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Original poster

Would you be happy with this new swimming lesson rule?

109 replies

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 17/12/2021 19:34

Not sure if I’m wrong about this- dd 4 attends a swimming class on sundays, the school has just sent the new rules for the centre given corona virus, near on all are fine: masks, one way systems etc- but they have said parents can’t stay during lessons and must wait in the car/ car park. One issue is that sometimes my child needs the loo midway through a lesson (we always try before class), in which case I take her- and secondly I just don’t feel comfortable not being able to see her. Am I ott ?

OP posts:
welshweasel · 17/12/2021 20:40

Standard here even pre covid! They go on their own from age 3. Strip off at door, send them in and wait outside. There are windows so can watch if you want. Any issues they come and shout at the door (loo trips etc). At the end we are allowed in to the changing rooms to get them dry. Works fine and wouldn’t occur to me to think it weird. Kids behave much better when parents aren’t watching in my experience!

Frazzled2207 · 17/12/2021 20:41

I would be surprised that a 4yo was expected to get themselves dried and dressed without adult help after.

OakRowan · 17/12/2021 20:41

DS goes with his nursery, half the class at a time, with lots of nursery staff in the water plus the swimming teacher. We have to drop and go if its not their regular day in all day at nursery, or we have to wait outside and watch through the windows. I leave him there, go back to collect him from the showers masked, dress him and go. Happy with all that, he's safe and learning to swim after no lessons available locally all last year. We've just had a letter home that nursery have cancelled next terms lessons due to covid concerns/rising cases.

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BootsScootsAndToots · 17/12/2021 20:43

Two separate swim schools I have seen twice a child go under the water without the teacher noticing.

No way would I leave my DD there without me.

INeedNewShoes · 17/12/2021 20:43

Why not?? What do you need to be there for?

I thought this and said it out loud to another parent at swimming and she told me she had seen a parent rescue a drowning child from the pool during these lessons. The teachers hadn't noticed, which I can kind of see if they have a ratio of 4 non-swimmers one teacher.

I'd planned to spend DD's lessons reading my book in the car but now watch fairly diligently to keep an eye on her (and the other kids)!

SergeiL · 17/12/2021 20:44

I get the argument about not being able to wrestle down a wet costume, but half an hour without the loo should not be beyond the capability of an average 4 year old, assuming no SEN.

SergeiL · 17/12/2021 20:45

Those people seeing children go under without anyone noticing need to find a new swim school surely!

ilkleymoorbartat · 17/12/2021 20:45

My daughter nearly drowned in a swimming lesson. Teacher took eye of kids on block for a minute and daughter fell off it and sank to bottom of pool. Luckily I was there to fish her out. Absolutely no chance I'd be leaving my kid in that situation.

maryberryslayers · 17/12/2021 20:50

I'd just respond and say your daughter isn't yet able to use the toilet facilities on her own, nor would you feel comfortable with another adult taking her in your absence, given the safeguarding risk you assume this rule will not apply until children are mature enough to go alone and return safely to the lesson.

Maryann1975 · 17/12/2021 20:50

I always found swimming lessons so boring to watch. I’d have been glad to be given permission to go back to the car for half an hours quiet on my own! Mine don’t do swimming anymore, but I know our local pool has had a ‘no parents rule’ since they reopened after COVID.

Clymene · 17/12/2021 20:53

Surely a swimming lesson is max 30 mins? Even a 4 year old can go that long without a wee

Nearlytheretrees · 17/12/2021 21:03

How long is the lesson that she needs to stop for the toilet? Ours only did 30 minutes at that age. It must be distracting for the other learners and teachers to keep having people leave for a wee in a fairly short session

Bunnycat101 · 17/12/2021 21:15

Our pool has required parents of that age to be present all through lockdown. My eldest frequently needed wees at 4/5- I think they just swallow a lot of the water.

Bunnycat101 · 17/12/2021 21:18

From watching classes I also think it is quite common in the little ones. You rarely see the older ones disappearing mid-lesson but I’ve seen plenty of kids in the pre-school and reception classes doing it so I don’t think it’s that uncommon.

Original poster
OnlyFoolsnMothers · 17/12/2021 21:29

I find the toilet issue everyone is struggling to get their head round bizarre. On the whole my child doesn’t need the loo in the pool, on maybe 3 occasions she has had to come out to wee mid class- a boy her age slightly more frequently. I take her to the loo beforehand obviously, it’s just not a perfect science in such young children

OP posts:
HaaaaaveyoumetTed · 17/12/2021 21:42

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

I find the toilet issue everyone is struggling to get their head round bizarre. On the whole my child doesn’t need the loo in the pool, on maybe 3 occasions she has had to come out to wee mid class- a boy her age slightly more frequently. I take her to the loo beforehand obviously, it’s just not a perfect science in such young children
I agree with you that young kids just need to go to the loo when they need to go, but they can usually hold it enough for a parent to be summoned, which is what our swim school do.
RaPumPumPumPum · 17/12/2021 21:45

Really? A just turned 4 year old potentially?

This 4yo is in school, absolutely she should be able to go to the toilet alone.

RaPumPumPumPum · 17/12/2021 21:47

@Frazzled2207

I would be surprised that a 4yo was expected to get themselves dried and dressed without adult help after.
I don’t think the OP said that was expected at all.
HaaaaaveyoumetTed · 17/12/2021 21:56

@RaPumPumPumPum

Really? A just turned 4 year old potentially?

This 4yo is in school, absolutely she should be able to go to the toilet alone.

Getting a wet swimsuit on and off is definitely more difficult than just sorting day time clothes. Unless you think little girls should be in bikinis to make it easier?
itsgettingwierd · 17/12/2021 21:58

@ChimChimeny

From a practical POV a bikini is much easier for getting on & off when wet.

We can't watch DD's lessons but we are allowed in the building, that seems a bit harsh

What I was going to suggest!

Get bottoms and the tankini top and she can use the loo independently just like she does at school.

Goldbar · 17/12/2021 21:58

I would not let my just turned 4yo go swimming without me there to supervise. It only takes the teacher to be distracted for a minute or two. Drowning is silent.

PiesNotGuys · 17/12/2021 22:09

I go on the bus to take mine to swimming. We have to buy our own floats and take them on the bus to swimming, because they can no longer be provided, and we can’t possibly leave them in the centre, we have to rub them in covid germs on the bus before dipping them in the pool. We aren’t allowed in the centre at all, not into changing rooms and not into lessons, but they also don’t allow us to leave in case our child needs us, so I literally sit in the street, in all weathers, whilst my DC changes, swims, and changes. The DC is not allowed to shower after and isn’t very good at drying themselves. The post-swim kids are sent out of a fire exit at the back which backs onto an A road. It’s a bit of a gamble as to when to wait at the back near the fire exit, because it’s really dark and loud back there when the door is shut, and if the Dc needs you they will send a staff member to the front door, and then they can’t find you if you are round the back waiting for them to come out. But if you are late round, the staff sending them out gets stress as they need to be with the next class.

I’ve got herding shivering, wet DC, massive covid ridden floats and kit home on the bus down to a fine art now though after a year of this.

LizzieSiddal · 17/12/2021 22:19

This 4yo is in school, absolutely she should be able to go to the toilet alone.

Hmm

I presume the little girl isn’t in her dripping wet swimming costume when she’s going to the loo by herself at school.

Goldbar · 17/12/2021 22:24

A dry 4yo going to the toilet by themselves in secure school premises is entirely different to sending them off by themselves in a state of undress in a building accessed by the general public and where there is free access to water.

HamCob · 17/12/2021 22:49

This is a non issue.
We had the same rule at our swim class. Quite a few parents chose to not send them to lessons if they couldn't be poolside. Fair enough.
As a primary school teacher it is my experience that very few children (SEN excepted) need to go to the toilet more frequently than once every 30 mins. Any more is just boredom/time wasting tactics. I think you will find she is more than able to hold her bladder when you're not on hand.