Swimming lessons - help me out here.

[explodingid]

Ok, swimming lessons after school is a hectic, busy and noisy affair. When I pick DS up after his lesson I try to find a changing room to get him dry and dressed, here's the thing people treat the changing rooms like a holiday in Magaluf and bagsy the changing room with a bag whilst Rueben takes a leisurely shower.

Today I got to changing cubicle - bags already in place. Lots of lockers available.
AiBU to ignore bags in cubicle and get DS changed next to bags? I did this today and halfway through changing DS a woman came and huffily asked to get her bags which I agreed to and then shut the door.

When I opened the door to go she ambushed me and started shouting how rude I was etc etc and I just said she should have used the lockers and not saved them with her bags. She said she had a little one so put the bags there and I was incredibly rude and she hoped I hadn't taken anything from her bags!

So who is unreasonable? Should I accept people not using lockers and making sure every time they go swimming a changing room awaits them on their return!

I would have done the same as you!

I would (and have) done the same as you. You can't just bagsy a cubicle with your bag, they're a first come first serve situation!

YANBU. It’s a problem if this selfish behaviour is preventing kids getting changed. I’d have a word with the manager and ask for a sign saying you can’t bagsy cubicles, unattended bags may be removed.

Our swimming pool even has signs up about not putting clothes in changing rooms if you aren't in them

Of course she was unreasonable - why does she expect to be able to keep a changing room empty for the duration of her lesson when other people need to be getting changed!

My local pool used to do random sweeps and leave a note saying stuff left in cubicles was in reception. It had an amazing impact!

Good on you. That used to wind me up too.

She was so rude! It was embarrassing. She wouldn't let me get a word in and just repeated how rude I was and how would I feel with a little one.

I even looked into changing my lesson time next week to avoid her.

YANBU and I've also done the same as you, only the person who left their bags didn't come bag while I was in there so God knows how long they were left in there

*back

I'd have (and have done) the same as you. Also had them knocking on the door in a huff.

What is it with rude inconsiderate twats in swimming lessons? I've just got back and had to stand during the lesson as it was so busy. No problem. Been at work all day but hey ho. But 4 or 5 of the seats are taken up by toddlers on tablets whilst their parent sits on their phone. When busy, toddler should be on your lap. Is this not the norm anymore?!

Then another lovely lady lets her dd have a full blown shower for 5 mins in one of only 2 showers with a massive queue of tired, cold kids some of whom were crying.

Who does that?! Not a "come on X, there is a big queue". No, just spend forever with loads of bottles of shower gel, shampoo and conditioner whilst everyone else freezes.

It's Monday and I'm tempted to open the

YANBU. This annoying behaviour is rife at our swimming pool. Pisses me off.

This gives me the rage and I have also done the same as you! What makes changing your child more important than me changing my 2?! Use a locker! Or carry the stuff with you, or hang it on a peg... grrr!

Yanbu. I would have dumped her bag outside the cubicle so she wouldn't have to disturb / speak to me while I was getting everyone changed.

@user1471530109

Yes we have a lovely seating area and if everybody stayed seated we could all see our children swim but without fail people lean against the barrier in front of the seats and block the view!

I would have moved the bags out. And then told her that she can wait like anyone else.

Complain to management and suggest they remove belongings not in lockers for safety purposes

I've done the same as you in the past. Or got someone from reception to clear it.

Eurgh, I have just booked my youngest back into swimming lessons and your thread has reminded me how much I hated it for every reason you have all mentioned here!!

What I don't get about swimming changing rooms, is why so many parents need to be in there? It's chaos. I feel like I'm the only one sat outside, in peace!, waiting for my dds. For sure if you neEd to help your child get dressed as they're 3 or have SN or whatever, but why so many mums in there with their perfectly capable 5/6/7/8/9 year old? Wait for them, check they've got their stuff, go back in if not, and clear the area!

arethereanyleftatall

I would say 5 is a little young to be changing on their own in a public changing room for most kids but I see what you mean for older ones.

True threeankle, probably not all 5 year olds could manage it. But, my point is, most parents dislike the noise and heat and cramped up changing rooms, but they add to it, indeed cause much of it, by unnecessarily being in there. A bit like the 'don't like traffic, you are traffic' thing.

Oh god this brings back the horror. I took to dumping people's bags out of the cubicles onto the changing room floor eventually. Each cubicle had a big sign telling you not to leave bags/clothes in it and every damn week people ignored them.

I have complained to the day manager who will address the issue at the monthly meeting.

Actually, I'd be tempted to report it as a suspicious / unattended package ....