To be angry over this or am I just being a bitch !!

[Wannabeyou]

Hi all,

I don't know if I'm complaining over nothing, if I should of said something to the children (because the parents couldn't be fucking bothered !).

I booked 1:1 swimming lessons for a term, for DS. It is expensive ! Due to the pool hire and the security in your slot (time)... the lesson is 20mins.
Keep in mind the pool is small..(think of 3 adults together, with both of their arms stretched out).

Anyway, DS and I come to the pool, it's very busy and I'm assuming they're behind in time (so much for the secure slot , but this happens so not too worried). There are three children, including DS, being taught in the pool. Then there's about 5 children ! Who are not being taught, in the pool playing on the sidelines but they kept obstructing DS lesson, they were loud and being a distraction to DS. Keep in mind the pool is very very small...so literally DS was only using about half or even less of his swimming lane.

A parent notices my discomfort but proceeds to roll her eyes at me. Luckily, one of the swimming instructors recognises this and tells the children to play quietly and not to obstruct the lanes. They didn't listen and continued to do their silliness. I complained to the life guard and to another woman, who manages the booking, that "..they need to tell the parents that their children need to wait outside of the pool, it isn't fair on my DS and to the other children being taught. They are being disruptive, my DS can't focus in the lesson". The lifeguard agreed and replied " I've told them, but the parents won't listen and they are not even watching them".

By the time I've spoken to the lifeguard, DS lesson had already finished and when DS got changed... the mother of one of the kids, disrupting my DS lesson, proceeds to roll her eyes at me again once more. But I couldn't be bothered to retaliate.

AIBU ? I feel like a bitch but I'm paying how much for these sessions ?!!! I expect DS to have a basic standard of good quality lessons. Should I have said something to the parents or the children ?

In the end I told the manager of the booking, that "if the same thing happens again, they either book my DS to a less busy slot or I want my money back".

Pool hire. What are you hiring there? Get clarification on that. I suspect a refund on the grounds the pool couldn't/ wouldn't provide exclusive use for the lesson lane.

I'd be annoyed too. First of all, it wasn't the 1:1 you paid for. Second, it could be dangerous if they got in the way. Where were the parents watching them? They should have told their children not to be doing that! It's not ridiculous to expect what you paid for and safety of your child when they are being taught by supposedly a trained professional. I'd take your child elsewhere.

I'd be fuming too. But don't direct it at the parent, it's the swimming centre who's at fault. Why we're these other 5 in the pool anyway. Free swim ffs no! or waiting for their lesson get out!
IMO you're entitled to a partial refund but you probably won't get it. Make it clear you will be cancelling / demanding a refund if this continues.
YANBU

Exactly Dr ! They have a no refund policy but I'm sure they will give me one on this ground. This was DS first lesson, I am giving them one more chance !

I understand the pool is small, I understand that young kids want to play. But the fact is, the pool is small and they need to respect my DS's teaching space.

DS has had many swimming lessons elsewhere. If anytime the children are disrupting the lesson, the children get a stern telling off from the instructors or they proceed to speak to the parents.

Mummy the parents were literally sitting by the sidelines of the pool, they saw what they were doing but they were busy talking.

It's definitely a pool issue. The other parents may not even have realised what the issue was.
Don't go there and tell them why if it happens again.

Sounds as if you have hired the instructor not the pool.

If you have hired the pool, why are others in it at all?

I agree, I would be fuming. It's not what you paid for1:1 lessons and it's also dangerous to have children playing around a pool unsupervised. It should be down to the pool centre to have the area under control and ensure customers are getting what they paid for1:1 lessons. Give it one more chance and see how it goes. Maybe phone before the lesson to clarify that you are paying for a 1:1 lesson and are expecting to turn up today/tomorrow to a space that is under control and conductive to learning with 1:1 focus on your child for the 20 mins you've booked/paid for.
We had a similar problem before, the booking before us consistently running 10 mins late and the next booking turning up 10 mins early which meant we had no 1:1 time. We complained, gave it another chance, complained again, gave it another chance and then decided to try another place. We're very happy now at the new place. The pool doors are 'locked' during our 1:1 time so no one else can come in, and the booking times are managed better so there are very rarely overlap issues.
I would start to look now if you happen to see anything else nearby that would work for you, just in case you decide to leave your current pool you'll feel a bit more confident knowing you already have somewhere else to go.
Good luck!

The pool and DS 1:1 swimming lessons is £420.00 term. Hooray I will definitely clarify with them !!!!

DrHorribletookmycherry I didn't think I was shockable but your username has proven me wrong!

You can't blame the children for playing noisily in the pool - isn't that why they go there? The management however should be setting aside times just for lessons, it's their fault.

But, you haven't rented the pool for private use? You have paid for 1 on 1 instruction...which you are getting?

I'm surprised that the swimming teacher doesn't ensure that there is sufficient room/space in the pool. Our pool has a lane set aside for 1:1 lessons so it's pretty easy for the swimming instructor to tell other people/kids to stay out of it.

The problem isn't the other parents. They have paid too (although they have failed to teach basic manners but you can't expect everyone to be polite). The problem is management. They are the ones who should've handled this. They'll them that if they do not make good on their word you will repudiate the contract.

Zaza it is the managements fault.

Yes, when my son goes swimming I expect him to have fun, enjoy himself. But the kids were in my son's fucking lane and weren't even being taught. They were waiting for their session. They were being disruptive, kept distracting DS and the instructor and continued to make use of more of my sons lane.

I'm sorry but I've never seen this in DS previous swimming lessons. Kids, who weren't being taught or waiting for their lesson, certainly were not allowed to come into the pool and had to wait. If they did, they had to keep way clear from DS lane.

It's genuine courtesy, if I see my DS in the pool, in the child's lane who the instructor is teaching and DS is being disruptive. I will certainly tell my DS to get out and that he has to wait on the sidelines.

Farty Yes, the contract states that the fees include the private use of the pool and the swimming instructor. They did this because the pool is very small and it wouldn't be practical for the kids to learn to swim in.

This was why I was initially taken back that they were two other kids in the pool. But I assumed it was because they went over their schedule.

Tbt I understand this, that's why I didn't ask the parents to tell their children to get out of the pool.

Clarify with the management before you get there, then if it happens again kick up a proper fuss about it.
As in:

1. When it's DS's slot, speak directly to the instructor (shouting excuse me until he answers and gives full eye contact and attention) to say it's time for your DS.

1. If he says the last lesson overran, then that's fine but insist on knowing when it will start. Then clearly tell him (and insist on a response) that you expect DS's lesson to continue for his 20 minutes from when he starts. If it doesn't start when he said, repeat.

1. If anyone else is in the pool, DS doesn't get in.

1. When the instructor says it's time, insist that DS's lesson can't start until everyone is out, since it's a private lesson and private use of the pool is what you've paid for

1. No matter what anyone says, repeat that he's not getting in until everyone is out

1. When he gets in, if it's later than his time slot, tell the instructor what time it is (ensure you have eye contact and response first) and that the lesson is until x time since it's 20 minutes.

1. If anyone gets in the pool, stop things straight away. Don't allow the lesson to continue until they are back out. Make this the instructor's problem. If they won't get out then your son gets out. You tell the instructor 'that was only x minutes. I expect a refund

Don't be embarrassed. Don't be apologetic.
If they can't provide the service you've paid (a lot) for then they need to refund it.

Calm and reasonable but sure of yourself and firm. Broken record is good for this.

And do warn your DS beforehand, and prime him to get out without a fuss if necessary. Tell him you'll take him to the normal swimming pool for a session if that happens!

Bloody hell - a term is about 12 weeks so you are paying about £35 for 20 minutes?? Who's teaching them Sharon Davies/Tom Daley???!!
Round here it's about £15 for a 30 minute private lesson in the country club pool which has a roped off areas for swimming lessons.

Agree, absolutely not good enough.

Also the lifeguard needs to better assert his authority. What she or he says should be the law for safety reasons. If kids don't obey then they get the 'whistle' and called out. (thats what happened at our pool) Lifeguard trumps parents everytime.

The pool should have additional lifeguards supervising the free swimming so your child gets the 1:1 without the LG having their attention distacted.

Its as much about safety as your value for money.

Make this point very loudly if you are not getting the results you want when you complain :) also check up on ratios of LG: swimmers etc for extra ammunition if they try to fob you off.

I think Nordic is spot on. Don't let the management deliver any service other than what they sold to you. If they're incapable of doing so, they should cease offering it.

Brie I know ! They charge VAT on top. But the instructors are really really good.

"should have said something" not "should of said something"

Thank you Zool... I always get "have" and "of" mixed up.