To be irritated with response from swimming pool

[Ozziegirly]

We have swimming classes for 2yo DS. Yesterday morning he woke with a temperature and a chesty cough.

He still has it today. I emailed the pool to inform them that he couldn't attend swimming and asked if he could attend a make up class at some point next week.

They said that they can't offer a make up as I didn't give them 48 hours notice, and could only have one if I get a Drs certificate.

To get a Drs cert I have to take up the Drs valuable time with a totally mild illness that in no way requires medical attention, and also pay $20 for the privilege.

I didn't give them 48 hours' notice as he wasn't ill 48 hours ago.

Can anyone see a way around this?

Why is it up to them to provide a free session?

They aren't. I have paid for today's lesson that we couldn't attend as DS was ill. We pay in advance for a term.

That's standard. Their costs are still the same.

I wouldn't expect pool to provide an alternative lesson slot under these circumstances.

Exactly. I don't see how a Drs certificate helps them to save costs somehow?

Surely their costs are the same whether I attended today or attend another class that has a space next week? It's not like I"m asking for a class of my own, I'll just fit in where there's a space.

Obviously it would be different if there was no space, but I don't see how having a Dr's note will help?

Or am I missing something?

Yes you are missing something, you pay for your lessons in your timeslot, if you don't make it then then tough.

You have paid for the place regardless. Sessions are so over-subscribed here, there are no empty spaces for ad-hoc drop in.

It doesnt help them save costs as such. It helps them appear to be offering some flexibility, but by offering an unrealistic and uneconomic way for you to rearrange your lesson ensures that it wont be taken up.

If you pay for a block of lessons and you miss one for whatever reason, you are not going to get a catch up lesson are you?

Surely if you miss it, you miss it.
When are they going to fit in another lesson?

Is this group swimming lessons? Because your dc will be in a group with a certain teacher. So if everyone who missed a lesson got a lesson at another time, groups would be full of DCs in the wrong group with the wrong teacher slowing down the lesson.

It's one lesson, it's not the end of the world.

Over here (Australia), it is common to offer make up classes if your child is sick. Our local swimming pool only needs 2 hours notice and we can have 2 make up sessions per term.

I suppose you have to decide whether to waste the money you have lost on a swimming lesson or waste the money on a doctor. And make sure you read the small print next time! :)

Yes. You're missing that a) they have a policy of 48 hour cancellation, regardless of why you cancel and b) they will have to pay an instructor to teach your child when they have already paid an instructor to teach your child, at your child's time slot.

Get over it.

And my DCs swimming lessons are all fully booked so there wouldn't be another space anyway.

Fireice I assumed that was the case.

There obviously are spare slots because otherwise I wouldn't be able to have one with a Drs certificate.

I don't think lack of slots is the issue.

They are group lessons, sorry should have said - and there ARE slots to make up, because she said I could have one with a Drs note. If there were none then that would be understandable.

They aren't losing money if I slot into an empty space at some point next week as I have paid in advance.

I knew the small print, but I couldn't have told them 48 hours in advance, as he wasn't sick then.

What they are obviously trying to avoid is people calling off in the morning, not due to illness, but due to laziness/going out for the day/what have you and then having to reschedule the child all the time, which I can't imagine is easy if everyone is doing it all the time.

Just as at work sometimes you need to prove you were ill, they want proof your child was ill and not just skipping the class for the hell of it.

Either get the note or eat the lesson.

I've offered to take DS in tomorrow with a thermometer to show them that he's actually sick, and have just asked reasonably for leeway as we haven't missed a lesson in 8 months, and never due to illness.....we'll see, it's only a swimming lesson after all.

Although maybe at the trials for Olympics 2028 when my son is rejected, he will blame this one missed lesson for the unrealisation of his life's dreams.

YABU. This is standard practice in every set of swimming lessons I have booked for DS. Their costs are the same whether your child attends or not.

You have confirmed my point that their costs are the same whether he attends now or slots in next week.

Oh look, it's an AIBU classic!

"AIBU?"
"YABU!!"
"YABU!!"
"YABU!!"
"YABU!!"
"No, I'm not."

Ok.

But I'm not.

I see a 22 post thread that says differently.

Why bother to post if you don't want the answer to the question?

Standard issue as others have said. In the winter months ds has on bad years missed half of his lessons. They are very jobsworthy at our pool so I wouldn't even ask if he could catch up on another day as I can just imagine the look I would get from the scary ladies on reception.

yabu! Did you really offer to take your child in with a thermometer? Please tell me that was a joke?

Yabu