AIBU to be sooo cross that our local pool wont let my son start swimming lessons?

[stoppinchingthedummy]

Despite the fact he is old enough and all his school friends are doing them, the local pool have refused to even put his name down on their 3 month waiting list because he isnt tall enough!!!!! I AM SO FRICKING CROSS!!!!!! AIBU??!!! i cant help but feel sad for him :( he is short for his age, he didnt hardly grow at all last year but there isnt anything we can do to make him taller and now he will miss out on something he is desperate to do :(

The pool that my ds goes to for lessons doesn't have a floor that lifts so none of the children can reach the bottom. The teachers think it's better becuase the children learn to swim faster. It seems a ridiculous rule.

dd is taking swimmig lessons in a pool where she can't touch the bottom and is doing fine, she'd just gone up a level and will be getting rid of the armbands soon.

He teacher has between 2 and 4 kids per class and manages just fine and she goes for a swim afterwards as well. ds1 goes to the same pool and he's even younger and he has no bother... in fact i think not being able to touch the bottom has massively increased their confidance as they don't have the 'safety net' of being able to put their feet down if they struggle.

Not it's fair that he is short. He will have to get used to that. Life isn't fair.

It's not fair ... I should say.

How annoying. And a stupid rule. Can you find a private teacher?

bollocks just use consumer power and find someone else who does swimming lessons without height restrictions. it's all age and ability related not height related here - as in 2-4 year olds (doubt they can put their feet on the floor) 5 up beginners etc

also always love the way some posters on mn just loooooove the rules if it's the rule, it must be right

Just find a private teacher

Thanks all for your replies ,given the majority feel IANBU i am glad ...coldtits are u related to my dad?! he just said that very line "life isnt fair" unfortunatly at 4 years old i feel my ds isnt old enough to have to live with this ....and i will do everything to ensure he can attend swimming lessons and be at the same level as all his friends :)

DS2 started swimming lessons without me with him once he was 3. He of course can't touch the bottom, but he wears arm bands, surely they start with arm bands anyway.

It does seem a crazy rule. And as others have said, they learn to swim better if they can't touch the bottom. Children are lazy and will walk if they can touch the bottom.

Yes he can wear armbands,he would have an instructor in the pool and a lifeguard on the side as well as me watching ,if i thought he was struggling id jump in fully clothed!!! However he is a confident boy and today i took him he wanted to do it without armbands but kept sinking ...i have no idea how to teach him to stick his back end up and kick hense why he needs an instructor - this same pool will allow children with armbands in the deep end im pretty sure they cant touch the floor there ...i cant

Never heard of this rule before and had four children through swimming lessons/swimming clubs.

I would just go somewhere else. My local authority pool refused to take my 4 year old DS who was desperate to start group lessons back in the summer not because he couldnt swim (he can swim and dive - DD1 is a qualified diving and swimming coach) but because he was "too young to listen"

When I asked again at Christmas they gave him a place straightaway. I think sometimes they just make it up as they go along and you get a different answer depending who you speak to.