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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to let my 8 year old swim without an adult in the water with them?

46 replies

ChocolateWombat · 19/02/2014 14:27

Just that really. The pool allows children of 8 and above to swim without an adult in water, as long as adult present in building.

I would be letting child and friend of same age swim with me sitting in the poolside cafe, where I can speak to them and they to me if necessary.(parent if friend is clear on what Im planning)
Both children can swim about 50m (not with fantastic style) and are confident in the water and sensible.
I just ask, because a friend was really shocked when I said I was going to do this. It seems a step forward in independence, which needs to start happening in small controlled ways, as far as I can see, but thought I'd canvas the views of the wise and the good on MN.
Thanks.

OP posts:

Original poster

ChocolateWombat · 20/02/2014 17:04

Just feeding back. Took 2 8 year old swimming. I went into changing rooms with them to help manage lockers and route into pool. I then sat in the poolside cafe, which is right by the side of pool and where you can speak to them/they to you.

They had a lovely time in the waves and playing about.....not much serious swimming, was very crowded. Lots of guards on duty. One could see I was with my 2 and asked me how old mine is (is small for age) and was perfectly happy when I confirmed age 8.

Went back into changing room to meet them at end and get bags out of lockers and then sat in foyer area to wait for them.

They emerged happy and pleased with themselves. A real success....will do it again soon.
Thanks for everyone who encouraged us to try it. A step forward for our child and me!

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Quinteszilla · 20/02/2014 20:16

Oh that's excellent! Glad you had a good experience. You are lucky to have the cafe overlooking the pool. Ours is out of view and out of earshot.

SpagBolgs · 20/02/2014 20:53

By the time mine were 5 they were swimming by themselves and so were their friends. By 6 you should learn to swim by yourself so 8 is late.

Original poster

ChocolateWombat · 20/02/2014 21:03

SpagBols....mine have swum on their own, during their swimming lessons, without an adult for several years. The teacher has been on the poolside. It is only in public swimming they have had an adult with them. All of our local pools have an age minimum of 8. Your 5 year olds would not have been allowed to Swim alone round here.(and I was asked about the age of the children yesterday) You must be in a different area, or perhaps you are talking about a while ago, before the 8 year old regulation, which seems widespread.

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pamelat · 20/02/2014 21:05

Last summer agroup of us sat poolside whilst our 5 year olds swam unaccompanied. It wzs an outdoor pool and we were in swimwear so could leap in, lifeguard on duty etc, they had a great time and we sunbathed/watched!

BrokenToeOuch · 20/02/2014 21:14

I am planning on doing this over the summer holidays, although I will be in the little pool with DS. In the summer, my DDs will be 9 and 10 and have had swimming lessons since they were 4 and can confidently swim lengths in various strokes. I haven't taken them and left them on their own before as I take DS anyway, don't mind going swimming (would much prefer to never ever go, but they love it and it's brilliant exercise for them) so im always there anyway.
I do still worry though, water can be so dangerous, accidents take seconds to happen.

Littleen · 20/02/2014 21:36

No problem as long as there are responsible adults nearby to keep an eye on the kids! Either yourself or a lifeguard etc. :)

Haroldplaystheharmonica · 20/02/2014 21:52

I can't wait for DS1 to take himself off swimming on his own. He's 9 now but as DS2 is only 6 it will be a while yet before I can leave them both to it. Sigh...

bruffin · 20/02/2014 22:03

By the time mine were 5 they were swimming by themselves and so were their friends. By 6 you should learn to swim by yourself so 8 is late.

Mine had lessons from the age of 6mos and 12mos. I still wouldnt have let them in pool by themselves at the age of 6. As i said above ds is a trained life guard, my dd is doing her lifeguard course this week. Its a very intense 5 day course with exam on 6th day. When they work they get training once a month or not allowed to work. They have to look after a pool full, it's not fare on them to have the extra responsibility of little children, whose parents cant be bothered to go in with them.

TamerB · 20/02/2014 22:08

At our pool they can be in on their own aged 8yrs- you don't have to stay in the building.

SpagBolgs · 20/02/2014 22:56

I did forget to add mine did 1-2-1 swimming lessons.

Original poster

ChocolateWombat · 20/02/2014 23:03

SpagBols...was this a while ago? What were the age restrictions in your pool?

OP posts:

bruffin · 20/02/2014 23:18

Spagbog
It doesnt matter how well they can swim, they are not old enough to be unsupervised in the pool.

SpagBolgs · 20/02/2014 23:49

No this was recent from around 5-6 they let the DC swim by themselves.

bruffin · 21/02/2014 05:50

Where is that?
Our pool has always been 8

ilovepowerhoop · 21/02/2014 07:20

was it a private pool? Every pool we have been to is restricted to over 8s without an adult, age 4-7 needs 1 adult to 2 children and under 4s need an adult for every child.

bruffin · 21/02/2014 08:06

this is from the ISRM guidelines

"1. THE AGE AT WHICH CHILDREN NEED TO BE ACCOMPANIED

We strongly believe that all children under the age of eight years should always be accompanied in the water for unprogrammed swimming sessions."

BrokenToeOuch · 21/02/2014 08:43

All local pools round this way say no child under 8 admitted without an adult, though there is some discrepancy about how many under 8's per adult. Most say 2, a very small number say 3.
Spag are you in the UK?

itshardthinkingofanickname · 21/02/2014 08:49

I was swimming by myself in the sea at that age. But I was brought up by the sea so that helps.

Starballbunny · 21/02/2014 09:11

I have fish, they tried to give me the slip in pools from 6 and succeeded from 6.

They don't, even as 13/16y get to swim on their own very often because I like swimming. However I haven't bothered keeping them anywhere near me from the day they would vaguely pass as 8.

Unfortunately DD2's friends are serious club swimmers and the last thing they want to do for fun is more swimming or I would drop them off at the pool.

Original poster

ChocolateWombat · 21/02/2014 09:17

The age seems to be set as the one which means an average child is likely to be able to swim well enough, but also to be sensible enough to be in.I. The water by themselves. Swimming ability is one factor, but maturity is the other key issue.

Some children can swim well very young, but lack the maturity which comes with age, which is why there is that guideline.
Of course 8 is a minimum and parental judgement comes into it. Some people won't allow their 10 year old in alone, either due to swimming ability or general maturity. There have to be guidelines for parents, but also to protect the pool, whose lifeguards cannot be expected to give a younger child the attention they need, because that would mean other customers were getting less than the required attention for safety.
With SpagBols, I wonder if she is abroad or in a private pool. And what are the age rules where she is?

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