5 mins to get changed for swimming lessons

[CaramelCandle]

My kids have now resumed swimming lessons after lockdown but things are quite different to before obviously. We go straight after school and have no time to go home in between. Can't change to a different time or date cos this is the only one that works for us. But my issue is that we now have to stay in a waiting area until 5 mins before the lesson and are then allowed into the changing rooms. I have kids to help get changed ages 6 and 4 and pack everything into the locker and would ideally like them to have a chance to go to the toilet before getting in the pool too. It all feels very very rushed as I'm panicking to get them ready so they don't miss the start of the lesson. Aibu to ask for a few mins more than this to get them ready? They can't exactly come with their swimsuits under their clothes as they'd have to wear them all day at school. Any ideas?

Is there a toilet before the changing rooms?

YANBU speak to the pool people 5 minutes with 2 kids is ridiculous. Let them wee in the pool and say they didn't have time to use the toilet 😂 Joking of course

No the toilets are in the changing rooms part

use toilet at school before leaving?

Which is why we haven't gone back. It was bad enough before.

We aren't even allowed in the changing rooms before the lesson, so I have to get my child changed in the car.

Oh dear - we know why the pool are limiting access to the changing room as much as possible, but I can see why this is a problem for you. Could they change in the car? Use a supermarket toilet on the way? Or just take them into the lesson late every week so that the organisers can see that 5 minutes isn’t enough?

The OP won’t be allowed i to the school to use the toilet and that’s at the best of times never mind now. And as for the children themselves, I don’t think the teachers will allow a 10 mins disappearance at the end of the day to change.

Can they change in advance and then just put a onesie over the top

Get them changed in the car.

Assuming you go by car.

Quite a few children changing in cars I the car park outside ours for the 4Pm lessons... No access to changing room before lesson. Mine have got quite quick at it.

Boys or girls? My dd used to wear a tankini under her school uniform as we had to leg it to lessons after school

If you are driving i would change in the car.

I guess other time saving things are chucking it all in a bag for life instead of locker and you keep hold of it.

So many swimming lessons seem to be timed for a few minutes after end of school. It's like they dont know who their customer is!

Everyone must be in the same boat so I wouldn't get stressed.

If you have a boy get him to wear his swim shorts under his uniform and if you have a girl get her a tankini. Then they are ready to go!!

Same issue here, the leisure centre doesn't have a carpark either so everyone walks! I send DD to school in her pinafore that day; take knickers off and slide swimming costume up to her hips round the corner from leisure centre then when we get to the cubicle inside the centre lift polo shirt and pinafore off pull up rest of swimming costume, put on her hat and send her into the lesson.

Our leisure centre doesn’t have a car park either UtterlyDone, I’ve seen people changing in the Aldi car park

I would get them to the loo at school before the lesson. It's harder for you as you're going straight from school. Our lessons are on a weekend and almost everyone just comes ready to swim so just strips off their outer clothing.

Where my DS has lessons we aren’t allowed to use the changing rooms at all! Luckily his are on a Sunday morning. Arrive in swimming shorts, whip off sandals and t shirt at the poolside. When they’re finished, very quick towel off at the poolside and then have to wrap him in a big hooded poncho towel (most of the older kids have onesies) and get straight into the car still wet. It’s not been too bad until now but as the weather gets colder it won’t be much fun. Still, swimming is an important life skill so we’ll put up with it for now ...

We’re not allowed to use the changing rooms or toilets at all. The children have to arrive and leave in their swimsuits under a onesie or poncho. I’ve invested in a Dry Suit as they are roomy enough to change under and avoid damp patches in the car.

Just change in the car , I always changed my three for gymnastics to save time.

So I asked and they let me go in 10 mins before instead but told all the other parents they still had to wait as they only had 1 child which made me feel a bit awkward as I wasn't trying to get special treatment. If this means I'll have to ask every week I'm not sure I'll want to. Will look into getting them changed in the car I think.

It is doable you just need to be focused, before lockdown I used to collect my daughter at 1145 from ballet and her swimming lesson a 5 min drive away was at 12, she was also in the pool on time. She was 5 at the time.

Pack bag in the right order, get them to sort clothes they are taking off as they get undressed into carriers so you can grab and stuff into the main bag, you do locker as they go to the loo.

We haven’t gone back to swimming lessons yet, ours aren’t allowed in the changing rooms at all. They’re meant to arrive with swimming costumes under onesies, strip off outside the door on the way in. They then are meant to file out and put onesies back on to travel home. Crazy, especially going into winter so we’ve knocked it on the head for now.

Be ‘beach ready’ as our swim school put it... costume on under clothes?