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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to expect there to be some hairdrying facilities for school children in swimming pool after lessons?

84 replies

alison222 · 14/09/2011 16:35

My DD has waist length hair. She has just had her first lesson at school today at the local pool. I had given her some money for the hairdryers but she came home at 3.15 today with hair still very wet and told me that they were in the "school" changing rooms which don't have hairdryers or hand dryers in the toilet area either. The hat she was wearing does not keep her hair from being drenched. She had it plaited up ( as per school regs - tied up hair) There was only one female assistant ( both year teachers are male) and they all have to stay together so she can supervise.
Come mid winter I don't want DD with dripping hair all day.

What would you do?

OP posts:
lesley33 · 14/09/2011 16:39

Her hair shouldn't be dripping. Surely she should towel dry it. Is your issue that she has to take her hair down to towel dry it and then can't tie it back up?

If her hair is towel dried it will dry by itself and I really don't think it is an issue.

ripstheirthroatoutliveupstairs · 14/09/2011 16:39

Give her a warm wooly hat to wear home from the pool.
My DD used to go swimming, in Switzerland, when the snow was on the ground. Same situation but there just wasn't time for all the children to dry their hair.

redskyatnight · 14/09/2011 16:39

Well your solution is to teach her how to towel dry her hair efficiently.

It's not really practical for all the children with long hair to use the hair dryer at the swimming pool (bearing in mind there are normally only 1 or 2 available). Especially when they get to the age when they want their hair styled etc.

ll31 · 14/09/2011 16:40

can she not towel dry it - can see problem of having 20 or more kids trying to use small number of hairdryers.. teach her how to towel dry it. Am firmly of opinion also that getting your hair wet and not drying it properly willmore than likely not cause any harm.....

mankyscotslass · 14/09/2011 16:42

All children at our school with long hair have to wear a swimming cap for lessons, as there are no hairdriers to use.

It would take too long anyway, even if they were available - they are on a tight turn around.

Can she not wear a cap? or squeeze most of the moisture out herself?

aldiwhore · 14/09/2011 16:42

I used to swim every morning at 6am, I never dried my hair other than with a towel (very thick hair but not as long as your dd's) and thanks to a superwarm hat I never feel ill, caught a chill or anything else. A rubber swim cap is probably a good option, but I refused to wear one.

Fimbo · 14/09/2011 16:42

The logistics of girls with long hair trying to dry hair under hairdryers would be a nightmare. My dd has long hair and just had to put up with it being wet I am afraid. Now I have noticed that the school is tending to do swimming as last lesson (ds is there).

The only other option would be one of those turban things, but she would probably be laughed at and not sure school would allow it.

Bunbaker · 14/09/2011 16:43

Unfortunately it isn't possible to dry children's hair at the swimming pool because there isn't enough time. When DD went swimming there wasn't even enough time for a shower afterwards. They just got out of the pool and got dressed. There were about 12 girls in the class, all with long hair. If you allocate 5 minutes drying time to each child that is one hour.

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 14/09/2011 16:43

Towel drying is the way to go... I cannot imagine they have enough time to all blow dry their hair after swimming to be honest!

porcamiseria · 14/09/2011 16:43

get her a small portable hair dryer and teach her how to use it....

Groovee · 14/09/2011 16:44

Girls have to wear swimming caps when my children go swimming

Silverstar2 · 14/09/2011 16:44

Think you were being niave to think that she would be allowed to dry her hair with a hairdyer - this isn't some family visit to the pool on a saunday afternoon - this is school! They probaby have 30 kids to make sure are dressed, etc. You/she has chosen to have waist length hair, I think you must find a way round it - I like the op suggestion of a wolly hat - quick and easy.

Or cut her hair to a more practical length?

OhYouBadBadKitten · 14/09/2011 16:45

dd also has waist length hair and her hat does keep her hair dry (apart from the ends which seem to stick out no matter how hard she tries) so it might be worth experimenting with different hats.
Also - 2 plaits dry faster than one :)

cat64 · 14/09/2011 16:45

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Message withdrawn

StarlightMcKenzie · 14/09/2011 16:47

Did she take conditioner?

Popbiscuit · 14/09/2011 16:48

YABU. The whole class should not have to wait so your daughter can detangle and dry her waist-length hair. Sounds a bit Gwendolyn Lacey. Tight plait before swimming and squeeze dry afterwards. Undo and comb when she gets home.

SheWhoMustNotBeFlamed · 14/09/2011 16:50

Who put the hat on for her? Might be more effective if the class assistant does it than if she does it.

Kayano · 14/09/2011 16:53

YABU

I had to walk from the pool, back to the school (5-10 mins) with dripping hair and had fun snapping the icicles when I arrived Grin

True story but I'm kidding about BU, I think they should have them but my hair takes ages to dry even with hairdryer, so maybe should just e used for blasting the excess off

herbietea · 14/09/2011 16:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Calabria · 14/09/2011 16:55

When my daughter first started swimming at school they didn't even have time to rinse their hair. She also has waist length hair and the compulsory swimming hat doesn't keep it dry. Now they at least rinse the chlorine out.

Luckily this year swimming is early in the day so it does have a chance to dry off somewhat.

I'm afraid hairdrying facilities under such circumstances is an unreasonable expectation.

StarlightMcKenzie · 14/09/2011 16:55

If her hair is impractical for her education, perhaps best to keep it short.

Original poster
alison222 · 14/09/2011 16:58

She did wear a cap. They have to put them on themselves

They have never worked to keep her hair dry. - Unless someone can recommend a fab brand and a good way to get all her hair into it?

Before this she did 3 years of swimming where I took her to the lessons. I have experimented with different ways of tying her hair back but the hat always seemed to leak as the shape of the hat was pulled wrong by the large amount of hair.

She is 8 and she can sort of tie her hair up - very badly. She has not learnt how to effectively towel it dry - not yet anyway.

They swim first thing in the morning so she has to tie it back up if she undid it after the lesson for the rest of the day at school. There is so much of it that tied up it does not dry.

OP posts:
Original poster
alison222 · 14/09/2011 16:58

Starlight? Conditioner? They don't wash hair afterwards.

OP posts:
Original poster
alison222 · 14/09/2011 17:02

porcamisera - no plugs in the local authority pool. They want you to pay for the dryers - fair enough in the public bit - but no such facilities in the schools section.

Starlight - No way am I cutting her hair for a once a week swimming lesson for one year of her life.( no way she would be happy about this either - personally I would prefer it a bit shorter but she loves the hair and at school it is tied up so not usually a problem)

OP posts:
buzzskillington · 14/09/2011 17:03

If there aren't the facilities, there aren't the facilities. I don't know what you expect the school to do, cut the length of the lesson to spend time drying your dd's hair for her, spend their budget on a hair drier, extra supervision just for your dd?

It's good that they take your child to swimming lessons, don't make it harder to do.