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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Swimming pool closing on us

391 replies

Gushpanka · 13/01/2019 18:37

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?

OP posts:
PickledChutney · 13/01/2019 21:03

Yet again an OP who asks if they're being unreasonable, is told that they are, and then keeps commenting to explain why they're not!! Why even ask OP?? You basically came on here because you wanted everyone to agree with you and haven't got your way. Shower your DD at home or change your swimming lessons to another pool.

Hassled · 13/01/2019 21:03

I really don't think I could get myself out and dressed with that layout, even without a shower, let alone a 4 year old. It seems massively over-ambitious of the pool to hold a class for little ones so close to the end of the day - but you'd probably get nowhere asking them to change their hours, so maybe time to start looking for a different class.

Original poster
Gushpanka · 13/01/2019 21:03

TSSDNCOP

Ha ha, that's what i was thinking too. Mumsnet at its best, twas always thus. Grin

OP posts:
Onlyjoinedforthisthread · 13/01/2019 21:05

We go to swimming lessons and I have a 4 year old showered and out in less than ten minutes and her two year old brother climbs over me at the same time.
I must ask how the fuck does it take 2 whole minutes to wee and 3 to walk to the changing room, you could walk over quarter of a mile in that time, you are faffing and need to move faster or go to different lessons

appless · 13/01/2019 21:05

The thing is it's not ideal, but your unwillingness to compromise in any way is the only thing making it an actual problem. You don't want to change the lesson time, don't want to shower her at home, etc. and then expect THEM to change things to suit YOU.

Original poster
Gushpanka · 13/01/2019 21:06

pickled chutney

It's known as confirmation bias. Of course, I'm agreeing with poster who agree with me and I feel there are enough that my feelings about the 15 mins are justified. Of course there are always those who are at the other end of the spectrum but that doesn't mean I will agree with them.

You'll be pleased to know thought that actually this has been helping in making me into a rule-breaker to dare to use the public changing rooms next week so you need not lose sleep over another wasted AIBU thread!

OP posts:
appless · 13/01/2019 21:07

I mean, you could just shower at home, surely?. Instead of putting on her PJs after swimming she'd have to put on clothes, then take them off again before the shower. That is the only extra thing you would have to do in terms of time. The shower time etc. would be the same whether you do it at home or at the pool. So it wouldn't mess up her bedtime much tbh.

livs1987 · 13/01/2019 21:08

If you want the opening hours increased then realistically discuss this with management? Or failing that, take her out 5 minutes early? Being frank, management will probably rather end the session early then keep their staff on later so be careful what you wish for.

To be completely honest I think you are overdoing it with the post lesson routine. It all sounds like too much to cram in, you really should think about doing a lot of that when you get home and cutting it down at the swimming venue. It’s not fair on the staff for you to insist on doing your daughter’s full bedtime routine whilst there, just because it’s convenient for you

RebelWitchFace · 13/01/2019 21:09

@Gushpanka actually you should go full rebel and take you child out of the pool 2-3 minutes early, skip showering, change in the closest rooms and zoom out the door and be home early enough for your kid to have a nice ,warm ,comfortable and leisurely shower at home.

( I hate fucking changing rooms)

Original poster
Gushpanka · 13/01/2019 21:12

onlyjoinedforthisthread
"I must ask how the fuck does it take 2 whole minutes to wee and 3 to walk to the changing room, you could walk over quarter of a mile in that time, you are faffing and need to move faster or go to different lessons"

Maybe it was 90 seconds and I rounded up to two minutes. I know, right, two whole minutes for a 4 year old to wee and wash her hands. Ridiculous! She should have known she has to do it 30 seconds to live up to onlyjoined's exacting standards.

What if she'd have needed a poo? What are her time limits then?

Honestly, reading ridiculous criticism like this just makes me feel more justified that we don't have enough time...

OP posts:
Pud2 · 13/01/2019 21:12

No need to shower and moisturise surely! I don’t ever remember my mother moisturimg me after swimming. Not sure we even showered in those days. Just dry her and stick her in her clothes.

Walkingdeadfangirl · 13/01/2019 21:16

I have certainly paid enough for the lessons and was not told that I would only have 15 minutes
But if you want to pay staff to stay longer then your lessons with be more expensive or you will get less time for the same price. Just like bars of chocolate, if you don't want the price to go up they have to decrease the size.

How long did the contract for the lessons say you would get after the class? If it says you are entitled to longer then you are in the right.

Aridane · 13/01/2019 21:16

I think 15 mins is unrealistic and as this is the only suitable lesson, I think your options are i) to ask for a slightly longer time, or I) spray your daughter with the product a poster mentioned earlier on to mitigate. Against dry skin / eczema, bundle her up and ride her home. The third option is one that you don't want as you're decent which is to ignore time constraints and go for the full shower experience.

Wannabeyorkshirelass · 13/01/2019 21:17

I don't think that's anywhere near enough time but it seems I'm in a minority. Also, if your child has dry skin you don't want to be drying them off, leaving the chemicals on their skin and then bathing them again at home, they'll get sore. I would stop going to the lessons and explain why.

reallyanotherone · 13/01/2019 21:19

I kind of think the aibu of whether you have enough time or not is irrelevant.

Your class finishes at 6 and the centre closes at 6.15. Either you do the class and leave the centre at 6.15, or you don’t do the class.

Your choice. It is unreasonable to expect staff to stay late because you want more time to get changed. Presumably you knew you’d only have 15 mins when you signed up, why are you now insisting on more?

Original poster
Gushpanka · 13/01/2019 21:20

"To be completely honest I think you are overdoing it with the post lesson routine"

A 3 minute shower and 5 minutes to get dressed with all winter gear is overdoing it?

Again, the pool management opened this class which has met DD's special communication needs and decided the time. I didn't request it. They never said we'd have 15 minutes to get ready at the end. When the lessons began in September, it was all fine as they had other stuff going on after. They only started closing it on us in November. In fact, it was never announced. First time, they started hurrying us, I had no idea we only had 15 minutes and that they were closing! There have been about three of these lessons where this has happened since then (what with Christmas break and then sometimes they do have stuff going on like the week before). I've paid for the whole year as well so I can't just change - I'd have to cancel and then fight for a refund.

Also, all I'm asking for to be able to get ready in time is 10 more minutes, then it'll all be good. Clearly all this concern about the staff not being able to is not an issue since they frequently are open until late. And only 2 staff wait to close up (today is was two teenage lifeguards) so not likes it's hordes of staff. It's a huge munipcal pool (5 pools altogether) so i'm sure they can afford to pay two staff to stay for 10 minutes to accommodate the last class on the occasion that they close early.

But it's a moot point since next week i will use the public changing rooms and see how it goes from there. It'd shave off about 5 minutes so may even make it in time...

OP posts:
Original poster
Gushpanka · 13/01/2019 21:21

"Your choice. It is unreasonable to expect staff to stay late because you want more time to get changed. Presumably you knew you’d only have 15 mins when you signed up, why are you now insisting on more?"

No, I didn't. It wasn't like this when we began and only changed in November. Just posted about it. We never received any communiaction about the 15 minutes and have paid for the entire year.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gushpanka · 13/01/2019 21:22

"How long did the contract for the lessons say you would get after the class? If it says you are entitled to longer then you are in the right."

Never said anything and this new closing early only began in November and not for every lesson.

OP posts:
londonrach · 13/01/2019 21:24

15 minutes does seem alot of time. We managed it with toddlers last summer. Maybe shower at home.

pissedofftoday · 13/01/2019 21:24

We pay for David Lloyd.

When a class ends. I'd expect 30 'mins. Which i get.

If the cleaner is obv hurrying is up,
I hurry up to get her home.

But ultimately if I hurry or not, it's a five minute difference.

TatianaLarina · 13/01/2019 21:25

I never liked swimming pool showers as a kid as you weren’t allowed to use soap.

We just used to go straight home and have a bath in the winter.

pissedofftoday · 13/01/2019 21:25

The op is paying though for a service. It take what, 30 seconds to rub a bit of cream in?

luckylavender · 13/01/2019 21:28

OP - EVERYONE is telling you that YABU.

BollocksToBrexit · 13/01/2019 21:30

I don't think YABU. There's no way I could get DS (5) showered and ready to leave in 15 minutes. Like you I'm not in the UK and our pool is also quite a trek away from the changing rooms. It's like walking from one end of a shopping centre to the other. I also wouldn't take him out without drying his hair as it's bloody freezing here, -6 when we came out today.

Saying that there's not a lot you can do if the management won't pay to keep it open longer.

RebelWitchFace · 13/01/2019 21:30

No, EVERYONE isn't.