50M pool and almost 12 year old

[LolaLockdale]

DD who'll be 12 this Sunday has just asked if she can go to the outdoor pool in our area, I said I'll think about it but I really can't decide.

7 other girls and 5 boys are going, I only know 3 of the other girls.

By public transport it takes either 2 buses and 30 mins altogether or 1 bus and a walk which would be around 40 mins.

In the summer the outdoor pool is jampacked, the deepest part is 50M, halfway point 25M, their are lifeguards and DD is a strong swimmer but she's never gone to that specific pool without us and I'm worried that something could go wrong.

Am I being too overprotective?

Great you've let her go. I think these sorts of group trips for children this age are ideal for helping develop independence.

The Olympic diving pool in London is only about 5m deep. let her go, she'll be fine. Better to learn to be sensible in pools by herself now than starting when she's 16-18 with alcohol involved.

If you're worried, have a talk about drowning/dry drowning and make sure her friends will be looking out for her and vice versa.

Arf at 50 m deep pool. If it was you would have to watch out for armies of scuba divers sending marker buoys up from depth.

On the plus side there would be loads of people present that are well trained in water rescue and first aid.

I was trying I imagine 50 meter deep pool and why someone would bother building that.

Personally I think Yabu.

I'm glad you're letting her go. At that age I was cycling to our local lido (with 50 m pool) every sunny day of the summer holidays and spending the entire day. My mum must have loved the peace and quiet!

Lol at 50m depth pool.

My oldest is 10 and I share your worries, it's hard letting go.

Still nervous about letting her go, even though the pool is perfectly average, but I guess that's parenting.

Just told her to pack her sun cream and she replied "but it's cloudy" she's definetly my kid

lola yiur DD is right - you do sound pretty cool you've come here expressed concern, admitted you got length and depth mixed up, laughed about it and taken on advice of others and changed yiur mind.

We have a 67m outdoor lido near me - children aren't allowed unaccompanied and it must be on a ration of 1:2.

Apparently there is now a 40 metre deep pool.

They are used as scuba and free diving training facilities to provide a relatively safe environment to experience significant depths, caves, tunnels etc.

You nelly, OP!

Glad you're letting her go.

Well done op. Stand proud in the ranks of sensible mums!

Well done op for letting her go.

I went to an outside pool regularly when i was 12 - and walked there and back (30-40 mins each way)! Had a fantastic time. My parents weren't hugely strict but definitely always gave good consideration to things before letting me go. I was always grateful for their trust and faith in me even if they did have concerns - and for allowing me a bit a freedom and independence while keeping face with my peers!

My kids have always been allowed to go swimming on their own from age 8. They make their own way to the pool with friends. Swim/play/goof about and then get their diinner. Make their way home.

Don't royally flame me, but...isnt 8 very young? I mean, I dunno...would you drop a bunch of 8-year-olds at a shopping centre or park by themselves?

(Just curious, not judging.)

No 8 is not too young to go to the pool Koala. Loads of kids do this regularly where I live. They also go to the park along the road. Rules being they go together, and come home together never alone. It gives a little independence while still being a relatively safe environment, obviously they can swim confidently and strongly before this is allowed.

My 8 yr old is at the swimming pool on his own today (well, with his 11yr old brother but still...no adults with them).

I am trying my best not to be worried. It is hard letting go!

re 8 yr old think it depends on the kid and swimming ability really.

I prob wouldn't have allowed mine as she wasn't a confident swimmer at 8 - she is at nearly 11

8 depends on a few factors, two of which are the child's temperament/ personality and swimming ability. For me, location is another. I might be happy for my 8yo to be dropped off and picked up afterwards by me or another parent, but wouldn't want them making their own way there. But I live in a city and the swimming pool is in the city centre. I might be OK if we lived in a village or small town.

koala not too young at all, and yes I would re park. Dependent on shopping centre, yes. Huge mall, no. Nearby large village, with about a dozen shops in a square, yes.

It's not so much about age as how mature, reliable etc they are. And of course for swimming how strong they are.

It's interesting. It seems very young to me. I didn't think it was standard to leave 8-year-olds at a public pool without adult supervision.

I would have been fine with my DDs swimming without me there at 8, but I'd have dropped off and picked up. Mind you, mine are fish.

Well done OP, it's really hard and I'm not looking forward to it myself (DD is nearly 7yo but an August baby so she'll be wanting to do stuff with her older peers!).

I don't understand why the length of the pool makes any difference to why you would or would not let her go?????

The Pagoda in London is about 50m tall. No way would I feel confident swimming in that depth and I am a very confident swimmer.

PersianCatLady the op thought that 50m was the depth not the length.