Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

re mermaid tails

48 replies

dogsaster · 13/12/2018 19:47

DD wants a mermaid tail for christmas. It's the main present she wants.
[https://www.planetmermaid.com/products/ocean-kiss-mermaid-tail?variant=30624387460 This]] Hopefully I have managed a click link to the kind of thing she wants to show you what I mean.
I can afford it however I think they are a) tacky and b) look really dangerous.
AIBU not to get this for her and does anyone have any experience of them and their safety? DD is a strong swimmer but I can imagine if she were to get exhausted then she is relying entirely on her upper body strength to keep her afloat (obviously she is never unsupervised in the water anyway).
Am I being overprotective? TIA

OP posts:
Original poster
dogsaster · 13/12/2018 19:48

[https://www.planetmermaid.com/products/ocean-kiss-mermaid-tail?variant=30624387460]]

OP posts:
Original poster
dogsaster · 13/12/2018 19:48

I cannot do the link - sorry

OP posts:
ChodeofChodeHall · 13/12/2018 19:49

www.planetmermaid.com/products/ocean-kiss-mermaid-tail

Original poster
dogsaster · 13/12/2018 19:50

Thank you Chode

OP posts:
ThatThingYouDo · 13/12/2018 19:50

My son wanted a mermaid tail for Christmas. I have bought him a blanket one instead. I don't think ones to use in the water are safe. Would you consider getting her a blanket one instead?

Avis7 · 13/12/2018 19:51

How old is she?

randomchap · 13/12/2018 19:51

Link

My DD has expressed an interest in them

BikeRunSki · 13/12/2018 19:51

Dd has a friend who had one, we met them in the pool with it ladtbeinter. Both girls are strong swimmers (they were 6 at the time), but it’s more for playing about in the pool, rather than serious swimming. Great for core strength though!!

Original poster
dogsaster · 13/12/2018 19:52

She is 6, she does have a fleecy blanket one which she loves, its the safety aspect that concerns me, we saw a child with one on holiday earlier is the year. I pulled my judges pants up and she looked on with envy

OP posts:
GreenEggsHamandChips · 13/12/2018 19:52

No they are meant to be really dangerous. You wouldn't tie your kids legs together and throw them in a pool...

Blueemeraldagain · 13/12/2018 19:52

They are tacky but I would have loved one between the ages of 6 and 10. I’ve seen some amazing videos of kids swimming in them and doing all sorts of tricks. I’m sure it is more tiring than... 4 limbed swimming (?) but if she is supervised and sensible/careful I would go for it.

If you’re planing to use it in a public pool I would check the rules first though!

Original poster
dogsaster · 13/12/2018 19:53

judgy*

OP posts:
Original poster
dogsaster · 13/12/2018 19:53

Clearly can't type tonight Blush

OP posts:
KnockMeDown · 13/12/2018 19:53

How old is your DD? Mine is 8, and a strong swimmer, especially under water. She has a mermaid tail and fin, a very good one, and has never had any issues. She has also done mermaid swimming lessons. Could you see if there are any local to you? This would give her the skills to use it properly.

It's also important to add that most public pools do not allow these to be used, unless it's an organised session.

I am on the south coast, if you are any where close I could let you know where we go.

Ploverlover · 13/12/2018 19:54

Would any local pools allow her in with one? (Unless you have your own pool, of course!)

Jobbieseverywhere · 13/12/2018 19:55

You may want to check that your locals pool will let you use the tail before you go ahead & buy it.
Most local authority pools won't let you use them as it restricts their leg movements.

Avis7 · 13/12/2018 19:56

I don't think you're unreasonable with a six year old. I can't imagine a six year old being a good enough swimmer to get enough use out of a tail.

I found mermaid print swimming leggings on planetmermaid.com - adequate compromise?

Justbackfromnewwine · 13/12/2018 19:56

My DDs were desperate for one - I got an alternative on eBay which was much cheaper. I’m glad as the novelty quickly wore off but they did enjoy wearing them about the house/in the bath for a while! I’ll see if I can find the one we got.
We do actually have a pool so they could use them but didn’t use them in the pool that much - and yes I don’t think they would be allowed in a public pool probably. Both dds are fairly strong swimmers but I said to stay in shallow end and supervised carefully

Original poster
dogsaster · 13/12/2018 19:57

DPs have pool so less of a problem re public pool rules, she is a strong swimmer but not the most sensible at times, appears to consider herself a human cannonball at times, my main problem is she really isn't getting much as she doesn't want much else for christmas

OP posts:
JustKeepSwimmingJustKeepSwimmi · 13/12/2018 19:59

I have swimming club swimmers but we wpuldnt do this. Unless perhaps at a specific session but I've seen so many warnings against them.

foxtiger · 13/12/2018 19:59

I know some adults who sometimes swim with mermaid tails and you do use your legs - there's a special way of swimming with them and it's possible to have lessons. However I think it's mainly for people who can swim underwater. I would probably let a child, especially one who was a good swimmer, splash around in one under close supervision but make sure she knows that it's quite hard to swim purposefully in it without specialist lessons - she might lose interest if she realises it's not as easy as it looks.

Bunnybigears · 13/12/2018 20:02

Can she swim butterfly for 50m? I know of a few swimming schools who run mermaid parties but even then they insist on this as a minimum requirement.

GreenEggsHamandChips · 13/12/2018 20:02

Its not about strength or whether your a weak or strong swimmer. Its about your centre of buoyancy and the fact you limit a childs ability to right themselves. If seen a swimmer club level swimmer get into severe difficulty because there legs got caught in string and their couldnt right themselves.

Your putting you child in that position all the time they are in the water

ChessIsASport · 13/12/2018 20:03

My daughter went to a mermaid training session when she was 7 and loved it. Maybe a one off like that would be good? They have teachers watching them all the time. They had to pass a swimming test that was extremely rigorous before they could take part. I couldn’t do it but luckily my daughter is a much better swimmer than me! I wouldn’t buy her one to use by herself though as it is so easy to get into trouble in water.

GreenEggsHamandChips · 13/12/2018 20:04

Oh god please not in a private pool! If youve never seen a child drowning your chances of spotting it are minimal.