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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

if you are paying for swimming lessons, you should swim

172 replies

talkiinpeace · 04/12/2015 21:20

You are coughing up good cash to pay for your kids to be strong and confident in the water

so why do you sit at the side, bone dry, playing on your phone

Use that 20 minutes to burn a few calories and make it abundantly clear to your kids that their lessons are worth something
and plough half a mile

all else is hypocricy

OP posts:

DinosaursRoar · 04/12/2015 21:56

Once I've dropped DS at his lesson, gone back into the changing rooms to get myself ready, had a shower, 'id only have about 15 minutes before I had to get out to be certain I was ready again before DS needed collecting from his lesson. For 15 minutes, it doesn't seem worth getting my hair wet and having to re-do my makeup, and I'd have to pay the same for a 15 minute swim as I would if I used the full 2 hours you're allowed in an adult swim session at our pool. Not worth it.

That's assuming DC2 doesn't need entertaining.

Plus, aren't parents supposed to watch and be available as if the child swimming needs to go to the toilet during the lesson or needs help of any kind, then the parent needs to do that? The centre staff aren't allowed to take them to the loo and they shouldn't be wandering around alone.

Strangertides1 · 04/12/2015 21:57

Because I can already swim and parents are not allowed in the pool or even pool side as it distracts the child. I am also 5 months pregnant and suffering with terribly painful various vein in one leg meaning I can't even consider taking off the support stocking for anything other then sleeping and showering. Case in point: there are many and various reasons why parents stay pool side and prefer to stay quiet rather than act like cheer leaders for their child/den swimming.

ceeveebee · 04/12/2015 21:58

I don't understand why everyone is justifying to the op why they don't swim - what the fuck has it got to do with you what I choose to do with my spare 20 minutes??

catkind · 04/12/2015 21:58

Er, because the swim teacher wants me sat on the side in case my child asks for the loo or something.
Also not prepared to pay for swimming for 20 minutes when I could go another time and get an hour for the same price.
Weird idea. Did someone seriously say that to you?

wanderingwondering · 04/12/2015 21:59

I like watching my children in their swimming lessons.
However
My running club is starting up children's sessions during which parents will have the opportunity/be encouraged to go for a run while the children are running. I'm looking forward to it!

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 04/12/2015 22:00

Dh does this while dd has her lesson. All the other parents sit and watch. This suits Dh just fine as it means he has the pool to himself. It also suits the other parents as there are less seats than children having lessons.

Everyone's a winner.

mamaduckbone · 04/12/2015 22:00

Umm...all pools are closed to adults whilst lessons are taking place. 30 minutes p&q during ds's lesson is bliss thank you very much after 8 hours at work. We go swimming as a family plenty at other times.

Fuckitfay · 04/12/2015 22:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ZedWoman · 04/12/2015 22:02

By the way, when DS and DD have their gymnastics lesson my DH and I go out and have a, shock horror, coffee. On our own.

laureywilliams · 04/12/2015 22:03

fuck off

Brioche201 · 04/12/2015 22:05

No public swimming while lessons are on.

KillBing · 04/12/2015 22:06

Because my i-phone would get wet in the pool obviously.

This.

But mainly because I don't want to and I don't give a f... what you think

Dornan · 04/12/2015 22:07

Thanks Prue

Ceevee it's not justification it's encouraging to OP to take her head out of her judgy pants long enough to appreciate an alternative world view.

KatieLatie · 04/12/2015 22:08

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

DinosaursRoar · 04/12/2015 22:10

You know, this reminds me of a comment i got in real life, another mum had a go at me for reading on a Kindle because (ahem) it's important for DCs to see you reading, and it's not as obvious to your child that you are reading if you are reading a Kindle, rather than a real book. She then went on to say she reads a book a month and it's important that the DCs see her reading, to encourage them to see reading as something they might want to do. I nodded and smiled and thanked her for her suggestion. I joined the 50 book challenge on here and since then have averaged more than a book a week for this year. My DC1 is in year 1 and reading at a level for a year 3 child. He knows a Kindle is 'all mummy's books'. And reading is just something our family does.

If you need to make a point about swimming to your DCs, it kind of looks like exercise and being healthy isn't something you just do and your DCs see without having to make a performance of it.

Hissy · 04/12/2015 22:12

Wow... In our local pool they use chlorine... Wth do they put in yours OP?

I swim. Now...

I mum-swam before. You know, face not been in or under water in over 40 yrs...

My ds swimming school now does adult lessons.. I LOVE swimming. I go twice a week now, and will eventually increase this.

Sometimes my ds comes to play on his iPod watch me. He says he's super proud of me. it's hilarious that there's a complete adult/child role reversal thing, all kids sitting nattering watching, and parents in the pool.

Would I go swimming with him? No probably not actually. Not atm. I want to practise lanes. I want to be able to focus on that and not him for a second. He gets his time to learn, his time to have me watch him. We swim together on holiday, but so far we haven't found a session that works for us both yet.

OpheliaMoo · 04/12/2015 22:13

What?!

SisterViktorine · 04/12/2015 22:13

Er, because Ds swims

a) at school when I am providing a good model of a work ethic
and
b) at swimming club when the whole swim centre is taken for squad training

That all OK with you OP?

Kryptonite · 04/12/2015 22:14

You can't go in the pool when lessons are on - they're shut to the public.
So not quite sure what you're on about.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 04/12/2015 22:14

Yes our pool shuts for lessons. If you're swimming before they start you're ordered out about fifteen minutes beforehand. I'm already a fairly competent swimmer though so I'm really not bothered about paying for an extra swim just because the kids are in there.

What a random thing to start a thread about. You're obviously pissed off over something. Why not start a thread about that instead?

coffeeisnectar · 04/12/2015 22:16

The pool runs three groups of lessons and is closed to everyone else.

Parents aren't allowed on poolside either.

We sit in the cafe, drinking coffee and watching through the window and playing on our phones

Dornan · 04/12/2015 22:16

Dinosaurs I'd have laughed in the face of 'book a month Mum'.

turkeyboots · 04/12/2015 22:17

I would love to do that. But our pool is full of childrens classes and no room for adults.

StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 04/12/2015 22:17

Maybe they go swimming at another time?

I like to watch my son's lessons and see how he's doing. I can't actually see that if I'm swimming laps.

Am I also supposed to make sure that I'm also joining in with the games and such like at beavers to show him that's worthwhile too? Maybe I should be trying for my creative badge?

(I do actually help out at beavers fairly regularly, but it's not the same as actually joining in).

RubberDicky · 04/12/2015 22:18

Do you spend a lot of time in the water op?
Fresh water swimming?
In rivers?
under bridges?

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