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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think the restrictive adult-child ratios at swimming pools...

62 replies

ILoveDrKarl · 31/05/2011 21:00

...will only result in a generation of children who can't swim?

This has bothered me for years, but now that I have 4 children, (6, 3 & 9m DTs) it bothers me more and more.

For example... we're going away this weekend and have looked at the websites of the 2 local swimming pools in the city and discovered that we can't take out children swimming with us! My son who can swim confidently will have to wear armbands as he does not have a "certificate of proficiency" from an official swimming instructor. Even with the armbands he would have to stay in the small pool as none of the other children are allowed in the big pool as it's age 4 and over only, and I am not allowed to stay with the 3 younger children on my own in the small pool. It even says that any adults seen to be breaking the rules will have to leave the pool along with all other members of their family. (OK - so we can go, but it will be crap for my son who would actually like to swim!)

This might seem extreme, but sadly I don't think it's unusual. (and yes, I do know that 4 children isn't the norm - but again, it's not THAT unusual!)

It's not just big families that have problems either - in most pools I've come across families with 3 children (any of whom are uner 8) can only go swimming with both parents. This means that most families can only go swimming at weekends when both parents are around, but of course this is when the pools are most busy. It's also discriminatory against single parents who have more than 1 child - when do they ever get to go? (for me as a mother of DTs too it's a nightmare that right now seems never ending - in some pools I've been to in the past I will only be able to take my DTs swimming on my own once they are over 5!)

Gone are the days when you could go swimming as a family, teach your kids to swim and just enjoy the water! Swimming is such a valuable life skill and it's also a great, cheap family activity! Not to mention that it's a great form of exercise which (last time I checked) the government are trying to get everyone to do more of - but these restrictions are making it so difficult that I do believe we're going to look back in 10 years at a whole groups of children who can't swim because they've never had the opportunity to learn, practise and enjoy it.

OP posts:

exoticfruits · 01/06/2011 08:00

It is the blame culture LWITW, swimming pools are protecting themselves. Sad.

SuchProspects · 01/06/2011 08:04

I can see how liability could cause this sort of thing, but since private pools don't seem to put the same rules in place it seems dubious that it's the main cause.

Goblinchild · 01/06/2011 08:11

Do private pools have a disclaimer of some sort saying 'unattended, swim at your own risk?'
I agree that the fact that nowadays it seems that there are never accidents and someone is always at fault and should be sued or sacked is the reason why the situation has changed for the worse.
Like in schools, the rules now, compared to the early '80s when I started teaching, are far more ridiculous safety-conscious.

exoticfruits · 01/06/2011 08:11

I don't see what else. Most mothers swim alone and have more than one DC. We always did it and I don't think that anyone drowned. We were largely in a chidlren's pool with a lifeguard on duty. I never once saw a lifeguard have to do anything-not even blow a whistle as mothers and pre school DCs are generally law abiding.

OddBoots · 01/06/2011 08:20

It seems like some kind of cycle, the more companies do to 'protect themselves and families' the more some parents feel they don't need to take responsibility themselves the more companies need to do to cover themselves.

missinglalaland · 01/06/2011 08:38

How frustrating! Even with swimming lessons, I think kids need "mucking around time" in the pool to play, have fun, and feel water confident. I'm not surprised that the leisure centres are strict. (I believe they have to be in order to conform with certain rules that make insurance affordable.) I can't help feeling it's a shame, though. Our pool doesn't allow diving off the side, at all. Of course there is no diving board etc. I think society is generally a little too risk averse and you are suffering for it.

The kiddie pool at our leisure centre is deep enough on the far end for our seven year old to do "proper" swimming. I know it's not the same as getting used to the big pool and building up confidence, but she is about chest deep on the far end and has a pretty good time. Perhaps it would be the same for your son?

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 01/06/2011 10:33

I swim in a private pool and if I wanted to, I could take in any number of children BUT there is no lifeguard. During half-term, many mothers take their young children in. The pool is 1.4 metres everywhere, no deep end, but still risky if a child gets into difficulty. I'd manage one child there but I'd worry about taking in more.

I don't think society is 'risk averse', I think it's had its fingers burned by claims. It is some parents who are 'risk averse', wanting to pass liability to somebody else in the event of a problem.

acatcalledbob · 01/06/2011 10:42

OP couldn't agree with you more, except they are breeding a generation of fat non swimmers and parents who don't have to think responsibly

My DDs who are both good swimmers at 2 and 6 would not be able to swim at all in the UK because I wouldn't have been able to take them both at the same time.

Another reason why I'm pleased to have left the UK.

LizzieMint73 · 01/06/2011 11:39

Frustrating as they are, these type of rules aren't new. About 25 years ago my little brother missed out on swimming on holiday because at 5 he wasn?t allowed in the pool without an adult in the group, despite little brother, me (12) and my 2 sisters (10) all being strong swimmers. They wouldn?t let him swim with us, even though our mum was happy for us to supervise him. It would have been fine if our (non swimming, probably doesn?t even own a cossie) mum had come into the pool the pool with us though .

foreverondiet · 01/06/2011 12:08

OP - I think you are being a little U - to think that one adult can safely take 4 children under 8 swimming. Of course families can go swimming, just once they are a bit bigger or with 2 adults. Think 1:1 is a bit draconian though.... Mine are 7, 5 and 13 months and although DD (7) is great swimmer would not take them together as DS1 (5) not such great swimmer and can't stand and I just don't think safe to take them all until DS1 can stand in pool or until DS2 can float with armbands.

olderandwider · 01/06/2011 13:13

How do pools get around their own rules? How can one instructor teach a greater number of children than one parent can be allowed to supervise?

Just asking.

Original poster

ILoveDrKarl · 01/06/2011 13:28

Sorry - just wanted to clarify that I have no intention of taking 4 children under 8 swimming on my own. These rules are so OTT that my husband and I - 2 adults - cannot take our 4 children swimming altogether! We can't even have 2 each as it is 1-1 for the 3 pre-schoolers. We've just been looking at another local pool and it's the same - to take all 4 of our children swimming we would need to borrow two other adults to come with us as it is 1-1 for the 3 pre-schoolers and by default then my 6 year old also has to be 1-1. Eventually yes, I would like to be able to take my 3 pre-schoolers together on my own, or the DTs together once my 3 year old is away at nursery/school, but I won't be allowed to do that either! For now though it's so bad that in a fair number of pools (hotel pools included) we cannot go swimming as a family at all as we cannot provide 1-1 ratios for our 3 youngest.

OP posts:

PumpkinBones · 01/06/2011 13:37

I can see why people might baulk at taking 4 children swimming but taking 2 alone is quite manageable - I take DS's (5+19months) and have done since DS2 was a few weeks - when DS1 was 3.5. The pool we went to was meant to be 1:1 for under 4's but they never challenged me - I think the frustrating and annoying thing is the inconsistent rules applied differently in different pools - even within the same council, for example.

exoticfruits · 01/06/2011 15:47

I had a look and my local pool still allows 2 under eights with one adult so I was pleasantly surprised.
I wonder who thinks these things up? It doesn't make sense that a 7yr old can't swim with his mother and a younger sibling the day before his birthday but the next day you can drop him off with a friend and go shopping and go back and pick him up. Mad!

LineRunner · 01/06/2011 16:00

You want to get yourselves to the Isle of Man (own government, own rules)! I went on holiday there a couple of years ago (sadly it rained a lot) and I took my kids to the island's big new(ish) indoor pool and water-fun centre just on the edge of Douglas, and they had a fantastic time. They had lots of really helpful life-guards, and there was none of this crap about adult-child ratios and swimming certificates. And they stayed in as long as they wanted. I remember it seemed quite cheap compared to England?

I sat in the gallery eating crisps and reading a magazine, with lots of chatty Manx mums and grans. Really good fun.

nancydrewfoundaclue · 01/06/2011 16:05

Couldn't agree more OP.

I have three DC's and their ages (6, 5 and 12 weeks) are such that I could not take them to swim alone.

Both DC's 1 & 2, have their 100metres badges. They are on the school swim team FGS and could, I am sure, give many of the adults lolling about in the shallow end a run for their money.

It's so arbitrary.

Jenstar21 · 01/06/2011 16:10

I'm a qualified lifeguard, and, even though I have worked at the local pool, they won't let me in with two under 5s.... (Yet I was supposed to supervise a whole pool/lesson when working!) I went to take DD, 3 and my friend's DD, 4 (whilst she was at work) alone, and even though both girls are in armbands, (and able to swim a bit without them) we were knocked back. I fully understand about responsibility and liability, etc, but really, can't people be trusted to have a bit of sense? I doubt I would have taken them both on my own when they were younger, or couldn't keep afloat.....

nancydrewfoundaclue · 01/06/2011 16:11

Oh and just to add, the reason that my DC's are such good swimmers is that we don't live somewhere where we are bound by ridiculous rules....

mrskbpw · 01/06/2011 16:16

I honestly didn't know there were rules about this. I've never taken my two sons (aged 4 and 16 months) swimming on my own but my husband has, so I assume it's ok where we are.

How do they enforce it? How would they know? Depending on the pool, we'll get changed separately with one boy each. So how do 'they' know who is with who? Who would enforce it anyway? The bored teenager on the front desk or the bored teenage lifeguard?

I wonder how true the whole blame/claim culture is. If (god forbid) your child drowned in a swimming pool, while you were with them, would you really sue the council? How could it possibly be their fault? Has there ever been a case like this?

exoticfruits · 01/06/2011 16:37

They ask you when you buy the ticket mrskbpw-they have notices up.

Ashleyg1992 · 27/01/2015 12:20

Read this while googling Swim Ratios...

I have a 3yo (she turns 3 next week) and a 4yo, the ratio is 1 to 1 for my 3yo and 2 to 1 for my 4yo.

As a single parent, this makes it very difficult for me, as one is under 4 and one is over 4. I don't have anyone who would go with me. I go on holiday every year and have been able to take both in the pool at the same time (didn't attempt it when I had a baby and 1 year old). Ever since my oldest went in armbands, I have been comfortably in control of both at the one time. Thankfully next year I can take both at same time at our local swim pool, but took on holiday swimming no problem, no one got hurt or was out of control.

MidniteScribbler · 27/01/2015 12:27

This thread is from 2011!

muminhants · 27/01/2015 12:29

I don't really understand the ratios - did the rules change because they don't want to employ enough lifeguards?

And yes I know the thread is old, but I don't see that matters if someone wants to comment.

Ashleyg1992 · 31/01/2015 21:56

I am aware it is old, but it is still relevant. Is there rules against it?

BikeRunSki · 31/01/2015 22:03

I joined a gym so I could swim with both dc at the same time. They are both massively keen swimmers (they are 6 and 3) and I couldn't take them to any public pools together (and we live on the boundary of three local authorities). DH can't swim, so he's no help! Best £40/month I've ever spent.

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