To think it’s a bit negligent to leave your DC in a water park for hours at a time?

[Rainallnight]

We’re on holiday at a place with an on site water park. DD has made friends with a little boy who’s 5, with an older brother who is 8.

Their parents routinely leave them unattended in the swimming pool for 3-4 hours at a time, just showing up to get them for meals etc.

The 8 year old is a good swimmer. The five year old has an enthusiastic doggy paddle.

DP and I are quite anxious about water safety generally so I am wondering if I’m being uptight or if this is genuinely weird.

YABU - of course it’s ok to leave kids this age unattended in pools/water parks

YANBU - of course it’s dangerous.

CF parents you've got there, they've probably noticed that your kids play with them so have earmarked you for free babysitting.

We went to Cornwall a few weeks ago and a boy came out of the ocean from swimming, 7/8yo and couldn't find his dad so I walked around with him looking. Spotted dad walking back down onto the beach from a shop?! Wtaf is wrong with people?

I was watching a place in the sun and they wanted to be near the pool so they could watch the children from the apartment. I think the children were slightly older. They didn't seem to consider that as well as the risk from drowning there's the risk of injury from slipping on wet poolsides and the effect of unsupervised children doing things that would put other people at risk of just generally being annoying .

When I was on holiday years ago there was a family who left their 4 year old alone by the unmanned pool every day while they fucked off to the bar or pool. It took us a while to realise she was alone as she was just cannon ballingand screaming at the top of her lungs the entire time.

Absolutely shop them to the pool-side staff. I cannot believe that anyone would think this was ok!! At a water park it would be all too easy to get knocked over by a bigger kid and get into difficulties. I absolutely despair of some parents! We are off shortly to a similar sounding place - mine are 18 and 14 and it would still give me pause!

Ye, I'd definitely report to staff.

We had this on holiday abroad in a Yelloh village type set up.
Family left their 5 year old with us without saying anything. Assumed we would supervise. Went wrong when we wanted to go back to our chalet and the child’s parents were nowhere to be seen.

I'm also sort of amazed that you didn't think of telling staff yourself without the advice from Mumsnet

This is not just negligent, it's batshit crazy. I would assume that the parents must be completely indifferent as to whether they will actually still have 2 children when they return.

Report to the staff and if they don't do anything, report to the police. As you would if you found an unattended child in a dangerous location anywhere else.

What did you do?

Madness, far too young, and it's just horrible isn't it really, why aren't they hanging out with their kids on holiday, unless they're in a proper club to give them a break.

It's not just the drowning risk, my DD was followed around a water park by a weird man when she was 14.

I did it when I was a kid… when I was 5 went with my older sisters who were just over the 8 guideline. Would I do it for my DC? Hell no..

I was on holiday earlier this year and there was the same situation, but with a 3 year old. They were 3 siblings on their own in the kids pool the first time we saw them, but the next day the 3 year old and maybe 10 year old were on the beach alone. The 3 year old then stayed by us as she was obsessed with DS, and I found it so odd this 3 year old was left unattended on a beach, with her mum popping over from time to time to give her a drink or food.

A bit negligent? Isn’t that like being a bit pregnant?

My mum left me once in the pool on holiday (very out of character for her) when I was 8, fine in the pool but tripped/slipped on stone stairs on way back up to apartment and ended up on hospital with chin split open... Stitches... Holiday ruined! To this day she says she has no idea why she left me down there as she is the most over-protective parent ever!

However good a swimmer an 8yo is if they slip by the pool and bang their head they'll drown same as anyone. It's purring a massive burden on an 8yo being left responsible for a younger sibling, and both could get in trouble if the 5yo was struggling and 8yo tried to help. There is no way in which this is Ok

Of course YANBU and you need to inform
the staff especially since the 5 yo is a non swimmer.

Yep to this

No report them to staff that's neglect. Are they just expecting you to keep an eye on them? What do they do for food and drinks? or is it an all inclusive resort. Most kids on holiday need reminding to drink plenty and have sun cream topped up

You really needed to ask?

I’m horrified people think this is ok even with an 8 year old. Strong swimmer or not, there could be any weirdo hanging about.
YANBU, OP. Report to pool staff.

Absolute dicks would be the first to do the Dailymail sadface if one of the kids drowned… And to try and sue the water park.

Of course it is negligent. When we went swimming without adults in the late 70's under 8s still weren't allowed in without an adult.

No way I'd leave that age unattended! YADNBU! Even if they are a good swimming they could struggle - just with lots of ppl around, going under and spluttering etc.

Hope you've managed to speak to the lifeguard OP.

As for leaving a five year old alone, only one year older than Madeleine McCann was when left alone.