What age to swim in a lake with friends?

[DolphinAspirations]

What age would you be happy for your DD to swim in a lake with no adult supervision? It would be with friends of the same age in scotland. Mine has swum in a lake a couple of times with me but that’s all. She can swim at a medium sort of level.

We are having a difference of opinion.

You’re overprotective and nieve and you didn’t have to make this post. (I’d let my child at any age.)
You're rude and insensitive and didn't have to make that reply.
Ps it's 'naive'.

We were doing it around 13 but gives me the absolute fear now. So many accidents. Always need an adult/strong older swimmer present

We grew swimming in a lake. All the children swim unsupervised as soon as they are competent swimmers- different ages, but usually by 7/8. The kids know their boundaries and know the lake well.

Play this to her

Sorry- 'grew up swimming in a lake'

It's a never from me too.

DD, you’ve misspelt ‘naïve’. 😂

2 teenage boys have drowned in the last couple of days. Don't you watch the news? With hot weather due to continue its almost a guarantee that there will be more x

Last year multiple deaths happened from water use in good weather near here over the space of a long weekend alone. A lido is fine, cold deep lake no way!

I wouldn't be happy There are always several drownings of teens and families in a heatwave. It's such a sad waste

Never.

Every bank holiday, every summer holiday, when the sun comes out, I await the local news report that teens having a great time with their mates have been in the water at our local lakes and quarries and somebody has got into trouble. DH has been out several times and seen some lucky near misses. He's also seen deaths and sometimes of strong, capable swimmers. The cold water and the hidden reeds can be a fatal combination. Not worth it. Swimming happens where there are lifeguards and never anywhere else.

Try again

So I sent my DD this thread. She’s set up a mumsnet account and replied. We are laughing a lot.

Thanks so much for all of your input. I’m feeling a bit less unreasonable for saying no. She’s 13 btw.

Not at all unless with an experienced open water swimmer

Bouyancy aids you say? oP doesn't mentions life vests

I think it's a great thing to do, but you need to build up to it. I grew up swimming in rivers and lakes with my parents very frequently, as did all my friends, and there were never any issues with our swimming out alone from 14 onwards.

I hate how risk averse society has become to the extent that people avoid even learning to do things safely, they just jump to the sanitised version.

As a swimming teacher this makes my blood run cold opening this thread . You are aware of cold water shock, not to meantion changes of depth, things in the water they could end up trapped in, currents. You say she's a medium swimmer which makes it worse. My ex boyfriend actually fall in river and drowned he was found 11 days later.

Two teenagers drowned near me last summer, one in a river, one in a lake. Both were "experienced swimmers".

Never. I swim in rivers and the sea with dd, who is an excellent swimmer, but always where there are lifeguards or an experienced adult watching out too.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-52882573.amp

last summer. 25 year old teacher jumped in a river and never came up. They think it was cold water shock.

it happens very frequently, and not just to non-swimmers.

lakes can also have underwater outlets that can suck you under in seconds.

never
unless it's an official lido set up with life guards.

Dd is 12. She's been open water swimming with me for 3 or 4 years. Her closest friends are rookie lifeguards so she's probably at least as safe with them as with me but I'm not sure I want them to have to be responsible for anyone else's safety in the event that things go wrong.
I know she goes down the creek and I suspect she swims if there is anywhere deep enough... But the swimming spots she won't be allowed to until she's 15.
I don't river swim solo although I do kayak on my own on flat water. When I've capsized I've had to swim to self rescue. I know the risks. I know Dad's risk assessments are sound but I don't want her to be responsible for anyone else.

Two 16 year olds dead in two days on Midlands today. So never...

None, ever. I know of too many drownings, it's NEVER worth it

But anecdote is not data. "I did X and I'm fine" is not a recommendation against considered advice.

And you can swim outside or inside in a variety of locations but choose to do so in a designated area with proper lifeguards. It's not avoiding an activity, it's respecting its potential consequences and acting accordingly. That's not risk averse imho, it's a sensible precaution. Nobody is saying don't swim.