best…. Hmmmm. What a dreadful world it would be in which people who had worked hard for many years or who were not working for a myriad of reasons were not allowed at the GP or in banks or other places at certain times!

ReadingSoManyThreads · 17/07/2025 20:11

Good grief! You seem to think 2 year olds are robots, all programmed to the exact same schedule!

12-2pm would have suited us perfectly when mine were tots, I usually took them in the middle of the day.

It's not the leisure centre's fault that the nursery you use enforce naps for children that probably don't even need them.

So glad I didn't follow this strict routine nonsense that so many mums are obsessed with!

ShallIstart · 17/07/2025 20:11

Go to a further away pool. Or just change your timings. I really dont think i ever had a set routine at specific times. Breakfast earlier then lunch earlier then swim.
Surely this isnt the only pool you can get to unless you are very remote.

CaptainMyCaptain · 17/07/2025 20:11

FamilySwimming · 17/07/2025 20:00

Let me guess, are you a retired person who likes to go to the GP at 8am and the bank at lunchtime because those times work for you? 🙃

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You are a real.piece of work aren't you.

Tiddlywinkly · 17/07/2025 20:10

That's an annoying time to have a swim session for families with little kids. I didn't go to a few things because of nap clashes.

It's not forever though. You've got several options - go to another pool or try and work around it. My first would not cope well with a change in routine, so another pool and time might be what's it.

Feedback can be useful for the pool, but it's mostly about fitting in the profitable sessions at peak times.

CaptainMyCaptain · 17/07/2025 20:09

PinkDD · 17/07/2025 19:40

the ageism can get to absolute fuck
there was no need for it.

If OP is going to be so inflexible, she has to look around and find a pool that suits (as she has)

the pool know what their business is and they will offer what sessions they like.
Old people exist, and if you'Re lucky you will be old too, one day. Hope the young mums aren't such twats to you

Hear hear!

Yachties · 17/07/2025 20:07

PIayer456 · 17/07/2025 18:54

I can’t believe you rang a leisure centre to ask them to adjust swim times to suit your child’s nap routine.

Are you not embarrassed at your sense of entitlement?

Exactly this.

BIWI · 17/07/2025 20:07

FamilySwimming · 17/07/2025 20:00

Let me guess, are you a retired person who likes to go to the GP at 8am and the bank at lunchtime because those times work for you? 🙃

Show quote history

Absolutely. I have every right to do so IF IT SUITS ME. Why wouldn’t I, if I wanted to? I’m not a second class citizen just because I’m retired!

Original poster
FamilySwimming · 17/07/2025 20:05

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 17/07/2025 20:00

Pp are being nasty. You're not entitled as you're not expecting it just for you.

Yanbu to expect to be able to take a child swimming that's not nap time - most leisure centres offer different times on different days.

I would persist and ask them to do a formal
Consultation as every 1.5-3 year old naps at that exact time.

Different times on different days is literally it, I think.

OP posts:
Original poster
FamilySwimming · 17/07/2025 20:04

Hollietree · 17/07/2025 20:03

Surely your 2 year old will likely soon stop having a nap? This is probably an issue for you for around 6 months. All three of my kids stopped napping soon after they turned 2. It’s really not a big deal. Inconvenient right now - yes. The end of the world - no.

We've got another year of it I reckon because the nursery won't drop naps. It suits them to have all the children on the same schedule.

OP posts:
Hollietree · 17/07/2025 20:03

Surely your 2 year old will likely soon stop having a nap? This is probably an issue for you for around 6 months. All three of my kids stopped napping soon after they turned 2. It’s really not a big deal. Inconvenient right now - yes. The end of the world - no.

CaptainMyCaptain · 17/07/2025 20:02

FamilySwimming · 17/07/2025 19:51

I stand by that statement. I have never understood why people who don't work insist on going to these kinds of places at what are peak times for people who do work.

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People who don't work can do what they want when they want. You have no idea what else they do with their time, maybe volunteering or childcare. Your entitlement is staggering.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 17/07/2025 20:00

Pp are being nasty. You're not entitled as you're not expecting it just for you.

Yanbu to expect to be able to take a child swimming that's not nap time - most leisure centres offer different times on different days.

I would persist and ask them to do a formal
Consultation as every 1.5-3 year old naps at that exact time.

Original poster
FamilySwimming · 17/07/2025 20:00

BIWI · 17/07/2025 19:58

You have no idea what anyone’s day/schedule is like. Perhaps those times just work best for them?

You are no more entitled to a specific time than anyone who is retired, is.

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Let me guess, are you a retired person who likes to go to the GP at 8am and the bank at lunchtime because those times work for you? 🙃

OP posts:
DisappearingGirl · 17/07/2025 19:58

Yes this was exactly my two's schedules as well! It was very hard to deviate from at the time. Sometimes we'd push through it but then they'd fall asleep in the car at 4pm or whenever and then refuse to sleep at night.

Mornings were always the time for toddler outings (or occasionally late afternoon)

outofofficeagain · 17/07/2025 19:58

FamilySwimming · 17/07/2025 19:57

Genuine question. This is the kids' pool that is very small and only about a metre deep. Do school age kids really learn to swim at that depth?

Show quote history

Yes.

BIWI · 17/07/2025 19:58

FamilySwimming · 17/07/2025 19:53

If you're retired you've got all day to do whatever the hell you like so why on earth would you go to the bank/post office/try on clothes during the lunchtime rush? Madness.

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You have no idea what anyone’s day/schedule is like. Perhaps those times just work best for them?

You are no more entitled to a specific time than anyone who is retired, is.

CaptainMyCaptain · 17/07/2025 19:58

PIayer456 · 17/07/2025 18:54

I can’t believe you rang a leisure centre to ask them to adjust swim times to suit your child’s nap routine.

Are you not embarrassed at your sense of entitlement?

Absolutely. The world doesn't revolve around you @FamilySwimming .