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Original poster

To allow my son to do this on holiday?

342 replies

HistoryRepeat · 12/07/2023 10:18

4 years old. Loves the water. But can't swim. We go every week in the kids pool and he's leaning to kick, use a float.

We are on holiday. There is a big slide and it goes into a deep plunge pool. The pool is only as wide as a bath. Very small but v deep.

DH saying DS not allowed to go as deep and he can't swim. I say he should be able to go and I stand at the bottom and catch him. The kids do go under but I would be right there. Its such a small pool, you can touch each side. I know he can't swim but if someone is literally stood there to catch him? He did go down one slide and went under for 2 seconds, he was a bit shocked but again I was right there scooped him up and he wanted to again.

Anyway turned into a big thing as DS is obsessed with going and DH insistingjust paddle pools. DH is safety obsessed imo but he says I'm being ridiculous and that I need to trust him and respect his viewpoint and I'm not presenting a united front.

Kids currently watching screens, DH off in a huff and me wandering why I work all year to afford to take them on holiday.

Would you let your kid who can't swim on the big slides if you were at the bottom? Am I being lax?

OP posts:
OldTinHat · 12/07/2023 10:48

I wouldn't allow it either. I was the same age when I went on one and still remember the shock and panic of being under water and not able to breathe.

I'm 51 now and still can't swim, I'm terrified of the water.

Katiesaidthat · 12/07/2023 10:49

My daughter is 4, has swimming lessons but not confident enough to be withouth her flotation thingy. I would not allow it until she could swim to the side by herself. Anyway, i am of the impression that the larger slides have a 1.20metres height restriction. She is 1.07 so there is my excuse.

Backtoreality1 · 12/07/2023 10:50

I would let him.....otherwise you are now risking making the slide too attractive and risk him sneaking off and doing it without an adult present....four year olds can move fast! If it is allowed with you present then there is less of a risk of him running out of view and doing it on his own

Niftyswiftie · 12/07/2023 10:50

How deep? Can you even stand in the landing area or would you be treading water waiting to catch him?

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 12/07/2023 10:50

Usually slides like that have a height restriction for this reason.

Great lesson for your son as to why he needs to learn to swim, and gives incentive for lessons etc. Then he can enjoy slides etc on holiday and how swimming is fun

BibbleandSqwauk · 12/07/2023 10:50

He's not swimming in water alone, he's being caught by a competent adult. Going under for a couple of seconds will not hurt him and do his confidence the world of good. The "pool" is basically a bucket. Provided the op.is actually allowed in I think it's fine, but my concern would be knowing when to get in.. if you're in there when a bigger child or adult comes down there would be a collision so it depends on the specific set up but it certainly wouldn't be a "hard no".

budgiegirl · 12/07/2023 10:51

Surely everyone has young children jumping from the edge of a pool into the arms of a waiting adult? How is this different?

I used to do this with my eldest when he was a toddler. Until the day when he jumped directly in to the deep end of a swimming pool with no-one to catch him. Because he was too young to understand that he wasn't to do this. I didn't do it with two younger children, until they were old enough to swim a bit/understand why I had to be there to catch them

Longwhiskers · 12/07/2023 10:51

Look at it this way. If you were in a big Aqua park he wouldn’t be allowed on such a slide - there’d be a height restriction and he’d have to be able to swim if landing in deep water. And generally you’re not allowed in the exit pool! I wasn’t and dor this reason my 7 yr old couldn’t go on some slides last yr as he can’t swim very well. That’s life!

Franklin2000 · 12/07/2023 10:51

I’m a very chilled out parent but no, I wouldn’t do this at all. I don’t mess around where water is concerned. You say the plunge pool is very deep? What if he goes too deep and you can’t reach him quick enough? What if he then panics? What if he drops in the water and comes up away from you and panics? What if he sinks like a stone as both of my children had a tendency to do before swimming lessons. Tell DS he can’t swim so has to stay on the smaller slide then get him lessons when you get home.

WillyLows · 12/07/2023 10:51

How steep is the slide and how fast is he likely to come down it? It might be quite hard to catch a 4 year old at speed. There may be rules on this at the pool anyway?

This might be motivation for your son to learn how to swim if he wants to do stuff like slides.

Whydoiwearsomuchleopardprint · 12/07/2023 10:52

What happens if he slips out of your grasp, you panic , can’t get hold of him etc etc and then next person comes down. There is no way I would do this, also how can you tell when he’s coming down and not some other kid or adult?? Best solution is to have those zip up flotation aids on and then if something were to go wrong he can still float.

Summermeadowflowers · 12/07/2023 10:52

If he could swim, would people permit him to use the slide alone? As I’m actually not sure I would.

Statistically, strong swimmers are more likely to drown, as strange as that might sound. No four year old should be left unsupervised in water regardless of whether they can swim or not so I don’t think that’s really the point here.

Anotherdayanotherdollar · 12/07/2023 10:54

If it was just a regular slide with no restrictions I would let him. Probably on my lap for the first few turns.

CamCola · 12/07/2023 10:54

Iv done it.

one adult goes up with him, one at the bottom.

The one at the top can signal he’s about to go down (if possible).

Anotherdayanotherdollar · 12/07/2023 10:56

Whydoiwearsomuchleopardprint · 12/07/2023 10:52

What happens if he slips out of your grasp, you panic , can’t get hold of him etc etc and then next person comes down. There is no way I would do this, also how can you tell when he’s coming down and not some other kid or adult?? Best solution is to have those zip up flotation aids on and then if something were to go wrong he can still float.

OP goes down first, her DH is at the top with the child and sends him down after?

Schum · 12/07/2023 10:56

Yes I’d definitely allow him if he’s wearing a life vest or armbands, it wouldn’t occur to me to say no if I could stand at the bottom and catch him.

JudgeRudy · 12/07/2023 11:00

@Dotjones "I wouldn't allow it. Suppose you suffer a medical emergency at the crucial moment and were unable to retrieve your child?"
Really? This goes through your head? You must be paralysed by fear. Do you ever let your child get into a car? What if the person driving had a heart attack? Or maybe if elderly parents were looking after a child and tripped or had a stroke?

MySoCalledWife · 12/07/2023 11:01

it sounds like an unsafe set up. Are you allowed to be in there at all to “catch” him? If it’s that small, could he not land on you?

can you and him get out fast enough for the next person coming through?

I think it’s idiotic to let him. He really needs to learn to respect the water until he can actually swim

followmyflow · 12/07/2023 11:01

no, absolutely not would i allow a 4 year old child who cannot swim to go down a waterslide into a plunge pool. even if i was standing at the bottom to catch. something could go wrong and the child has no capability to save themselves

FamBae · 12/07/2023 11:02

You said he had already been down one slide and went under for two seconds and you scooped him up and he wanted to go again, perfectly fine, you don't want to try and teach a child to swim who is afraid of getting his face wet. What I'm unclear on is how many slides there are, you give the impression there are two, why would you want to push him onto another bigger slide when he is perfectly happy in the smaller one, tbh I would be more concerned about him climbing the ladder for the bigger slide than you catching him.

DaisyUpsy · 12/07/2023 11:02

I'd be surprised if they allowed non swimmers on it or anyone to stand at the bottom and catch

usernother · 12/07/2023 11:03

Yes of course I'd do it.

Summerishere123 · 12/07/2023 11:03

I rarely manage to successfully catch my kids at the bottom slides due to the speed they come down to be honest so I would consider that.

Nevermind31 · 12/07/2023 11:06

I would go down the slide with him

Original poster
HistoryRepeat · 12/07/2023 11:06

No height restriction or rules really. We are in Spain. I can easily stand in it. I can easily catch him. And when he goes under in the other pool he looks shocked for a second and then wants to go again.

OP posts: