Asked to leave poolside during 3-yr olds swimming lesson

[vera16]

3-year old DS has been swimming in a pre level one swimming class for about 5 weeks. Parents have always sat on a little bench nearby and helped out kids as required. All very nice and DS really enjoys it. Tonight a pool attendant asked all parents to move to the balcony which is a 2-min walk away back through the building, I didn't feel happy. Sat on the balcony and waved at kids (who were then confused and spent rest of lesson looking for parents on balcony). I then had to watch helpless from balcony as my DS wondered off by himself in the water (no armbands) as the teacher had her back to him sorting out another child. Can't blame the teacher these are 3 yr olds after all. I just had to hope that someone would notice in good time if he slipped and went underwater as there was no way I could have helped him. AIBU to request to speak to the manager about this?

Not unreasonable at all!

This is standard for my children's swimming lessons. Second floor viewing area. Was there no lifeguard?

There should be a lifeguard and I think the swimming teacher should not he teaching in such a way she has her back to any kids. The lessons I have watched the teachers never seem to turn their back on the little ones.

If there's no lifeguard to keep an eye on wanderers the instructor needs to be keeping all kids in sight at all times. They shouldn't be relying on parents to stop the kids from drowning because parents are also easily distracted. So if there weren't any life guards there and the instructor was unable to keep all the kids in line of sight, I think you should be complaining whether you were poolside or not.

In general, I don't think it's a terrible policy. It's not at all uncommon for parents to be kept away from the poolside. Little kids are often distracted by parents who are close by (they should soon get over looking for you all on the balcony if it's kept up consistently). But it should be a deliberate swim-school or pool policy not the whim of whoever happens to be a pool attendant that day.

And if it's deliberate and not a policy you like you're free (and not at all unreasonable) to find a different school that encourages parents to be near.

This is standard at our pool tbh, all viewing is from the balcony.

I dont think having the parents on the balcony us unreasonable, HOWEVER, if there is no lifeguard, and just one instructor in the water with a bunch of 3 year olds, I'd remove him from the lessons.

There are lifeguards so no issue there (apart from maybe my own trust issue!). He did actually slip under the water a few weeks ago and luckily the instructor was on hand to lift him straight back up. I just feel I would like to be on hand until he can swim a little/is more able to do exactly what the teacher says. Interesting to hear that this is normal policy in other pools though.

We can sit poolside at my 3yo’s lesson, but there’s also a a lifeguard dedicated to watching the group so the instructor can focus on individual students. It sounds like there aren’t enough adults present for the lesson, so I would absolutely raise a concern.

Maybe do a parent and child session for another year and then try lessons again when he's 4-5 and you feel a bit more confident?

It seems unnatural I know but it’s actually really needed. It’s a hard lesson but they need to learn that they have to save themselves and not always rely on us parents. Obviously keep a good eye and if they were ever to slip under and not be seen; I’m sure your scream would alert them very quickly. X

Yanbu. Age 3 is very very young. I’ve always been poolside even during covid neasures.

Maybe find a different class?

Yeah watching from a balcony is normal. It was balcony in our old pool, then in current one watching from reception area, which is glass windows to the pool, but unlike a balcony you wouldn't be able to shout down (although I suppose in an emergency you could bang on the window). You'd have to go through a corridor and then changing rooms to get to the pool itself.

During covid parents weren't even allowed in reception and had to stand in the car park peering through the windows to the pool (which looked quite funny to see a row of parents in the rain pressed up against the glass!) So a balcony is actually pretty good!

The pool is huge and split into squares for all the different levels. Nearest lifeguard in middle of pool so not next to our section. At one point DS was about 5m away from instructor and both facing in different directions. My toes are curling just thinking back to it so maybe I'm answering my own question here.

I'd query the ratio of staff to child for that age group. I've witnessed a child being resuscitated at a swimming pool and it's not something I'd ever want to see again. Things can go wrong very quickly.

I understand that they don’t want parents at the poolside as kids generally learn better when they’re not around. But I would never let a 3yo go to a swimming lesson with just one teacher. What she’s doing is negligent and plain dangerous! How many are in the group?

My kids have been at swimming lessons from 4yo. They have 4 teachers to 10 kids!

The policy seems normal - but you need to have a class setup that you trust. How many children are there in the class? The teacher needs eyes on them all at once. If this isn’t happening it’s not safe.

That’s normal. Parents need to stay in the viewing area.

There are safety protocols in place - lifeguard etc. If your own anxiety means you don’t trust that then ok, take him out of swimming lessons but YABVU by expecting to stay on the side

Today there were five 3-yr olds and one teacher.

The lifeguard will get to your child a lot quicker than you will. It’s just something to get used to for you, but it’s totally normal.

I taught swimming to little kids as a teen and parents who strayed onto the poolside were a distraction to the kids.

Eek. That's a poor ratio

3 is far too young for that..ysnbu.

Interesting range of opinions here. For me the age range is a massive factor. A 3 yr old is very different to a 6 or 7 yr old. Just to add that I am not at all nervous around water myself. I am actually a good swimmer and have lifeguard training too.

That ratio wouldn't be acceptable to me for a three year old. My daughter is six, and her lessons have a teacher and an assistant for six pupils. The assistants main role is to keep an eye on the children while they're waiting for their turn so the teacher can focus on the child who's demonstrating a skill/practicing/whatever.

We can sit pool side, but sometimes think it would be easier (for my son in particular) if I wasn't in view anyway. He bloody hates swimming lessons, but I have no concerns about his safety while he is there. I imagine most pools, where there is a separate area, would ask parents would wait there.

During covid I wasn’t allowed in the building but had to deliver my dc pool ready to the front door then wait sitting on the pavement outside the back door for the dc to be ejected, wet in their swimming costume and towel.

Well, technically parents were supposed to “wait in the car” and “change in the car” but that conveniently forgot about all the people without cars, sitting in the dark street by their back fire door, in the rain, and the dc going home in their wet swimming costume and hoodie towel, on foot or on the bus or both. Also conveniently forgetting about people with more than one DC, who not only have to wait outside with the first, still wet child whilst the second has their lesson, but cannot be at the front door delivering one child to their lesson and simultaneously at the back door collecting a wet child. Big building and a back entrance never designed to be used in an under-lit side alley. It’s no wonder I drank too much in the pandemic is it really.