Two grown men in the toddler pool

[GuybrushThreepwoodMP]

I'm not sure how I should have behaved. Our local pool has a completely separate toddler pool in addition to a shallow training pool and a full large adult pool. I took 18 month old dd yesterday and we got in the toddler pool which has toys and small platforms etc. Initially we were the only ones in there and then two men in their forties got in and just seemed to be relaxing on the steps and chatting. Being quite reserved, I quietly asked a member of staff why there were adults in the baby pool without children. He responded that he wasn't sure; his colleague let them in and he thought one of then might have a disability.

I'm not sure how I should have felt about this but I felt uncomfortable. I didn't feel able to confront them myself so we just left.

I think maybe the staff should be absolutely sure if who they let in the toddler pool and why. The men certainly did not have any physical needs so could have gone in the training pool which is also warm and shallow if necessary. I'm not sure if this is terribly un-pc though...

Yes, they are chlorinated and filtered but there's still no denying that baby pools contain a fair to muddling amount of piddle, snot, and other bodily excretions!

'Fair to middling' not 'muddling', obviously!

Surely the reason that you don't have children in the pool when there is lane swimming is because they would get in the way. I don't see why 2 men sitting on the steps of the pool, especially when the op was the only one in there, is any problem.

I think referring to someone's 'mental age' is sort of insulting - an adult with learning disabilities is an adult, not a child. There may be developmental delays, and disabilities, but abilities vary within one person.

I reckon they needed a wee.

dead obvious when you swim into a warm cloud in the cold pool but they could wee in total abandon in the toddler pool.

just because they have no phsical disability does not mean no disability .i have a forteen year son with autism .no outward show .he can talk likes the water but hates getting splashed .needs the water warm .so him and either me or hubby would be in baby pool.

The phrasing of the Op when she used the word "Uncomfortable" suggests that she meant what many posters are thinking.

And she's being unreasonable.

If you swim fast with a furious leg kick it disperses both warmth and yellow cloud.

No need to resort to the baby pool or the toilets

(Ok, ok joke, obviously)

It's not at all weird

I got in one by sort of accident, thought it was the warm pool at the end like you have in a spa

It was fucking warm.

And I didn't touch up anyone while in there

If the training pool is as warm and shallow as the toddler pool, then there was no legitimate reason for them being in there, and the member of staff that you spoke to should have asked them to move to the training pool. They wouldn't have to be rude, just a simple 'this pool is reserved for parents and carers with their small children, we have another warm shallow pool over there for the general public to use'.

I'm not for a moment suggesting that they were paedos, but if there was no legit reason for them to be there, I would be assuming either they had made a simple mistake and would be grateful to be told, or they had a non-legit reason.

If one of the men was disabled, then there may be all sorts of reasons why he would have felt safer nd more comfortable in the toddler pool, is that not a 'legit' reason?

I still just really can't see the problem.

There was no lack of space with only, what,4 people I'm guessin by the op, in the pool.

They weren't being boisterous, swearing, or otherwise causing any inconvenience.

You're not in Herts are you? We have a couple of men in their 40s turning up at local schools acting v suspiciously...

Coldlight like men obvs

Op, I can only hope you never have a child whose brain development doesnt match their physical development......the softplay place here has special nights for people with disabilities and yes - a toddler pool with toys would appeal would appeal as that may be their development age. Playing with young children often appeals for the same reason.

Yabu btw.

Err - no, not like all men...

At one school they turned up and tried to tell a year 6 boy they were there to pick him up at his mum and dad's request - he thankfully legged it back into the school. One talking to the boy, another in the car.

At another school with similar-sounding car, they tried to attract the attention of several kids on the sports field - not sure what was said, heard that via neighbourhood watch email.

And I heard from another mum there was another incident in a village close to both schools. Not so sure exactly what happened there.

What is wrong with saying mental age.

My son has ASD and a mental age of a 3-4 year old, when his actual age is 8.

I didn't make my previous post from a 'fear of paedos' perspective. But from a 'fear of unknown' perspective. I don't know why they'd be there- and that makes me nervous. If they were clearly playing with the toys, I'd assume that was the reason for them being in there and I'd
feel more comfortable. Likewise, if the member of staff had said they had got a disability, I'd have felt more comfortable, because I'd assume that the disability meant they had a legit reason.

Yes, that's right, I am the worst person in the world. Incidents 1 and 2 are being linked by the police. Call Crimestoppers urgently and tell them you know better

It could well have been a man with learning disabilities and his support worker. Not all learning disabilities are obvious in a physical sense, or immediately shown up in conversation either.

It's not unsual for swimming to be encouraged as an acitivity, as it's just as beneficial for disabled adults as it is for toddlers.