Children only ever allowed to swim for an hour

[LadyJos]

Most swimming pools in the south east only offer hour slots in which children can swim. Many only 45 minutes. The rest of the day is dedicated to adult lane swimming. This kills me. Kids only just starting to enjoy themselves and have to get them out! AIBU?

YABU - my kids don’t want longer than an hour.
YANBU - I want to have a relaxed time splashing with my kids and they have just as much right as adults to use of a pool.

"All persons using green lockers ... green lockers ... please leave the pool now" 😃

Uk lack of funding. After social protection, health and education, there is a big debt to service with tax money. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45814459

All the lidos near me have the same one hour policy @viques

Where abouts are you OP? Roughly of course. People might be able to offer some suggestions of places

Our local pools (in school holidays) tend to do something like;

6am-9am adult lane swim
9am-10am classes of some sort
10am-1pm family/open swim
1pm-3pm lane/classes
3pm-4pm family/open swim
Then a time in the eve for adult classes/lane swim.

I have always found it fine.

My son absolutely loves swimming and would stay in all day if I let him but an hour or so is plenty. He is 10 and a very keen swimmer but if we are not careful, he over exerts himself.

I would think an hour is fine for most kids.

There does need to be times that are lane only as otherwise, adults who want to swim properly have to dodge all the kids in the pool.

Find a local wild swimming spot.

Not limited to an hour then,

(Do watch out for pollution advisories though)

Yeah, it's fucking annoying.

I think a 1 hour swim session is pretty standard. If a person could pay for a swim and stay all day they'd make no money because there is a limit to how many people can be in the pool at once.

Paying £200 a month and both pools being full of screaming children. We had to cancel our membership as we could never actually swim properly and the pool was the reason we paid for David Lloyd over other gyms, but no point if the pools aren't useable most of the time

Same here, only 70s!

Which is the one with huge centerparcs slides?

That sounds very reasonable though - and if not busy, then possible to stay more than an hour.

Our outdoor DL one during (private) school holidays is 10:00-13:00 and 14:00-18:00 children, the rest adults only

Try a pool at a holiday park which is open to public.

I think you’re missing the point of my post - we lack leisure facilities for kids to be able to spend all day at the pool. That means getting in and out, sunbathing, having a snack, like on holiday. I’m not suggesting kids have lessons for hours or lane swim for hours

And these would be…?

My kids have gone in the pool and stayed for 4 hours so I totally understand why you’d be annoyed.

And these would be…?

I meant like a caravan/chalet park or hotel. I live in Cornwall so they are pretty much everywhere and lots let the public use their pools for a fee with no time limits. The changing rooms are usually a lot cleaner too.

Cozenton ( formerly splashes ) in Rainham. But I’ve just spotted they closed for refurbishment but are opening again 17th July

Then the Lido at Gillingham is great as well

We spent all summer at the Lido and many of us became really competent swimmer, I learned little to nothing during the school swim lessons
My kids also spent hours at a time in the pool playing games with other kids (dive sticks, Marco Polo, even barbie made and appearance from the bag) and became excellent swimmers. Limiting them to an hour or even just 45 minutes at a time is pretty pointless.

Totally agree OP, as a kid in the 90s we never had to book to swim, you just went to the pool and we used to spend most of the day there. As you say, swimming, having a picnic, there was even a rapids. A section of each pool was separated at certain times for lane swimming. There was also a dedicated baby pool that was always open. It was a real community hub. This was in a medium sized town not even a big city. I now live in a city and was so shocked I can only book one of two 45min sessions to swim with a child. It seems like such a shame. Plus the rivers and beaches are so polluted now so there isn’t even the option of wild swimming!

Not south east but our pool is split. Half Lane swimming and half family swim - all day

South-east, I think Tooting Bec lido may let you stay longer than 45 mins. As long as you don't mind the water being cold

Join Bannatyne’s if there is one near you. My DS is only £15 per month with an adult membership. Unlimited swimming. When he was young, some summers we would go every day. Definitely got my money’s worth.

Just remembered another with huge slides and stuff in Kent
Larkfield leisure centre
Maidstone leisure centre as well which has wave machines

both have separate area pools for lane swimmers and learners.