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?

Ah! So everyone else who manages to do the 15 minute turnaround also uses the poolside facilities? In that case I’d def be joining with the rest of them.
I rarely see people take a proper shower after swimming, it’s usually just a really good rinse to get the chlorine off. The ones who do do the full shower (shampoo and body wash) are usually the ladies of an age that they are retired. Those with kids usually opt for the good rinse and know that they’ll have a proper shower at home later, especially on swimming lesson days because they’re normally in a rush to then dash onwards to ballet/football/gymnastics/piano lesson etc

Clearly the lesson needs to start 15 mins earlier

"cycles home in her pjs? In winter?"

Yep. I cycle, she's on the back in the child seat, well covered in her all-in-one wintersuit. We cycle a lot and we're very well prepared for all eventualities!

Given it takes you over the 15 mins to get ready and you aren’t prepared to forego moisturising and hairwashing I think you have to accept you can’t adhere to their timescales and find somewhere else to go. It’s very unreasonable to expect staff to wait about for you to finish moisturising so they can go home.

To clarify, the staff aren't rude and I don't blame them but it is stressful.

OK, next week using the public changing room and will see how it goes. I think it's right that the email was for all the groups and surely it doesn't matter which changing room we use once public swimming has ended.

Looks like your answer is to use the nearest changing rooms and if they complain, tell them you are doing it to be faster so that they can lock up. Surely it works better all round that way.

Tell them they can't have it both ways - either you will use public changing or they will have to wait.

Dear lord!! Change the lesson time!! Seriously 😒 showering and moisturizing can be done In the peace of your own home. I never shower my kids at the pools I wait until we go home. You’re making it hard for everyone carrying on like that.

You are being selfish, 15 minutes is plenty of time to get out of a pool, dry dressed and leave. There is no reason at all why you need to shower, wash hair and moisturise before exiting, they can all be done when you get home.

Staff should not have to work unpaid extra time. If you demand the pool stays open longer then costs will go up, maybe the class will become financial unviable and they will cancel it.

For all these 'quick' washes, moisturising, etc you're doing you're not very quickly. And if you're the only one who takes this long, you can complain all you want by I seriously doubt they'll keep the pool open longer just for your benefit. You're going to have to skip the shower if you can't move the lesson time.

Yanbu. 15mins is not enough time to do all that. They should schedule the class 10 mins earlier if they can't stay open til 6.30. especially as it's a little kids class.

Ywbu to write a letter of complaint though.

But it is what it is, look for another pool that stays open later.

I don't think you're being unreasonable but I would definitely recommend using a swim hat for your dd. Means she won't have wet hair going home.

Why do you have to wash her hair? The chlorine isn't going to make it fall out

Moisturizing takes all of 2 minutes, if that! You all make it sound like DD and I sit there putting on face masks :)

And hair washing with a 4 year old with quite short hair is also quick. We don't do soap, body wash - just a quick rub with the shampoo as I rinse it off to make we take off all the chlorine.

I might ask the teacher to try to end the lesson near the stairs. There's always a bit of a crazy scene with the parents desperately calling the kids to come out and hurry up and then seemingly moving slowly across the water.

Also, you know - kids. Today as she came out DD said 'I need a wee'. That also took 2 minutes off our precious time. But what can you do?! Thank god it wasn't a poo!

15 minutes would be enough if on the same level otherwise their expectations are ridiculous and I don't care if they want home or not. If they want home then the last lesson should finish at 5:30 or 5:45. Nevertheless, I would move the lesson to the earlier slot.

Could you not shower once you're home? I really don’t understand why you resent the staff going home.

Contact the mgt and say for health and safety and logistical reasons you'll be using the closest changing facilities.

I don't think 15 mins allows enough time to change. Like fuck would I be making that trek.

My DC has awful eczema and needs to shower straight after swimming. Also people not using a car might need to dry hair in winter. It's Baltic tonight FFS.

The fault isn't the op it the staff it's the centre management.

Swim hat is a good idea. The chlorine isn't good for your hair anyway.

All this huffing and puffing sounds a bit dramatic. I would just use the poolside showers and changing rooms like everyone else does, because that will probably cut a good 5 minutes off your changing time, and you'll be able to dry hair and put moisturiser on in the time allowed.

I agree with the posters who have said use the poolside facilities. I get what you are saying about being a rule follower - I am too - but if their rules are making it nigh impossible for you to get out of the centre within their time frame, they really don’t have a leg to stand on.

Agree. You would not be unreasonable (if questioned) to say ‘I’ll certainly use the changing and shower facilities further away, but doubt we’ll be ready in 15 minutes’. If the entire class are traipsing halfway across the leisure complex then I doubt you’d then be the only one failing to get ready in time.
Regarding feeling harassed after the swim, I think that’s just a mandatory part of a visit to the pool isn’t it? I blinking hate getting changed after the swim. The hunt for a family changing room, the children going in opposite directions, trying to get them rinsed, trying to get the blinking lockers to open again because they’ve all got dodgy keys (that’s if you ever managed to find a locker with a key that actually worked in the first place) the dropping of the dry towel/socks onto the sopping wet changing room floor, slipping on previous users mountain of baby powder...swimming is not a fun experience, ever.

15 minutes sounds a bit hurried especially if you have young children to sort out as well. A shower is just a basic right to hygiene and people should be free to shower if they choose.

We swim and have showers on the same level. I can't imagine walking up or down the stairs, wet, health and safety etc for the shower. The swimming pool sounds ridiculous with its planning and management.

Also we have pay for the lessons and the shower is a part of it. The lessons are very short and not cheap.

No I don't think that 15 minutes is long enough with the set up you described. I would use the nearest changing room like the other parents.