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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Waterbabies-carry on with classes

32 replies

Murfs · 13/03/2020 21:23

Well that really just got an email.
YES: IANBU to think they should allow parents option to postpone classes
NO: IABU carry on it will be grand sher there is chlorine in the pool

OP posts:
puds11 · 13/03/2020 21:25

All evidence points to it being fine as long as chlorine levels are right. Depends if you trust the place to get it right and the science to be accurate. I personally would still swim.

NC2020 · 13/03/2020 21:25

What did your email say? I haven't had one from them. Our lessons are at a special schools hydro pool too, so near some potentially vulnerable children.

puds11 · 13/03/2020 21:26

You should be allowed to postpone though I think. I doubt I’d want to still swim for long.

Firsttimemumofone · 13/03/2020 21:27

Carry on - I'm taking my little one swimming on Sunday!
Just shower before and after the swim.
The virus is probably everywhere by now and you're just as likely to get it in the supermarket so . . .
Up to you ofc - but of all the risks, a nice chemically swimming pool isnt the biggest one.

Pentium85 · 13/03/2020 21:28

Hate hate hate water babies.

I would just leave ASAP and find a swim school that A) isn’t overpriced and B) doesn’t go against swim England’s guidelines on how to teach babies to swim

BalanchineBallet · 13/03/2020 21:28

Swimming lessons all carrying on, busy as usual here...

londonrach · 13/03/2020 21:29

Dont understand why you doing waterbabies but ignoring that i wouldnt go swimming at the moment

Littlemissdaredevil · 13/03/2020 21:29

My DD who is 2 is still doing swimming lessons. It’s a a small pool in a special school. These normally 4 at the most in her class.

shinyredbus · 13/03/2020 21:30

We’ve had the same Email. I’m happy to let my child continue as long as it’s safe (as they say)

Cremebrule · 13/03/2020 21:31

I had one today. I’d rather do swimming (assuming they chlorine is effective) than my other baby groups where the babies are licking and mourning everything. These sorts of companies have to make a living- they’ve booked and paid for venues and teacher salaries. If you choose not to carry on at this point, it’s probably on you and I don’t think you can expect a refund.

mynameiscalypso · 13/03/2020 21:32

I expect that the school where we swim might close and/or close their pool but I'm happy to go to lessons for now. I went for a swim myself this afternoon and the pool at my gym was its usual level of busyness.

@Pentium85 Interesting to hear your comments; in what way does it go against official advice? We're only on our second term but I'm not sure I'm convinced by their methods.

Pentium85 · 13/03/2020 21:38

@mynameiscalypso

It’s in regards to submersion. Water Babies are HUGE fans of putting babies and toddlers under water multiple times during lessons, and this isn’t recommended by Swim England (the leading official body) and isn’t generally seen as best practice.

Additionally, their lessons are SO structured and really aren’t focused on children enjoying and having fun in the water, more just ticking off a list which I personally am not a fan off.

Finally, the disgusting amount per lesson. I’ve never paid, or charged, more than £12 for a lesson, and Water Babies charge more than this when there really is no need.

Obviously everyone is different in what they like and dislike, but having taught swimming for 10 years, I was genuinely shocked when I (very briefly) went to a water babies class

Original poster
Murfs · 13/03/2020 21:39

Interesting I'm glad I posted good to hear others point of view. I personally think its risky and won't take my baby swimming for now.

OP posts:
edwinbear · 13/03/2020 21:44

DS inter schools swim gala is still on tomorrow.

mynameiscalypso · 13/03/2020 21:46

Thanks @Pentium85, it definitely feels very structured (we joke that our teacher makes us feel like we're in an army boot camp) but I didn't realise the point around going underwater. My DS loves it but there's a part of me that thinks it's only so that they can get those underwater pics which they then charge £££ for!

NC2020 · 13/03/2020 21:47

@Pentium85 I'm really hoping they cancel and refund us for this reason.
They have a monopoly in my area so we don't have any other options for baby swim schools. Even so I really regret shelling out for it, I don't think my baby really likes it and it all seems geared up for that ridiculous photo shoot, which I'm not going to.

Pentium85 · 13/03/2020 21:52

@NC2020 @mynameiscalypso

You can normally, although sometimes takes a bit of hunting, find a good pool you can privately rent for a reasonable price that someone has in their house etc, and then just pay a professional underwater photographer to come and take a few shots.

It is very boot camp like, and babies and toddlers really need only confidence in the water. I don’t take my DS to lessons yet, and there’s a reason for that, because all he needs is a few toys and giggles to have fun in the pool with me.

Of course lessons do have their own benefits, but it is an awful lot of money to fork out if you aren’t getting 100% enjoyment

MzHz · 13/03/2020 21:54

I’m a swimmer

You’re safe in the pool as chlorine kills pretty much everything

Just make sure you wash hands and use sanitizer after touching anything in the changing room

NChangeForNoReason · 13/03/2020 21:55

Both my DS and i love water babies. We don't find it too structured or regimental and the skills such as "hold on" have been applied to lots of other none swimming related scenarios.

I have no idea about the swim England guild lines but we go underwater 3 times a lesson but only if DS wants to. It's very easy to spot the kids who don't due to their reaction to "name are u ready".

I didn't bother with the underwater shoot. It was a Sunday and despite the hype I felt that aspect was over priced. It's never been mentioned since.

We will be continuing with our lessons until they tell us otherwise

adaline · 13/03/2020 21:58

The pools themselves maybe clean but I imagine the changing areas aren't particularly hygienic!

Lindy2 · 13/03/2020 22:09

My children have had swimming lessons today. I'm working on the basis that actually a prolonged dunk in chlorine is not such a bad idea.

I sat and watched them swim at the far end of the viewing area so no one else was near me. We all washed our hands when we went into the leisure centre and used anti bacterial gel in the changing rooms once they were dressed again. We washed hands again when we got home.

I hope I'm making the right decisions for me and my family. Who knows.

MzHz · 13/03/2020 22:34

For example we trained last night, I prepared for the session as usual, afterwards I got showered and dressed as usual but made sure to minimise contact with lockers and doors as much as I could and then when in the car used hand sanitizer to be safe with a wipe of it over the steering wheel.

We’ve wiped all door handles and switches at home already

Try to keep something going if at all possible, swimming is about the safest thing you can do atm... :)

Pineappletree33 · 13/03/2020 22:42

My dd loves water babies. Her confidence in the water is wonderful to see. I look forward to taking her once a week. We won’t be missing any lessons given the choice.

Cremebrule · 14/03/2020 07:13

I’d also say I’d never have described any of my lessons as a boot camp. My teacher has been brilliant and my eldest went all the way through and we started our second off when we could. The skills and joy my eldest developed were amazing.

Minesril · 14/03/2020 07:20

My DS is still going to his swimming lessons, has been pretty quiet the last few weeks though. The other week he got a one to one lesson and only two other people were in my lane!

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