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?

Funnily enough the teacher completely agrees with me and when i saw her in the (team) changing room on Sunday (after her shower) she mentioned how annoying and stressful it is for her to get out in 15 minutes (as she actually has even less time since has to clear pool first). I think the teacher will appreciate my efforts but thanks for your positive input about how annoying i must be to her

And we don't drink milk in the bath :)

Yanbu four year olds are at an age where they are becoming independent and wanting to dress themselves. Plus the fact they are always shattered after a swim and to make them traipse half way across the centre is bad management.

All those saying “skip the shower and moisturinsing” ABU. Eczema and psoriasis are autoimmune disorders and become quite easily infected if not cared for properly. If severed enough it is seen as a disability.

Would you expect someone with one leg/arm to manage in 15mins? It is discrimination and incredibly stupid.

If the pool’s last lesson is 6 then surely it should remain open until half past with staff being paid until then to clean up and ensure the place is fully empty and allowing customers to get ready. They are paying for a service.

OP - EVERYONE is telling you that YABU

Oh look! Someone else telling the OP She's not!

I very much doubt I could get me ready in 15 minutes so I don't think pure being at all unreasonable. I hope you find a solution.

Actually, LOTS of people are on the OP's side. Including me. ANd including people who work in centres with pools. And including the actual swimming teacher.

Thats not enough time. It especially wouldn't have been for ds who was not allowed in the ladies changing rooms once he was 9/10. The pool should schedule their lessons so that they end earlier or the complex closes later.

#metoo

All those saying “skip the shower and moisturinsing” ABU. Eczema and psoriasis are autoimmune disorders and become quite easily infected if not cared for properly.

But it’s not a case of skipping them; it’s about choosing to do them at home in a leisurely manner. DS2 has eczema - it’s definitely better for his skin when he showers at home rather than at the pool.

HoppingPavlova but the OP doesn't have a car so that's not an option.

The kid needs to be fully wrapped up before they go outside, also everything needs to be packed so they can just set off, not faff about in the dark and cold.

Op could you not take a taxi home, cycling at night age four with wet hair sounds awful.

YANBU OP but neither are the staff. Something like a swimming lesson (which requires obvious time afterwards to get things together) should not be scheduled to finish at the same time the staff end their shifts. It should be a case of lesson ends at 6pm, centre is on shutdown from then, staff shifts end at 6.30pm.

Are you the only family using the club changing room rather than the public ones? I wonder whether the staff are trying to close down zone by zone, so they’re trying to get the far-flung areas cleared first. They might not be allowed to officially overrule the changing room policy, but I bet they’d be willing to overlook you using the showers adjacent to the pool if the general public are not around.

I would contact the pool: not everyone can be ready in 15 minutes and it's poor planning on their part.. what would they do if it was a disabled child?

Your routine is not excessive as suggested by the others and you most certainly are not "taking liberties".

Email them and raise your concern.

Mydc

We're well used to cycling and it's only a couple of km. If it's cold or raining i sometimes use the trailer. I always put a balaclava on her. But i would rather have time to dry her hair!

Inertia
There are no poolside showers. Either way need to go up to showers and then down to reception area . The difference is that the public changing rooms (which we are not supposed to use) are next to the showers and the team changing rooms means going to the very end of the public ones, down two floors to changing room and then up one floor to reception area when done.

We have a local pool which you can hire by the hour. The fee include x number of hours plus 15 minutes either side for getting changed, showering etc. My DD is under 1 and 15 minutes is do-able but we only have a quick rinse in the shower and the changing rooms (including showers) are literally just off the side if the pool, so no wandering around like you have to OP. I agree that 15 minutes isn’t very long to get yourself and a young child showered and changed, but it seems like it’s industry standard?

Can you do quick rinse and moisturise, then proper shower and re-moisture at home? Oh, or in the morning if it’s too late when you get home?

Are you really saying that moisturiser has to be applied in the changing room and couldn’t be done later at home...? Really those few minutes without moisturiser will affect 🙄

It's not standard at this pool as i have since discovered that they allow 30 mins for adult swimmers to exit the building when they close late on weekdays. I don't know what happens on Saturdays with the classes but I'd expect that same standard as weekday swimmers for us on a Sunday.

Ivykaty
Moisturizer works best on damp skin to counter drying effect of water so prefer to apply immediately after rubdown. It takes under 2 minutes. In fact, probably would only be a minute if dd wouldn't insist on applying it as well and just let me bloody do it! This is really not a big deal to do.

I literally could not get my lo ready within 15 mins, fortunately the changing rooms and showers are literally right next to the swimming pool and even then she showers, then changes about 10 mins then hair dry which takes anything from 15-30 mins!! I won’t have her go out with wet hair, only if it is super hot outside which is hardly ever.

@Gushpanka are you not able to look into a moisturiser you can apply in the shower? You can get special ones that are like body wash. That would cut down on the moisturising time?

I agree 15 mins is no where near enough to get a 4 year old appropriately showered and dry hair, dressed.

What about parents that have 2 kids in the class? It's ridiculous!

What’s all this guff about “paying for the right to use showers” etc. ?? The OP is paying for swimming lessons. I very much doubt the contract states anything at all about showers

So the showers are put there for decoration?

If 30 minutes is allowed on weekdays then this supports your concern should you raise this with the centre management.