To expect the kids to be out of the pool?

[Writermom22]

We have a relatively new leisure centre which includes a kids pool, complete with slides, water cannons, splash pool, learners' pool and water dropper things, and across the other side of the changing area, a laned competition pool.

These are open all day every day but the laned pool use is divided into different chunks, for ladies swimming, adult swimming, family swimming, school learners' swimming, local swimming club swimming ...etc ...

So Thursday nights, 8 to 9 is adults only, and everyone who goes simply swims lengths. I've been going to these sessions for a number of weeks and swim 40 lengths. So today, I get there and there's a guy in the pool with two kids, both under 10 years old.

I get in the pool at 8pm and have done four lengths, while having to avoid kids doing roly-poly and handstands in the pool before he even attempts to get himself and his kids out.

And not one of the four members of staff said anything. Am I being unreasonable in thinking they should have been out before I even got in? If I am, then what's the point of a timetable in the first place??

[MyheartbelongstoG]

If you were running late and your usually in the pool before 8 then you're also in the wrong surely.

This is one of those tines when I think, get a life.

[BrokenBattleDroid]

I'd probably be just as annoyed as you, then get cross with myself for being such a miserly intolerant grumpy guts.

In the nicest possible way, lighten up, it feels sooo much better!

(Unless you think they were genuinely trying to ruin the lane swimmers' time? In that case, lynch them in the changing rooms next time. But I bet they weren't.)

[mikeyssister]

I have that lack of patience thing as I get older.

I think I'm turning into my MIL

[grannytomine]

Yes you are. Not your private pool, don't know why kids having fun for 4 or 5 minutes would cause such angst.

[Writermom22]

@ConstanceCraving it was about 6 minutes.

I know it's not long, I'm just a bit of a stickler for things like this. I play life by the rules and expect others to do the same. My kids are 18 and 15 now and as they get older, my patience for the younger kids (and parents who don't play be the rules) is waning.

I probably was being unreasonable.

[ConstanceCraving]

I think if you're not going to mention it to staff then you can't really moan about it tbh. Sounds like it wasn't long at all?

[Writermom22]

@nosyupnorth incidentally, the dad got out with the son and left the daughter alone in the pool while he and the son were showering.

[ConstanceCraving]

How many minutes over did they stay in?(!)

[Writermom22]

@NormaSmuff I never mentioned the minutes over, just that I had done four lengths. (I'm not a fast swimmer but I don't stop, I turn at one end and swim straight back).

All that being said, why weren't they in the kids pool over the other side of the changing area if they wanted to mess about, rather than being in the lane pool where adults wanted to lane swim?

[NormaSmuff]

4 lengths 4 minutes you say?
not for a slow coach

[Onhold]

I wouldn't get all het up about a few minutes.

[Onhold]

They got out of the pool.

[nosyupnorth]

wow OP

I was siding with you for the first three paragraphs because kids , but then you said they were getting out by the time you'd done four lengths and I realized you were getting this huffy over them running over by a few minutes.

Surely you can see why the dad would be paying attention to his small children in water rather than watching the clock precisely and so got them out of the pool at a few minutes past eight and the staff were just giving a reasonable amount of leeway.

[Ameliablue]

Yes they should have been out but it doesn't sound as if they stayed that long. So unless it happens every session, is not really something to get worked up about.

[Writermom22]

Hi @Bizzysocks

No, there are two massive digital scoreboards on the walls which show the time (in hours, minutes and seconds)

There have been times where we've been a few minutes early but I was running late last night and didn't get in until 8.

[Bizzysocks]

It was only for 4 lengths so about 4 mins. Is it possible you got in the pool at 7:58 in which case they were in the pool for 2 mins. People getting in the way when I swim gives me the rage but even I wouldn't be bothered about a few mins.

[Writermom22]

There were four people (including me, but not including the guy and his two kids) in the first section which spans three lanes, the next area spans two lanes and there were three people in there, then the last two lanes are roped individually, and are at the "deep end". The whole pool has a moveable floor so it can all be deep, shallow, or different depths.

At busy times they have a coloured band system with flashing lights to tell you when you're time is up, but I've only seen them used in the school holidays.

[grandOlejukeofYork]

There you go, then. Was it otherwise quiet? If there is just you and them in the pool the staff would have assumed you didn't mind them being there, as would the man.

[Writermom22]

I confess, I did the British thing of only moaning about it in my head!

[SabineUndine]

You should tell them. It's quite normal in swimming pools to tell people who are mucking about to get out of the way when there's a designated time/area for lane swimming.

[grandOlejukeofYork]

Did you be all British and not say anything to either the man or the staff?