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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To turn two Y5 boys loose in an indoor water park?

36 replies

DrSeuss · 28/01/2016 19:00

Last time we went, DS and friend went on the rides, (life guard top and bottom of each slide, both boys good swimmers and fairly sensible) while I was in the toddler area with DD. A good time had by all.

Today I suggested that I take a friend's son also ten, during half term, explaining that they would be on the rides with me immediately findable in the toddler area. No good, they must be with an adult at all times, she says. There is no way they can fall off a slide, they are tubes. They can't get out of the centre. I can't take DD on the rides, she's too short.
Is it irresponsible to just turn them loose?

OP posts:

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 28/01/2016 19:02

What are the rules about unaccompanied kids? At that age I would've unleashed mine in a heartbeat (but they were both competitive swimmers so my opinion might be a bit skewed).

Hiddlesnake · 28/01/2016 19:04

YANBU.
Take another friend.

Original poster

DrSeuss · 28/01/2016 19:05

12 and under only admitted with an adult. No rule about direct supervision with kids of ten. You don't really swim there, it's slides into splash pools and so on.

OP posts:

Thethingswedoforlove · 28/01/2016 19:06

I would definitely not expect kids of 10 or 11 to need constant supervision. Def take another friend.

FatimaShitbread · 28/01/2016 19:06

Usually kids 8 and under need accompanying by an adult.

Original poster

DrSeuss · 28/01/2016 19:07

I know. She's a single parent and saw the water park as a crap day she was prepared to endure for her only son. I thought he could just come and play with my boy while she stayed at home.

OP posts:

SavoyCabbage · 28/01/2016 19:07

I would tell the mother you just can't do that, as you can't, and ask another friend for your ds.

It's fair enough that she thinks he wouldn't be able to manage, but there is no way you can supervise like that with a toddler and nobody would have fun, which is the whole point.

Micah · 28/01/2016 19:08

If his mum thinks he needs constant supervision id assume hes a very weak swimmer. So no, i wouldnt turn him loose.

Id take a friend tgat doesnt need supervision.

Original poster

DrSeuss · 28/01/2016 19:09

I actually think it's a good place for them to try their wings. Life guards, no real deep water, I and many other adults there if they need them.

OP posts:

Original poster

DrSeuss · 28/01/2016 19:11

And they don't swim, really. No where to swim. Even a non swimmer would be OK on most rides. It just made me question my feeling that it was a good idea.

OP posts:

Madeyemoodysmum · 28/01/2016 19:12

Can I be nosy and ask where the water park is. I'm always looking for good water parks as nothing near me that I'm aware of. Btw yanbu

Twowrongsdontmakearight · 28/01/2016 19:12

They can go swimming unaccompanied from age 8 at our leisure centre. In fact DD was 10 when her whole year group (Y6) went to Sandcastle in Blackpool for a post-SATS treat. I doubt the teachers accompanied them all down the slides!

pointythings · 28/01/2016 19:12

I'd have to be sure the other boy was a strong swimmer and if not it would be no from me too, but if your friend's DS swims well then she is being unreasonable.

poocatcherchampion · 28/01/2016 19:13

I'm not answering your question but where is this amazing sounding water park?

Original poster

DrSeuss · 28/01/2016 19:13

North of Newcastle.

OP posts:

Original poster

DrSeuss · 28/01/2016 19:15

www.wetnwild.co.uk/

OP posts:

KP86 · 28/01/2016 19:21

I'm quite sure my siblings and I were running around a big water park (coincidentally Wet n Wild in Aus) around 8 or 9 without supervision. But we were strong swimmers with a backyard pool.

If the mum was not comfortable then that's unfortunate for her son. But I don't think YOU are unreasonable for letting your son go by himself. I would do it.

But then again, I'm a bit more free range than most parents, so I've discovered. My rule of thumb is if it didn't kill me, then it's probably OK for my child/ren as well.

cannotlogin · 28/01/2016 19:22

She's a single parent and saw the water park as a crap day she was prepared to endure for her only son

??????

SuperCee7 · 28/01/2016 19:26

There's no dangers really, at wet and wild. YANBU OP. I went on a School trip there at 11 and we were all let loose. The other mum is being PFB

Original poster

DrSeuss · 28/01/2016 19:28

I meant that for her adored son, who is a great kid, she would put up with a trip to somewhere she hated. As most would. I don't exactly revel in it!

What did you think I meant?

OP posts:

cannotlogin · 28/01/2016 19:41

I meant that for her adored son, who is a great kid, she would put up with a trip to somewhere she hated. As most would. I don't exactly revel in it!

so what has being a single parent got to do with anything? or what has the fact that she has an 'only son' got to do with anything?

Gatehouse77 · 28/01/2016 19:47

As long as they are competent swimmers for the pool at the end, no problem.

I would take a different friend.

Salmotrutta · 28/01/2016 19:52

cannotlogin - I think DrSeuss was maybe meaning that a single mum doesn't get many breaks from having to endure boring (for adults!) trips so she was happy to take the DS along as a chum for her son.

Anyway DrSeuss if there are lifeguards and it's just slides I don't think it's unreasonable for two 10yr olds to be left to it!

blobbityblob · 28/01/2016 19:52

I would have thought so until I went to our local one. There were areas where people couldn't be seen by lifeguards, very overcrowded, sort of fierce fountains pounding down on people. I actually thought it was really dangerous, even if you had a parent with you. At one point I lost sight of one dc who'd dived to swim under water, beneath a sort of waterfall, round an alcove. Somebody could easily have been trapped there underwater.

I'm an experienced, confident swimmer, done life saving, diving and all that. It just looked and felt dangerous to me, the one we went to. I had thought of having a party there but completely put off the idea, having seen it. One or two teenagers standing on the side - no way could they keep the amount of people in that pool safe.

Original poster

DrSeuss · 28/01/2016 19:53

As a single parent, she has to suck it up and do stuff she doesn't like all the time. There is no one to take turns with stuff like soft play that most of us would rather not do.
If there were two kids she could sit in the cafe and they could go round together but there aren't so he needs a playmate. I thought my son could do theplaymate thing and I could do the responsible adult thing while she had a break. I do not intend this to be patronising or rude. I am sure she will return the favour.

OP posts:

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