Swimming pool closing on us

[Gushpanka]

My Dd is 4 and has a swimming lesson 17.30-18.00 at our local pool. It's the last lesson of the day and public swimming ends quite a bit earlier.

They expect us out by 18.15 and staff will stand over us, hurrying us up if we go over. I find it quite stressful and, try as I might, I can't be be out within 15 minutes (unless we skip showering which I don't want to do).

First of all, lesson ends and then have to get kids out the pool. The complex is big so we have to go up a flight of stairs to the showers, along a long corridor and down two flights to the team changing room and then up a flight of stairs to the exit.

I have to shower DD and wash her hair (just a quick wash, no conditioning etc). Then down to changing room (wrapped in towel of course). Then quick moisturize (can't skip as she has dry skin but literally dry her and slather it on as quick as possible), then get her dressed. Obviously no time for hair drying so I bring a balaclava for her (we bike so I would much rather dry her hair). Then coats, boots, winter gear etc.

I never manage in 15 mins. Some of the others do but DD is the youngest in the class and, well, I guess we're just not as fast as others.

But AIBU to think 15 minutes to be out the door after a swimming lesson is too little time? I annoys me that they don't seem to leave enough time but maybe we're just too slow?

Another OP who posts in AIBU but won't be told YES YABU!

So a 5 minute shower at the pool is OK for her but a 5 minute shower at home instead makes it too late? Do you cross a time zone on your way home? Yabu, get out of the pool, get dressed and faff about at home

I don't think your unreasonable personally - they should pay staff for 30min past lesson to clean up and wait for patrons to shower and leave. I don't think expecting to be able to wash using the facilities showers after chlorinated pool lessons is unreasonable.

Of course you are not being unreasonable to expect to have time to shower a 4 year old after swimming lessons! You're paying for use of the facilities, they aren't letting you into the leisure centre out of the kindness of their hearts.

If staff don't have time to close the pool down after customers leave, then it's up to management to arrange a different system of timings and pay their staff correctly. It isn't reasonable to penalise paying customers for poor management or low wages.

And that system of up and down stairs and corridors to shower and change is frankly ridiculous - that's where most of your time is going. 15 minutes is long enough for showering and dressing, as long as you're not spending half that time on a grand tour of the leisure centre.

As you've suggested, getting showered and changed in the adjacent changing rooms is the way forward.

Why shower your dd at all it’s not necessary.

There are no pool side showers, and showers are up flights of stairs, which are away from changing rooms which are up more flights of stairs? Was the pool added later? I've never seen changing areas that far apart from the pool, and also the shower. I'd find a new place to swim, or a new time I'm afraid.

Why did you ask whether yabu? You obviously had made your mind up before your post so why waste everyone's time.

I couldn’t leave pool, shower myself and be dressed post pool in 15 minutes. I have some medical issues, but even then It isn’t very long.

Since the pool closes after your class, you really are just going to need to shower at home. Strip off wet suit, throw some sweats on, get home and hop in shower. It might take you a few extra minutes, but your evening will be more mellow and hence your child will get to bed easier.

appless
There were no rules about time, it was just a non-issue, was never a problem, and I didn't think about it. The only rule was about which changing room to use.

There were no rules about time, it was just a non-issue, was never a problem, and I didn't think about it. The only rule was about which changing room to use.

Right. So I'm saying that's what you should have put in your OP, because it's a lot less open to opinion! I thought 15 minutes was plenty in response to your OP and thought you were being U not to compromise on where you shower, but if they've changed the rules on you (adding a new rule is changing the rules too) after you've already paid in adavance, then you should complain and expect a refund if they're not willing to budge on it.

Haven’t read all the comments but seem to be going against the grain. I think it is perfectly reasonable to want to shower, wash properly and dry hair after a swim whether you’re an adult or a child and think a leisure centre should be open at least 30 mins after the closing of the pool to allow that to be possible.

Tessabell - because the OP has to get her DD dry and dressed anyway, then take her home, undress out of PJs, do the shower, dry and dressed again thing - it's not just the 3 minutes of the shower that's redone.

But that's not the point, the OP has paid for lessons at a pool with showering and changing facilities for afterwards, she should get what she's paid for. If the management arent properly paying their staff, that's the staff and management problem, it shouldn't mean paying customers don't get wha they paid for.

Given the set up (with the children not out of the pool right at the end of the lesson, the changing facilities being a long way from the pool etc), 15 minutes from the end of the lesson isn't enough time to be out of the building, unless the OP doesn't get what she's paid for.

They should be paying the staff until 6:30, or moving all swimming lessons to start 15 minutes earlier.

The solution shouldn't be customers not getting what they pay for.

OP - complain to management. Every week you are rushed. If you can't use the showers, you should get some of your money back. It's not acceptable.

OP, that all sounds horribly stressful, and I think the stress of racing against the clock would completely nullify the benefit of the lesson.

YANBU to feel unhappy about the lack of time allowed for you and all the other parents/children to get themselves ready to leave after the lesson; 15 minutes isn't long, especially for a young child with communication difficulties. From what you said, the people responsible for the timing of this lesson just didn't think it through, and it's likely the staff involved are not paid to stay beyond those 15 minutes, so it's understandable they might feel unhappy about being delayed. It's stressful for them and for you, so no one is being unreasonable, except for the person who planned things so poorly.

However, you are a paying customer and the lessons are being marred by all this poor planning. I think it's reasonable to complain to management and say that if they cannot organise things better (either bring forward time of lesson, or perhaps pay staff to stay another 15 mins) then you will no longer attend and you are entitled to a full refund. You can stress that you don't blame the staff for wanting to leave in time, but point out that when you signed up there was no talk of the need for you to be off the premises promptly, 15 minutes later, which is something you would never have signed up for.

Even if they won't give you a refund, this doesn't seem worth the hassle. Some things are more important than money.

I think you've had some pretty harsh responses OP, which show an attitude of "well, I manage to do a, b and c, in X minutes, so why can't she?!" We don't all operate at the same speed, and every child is different, so don't let unkind comments get to you.

One last thought - do you have a seaside/poolside holiday planned for this year? Or do you live near the sea? Because that would be the only reason I could see for you continuing with these lessons, unless the management improves things.

OP - EVERYONE is telling you that YABU.

NO, NOT EVERYONE IS

Sorry, missed it that you have never been formally told it's 15 minutes after the end of the lesson you have to leave, just the staff rushing you.

Complain to management, next week take your time.

It could well be the staff just get to leave when you leave, so are rushing you, but you are entitled to stay longer.

Only allowing 15 mintues from close of pool to close down of centre seems rushed. That might not be official policy if you check...

Call management, complain.

Just take as long as you like. (You do anyway(

But don't come moaning on here when you get locked in

I don't think it's enough time at all. I think 30 mins is much more reasonable. It the staffs fault but I would complain to the venue.

YANBU. 15 minutes is tight. 20 would be doable.

If the pool management aren't prepared to pay their staff until 6:30pm, they shouldn't be taking money for a lesson that only ends at 6pm.

The OP won't get locked in, or else someone will lose theri job for doing that... She might find they cancel or reschedule that lesson though.

It is surprising that so many people do seem to think the swimming pool is doing her a favour letting her DD have a swimming lesson and get changed afterwards, rather than a business that's charging for a service, but not properly staffing it.

I think the leisure centre are BU to schedule the class so tightly to closing time. It would be very different if OP was rocking up for a swim right at the end of last admission time of her own accord.

Have been on both sides of this situation and while I don't think staff should have to hang around unpaid, I don't think 15 minutes is very long to get yourself and a small child ready afterwards.

snowflake It is not a business, it is a public service.

Agree with everything you said @OrdinarySnowflake. You’re paying for a service op, you should be able to have the full use of that service. I used to work at a gym and this is really really poor planning. Good luck!

I think totally YANBU. Of course you should be able to use the facilities you've paid for, it's not OP fault that the staff aren't being paid for a long enough shift to allow people to leave the class, wash off the chlorine and get properly dried and dressed.

God knows why so many posters think you should be grateful for 15 minutes to sprint through the building and out the other side OP.

@partinor she's paid for the lessons how is it a public service?! It's a business charging for services.

It is a public leisure centre. I don't think 15 minutes is long enough, but the OP will not be paying the amount a business will charge.