Dh went to the toilet whilst Dd was in the paddling pool

[Pleaseenterausernameok]

I didn’t feel well the other day so went upstairs for a lie down when Dh got back from
work. Dd was asking to go in the pool-large blow up one, deep enough for me to sit in and move around, deep enough for Dd to swim. I said I wasn’t feeling well and was going to go for a lie down when daddy was back and she could go in then with him (he sometimes goes in or with him sat outside watching obviously)
I went upstairs, heard her in the pool chatting away to Dh. After a bit I realised I couldn’t hear her (she’s very chatty) but didn’t think much of it, a while later I heard her calling to Dh and him calling back from the downstairs loo.
Dh had gone to the toilet and left her, when he went to the toilet it wasn’t for a quick wee, but number two and for those he can be in there for up to an hour, no joke.
Aibu to think this is completely irresponsible to leave her in the pool unattended?

i read the title of this thread wrongly the first time!

Most important post by a country mile.

Even a shallow paddling would be dangerous for an unsupervised 6 year old.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

@Flippingflamingo

How frightening. Has your rate rate returned to normal yet?? the what ifs...

Mine are 6 and 8 and play in the paddling pool whilst i potter around downstairs, they are not babies!

I think you are being unreasonable.

It's an inflatable swimming pool, not a paddler

If this had been what I typically think of as a paddling pool, I'd have said it's likely okay so leave her unsupervised briefly, but not a pool of that depth.

In a pool that deep I’d say definitely not ok. Children can slip and drown in seconds.

Most swimming pools unaccompanied children need to be over 8 and able to swim, and they have lifeguards.

The main argument seems t9 be that the 6 year old could hit their head/ faint/ slip and crack their head and drown.

That could happen at any age!!

How would you ever let your child do anything? Slipping/ cracking head/ being abducted by aliens could happen to any of us at any time, right?

I use hyperbole but the question is sound. What age does that danger pass? 7? 8? 16? 45?

The reason pools have life guards is really for anyone in the deep end isn't it? Let's be honest here.

Otherwise we'd all, adults, teens and children alike need a chaperone for every bath...

I voted YANBU, but then you posted her age. YABU unless she is unusually small, or the water was unusually deep. I used to leave my kids in the bath for short periods at that age.

Up to her shoulders, standing

No, hmmm! I might be dubious about that.

Seven is considered the approximate age where reason begins and a child can start to think abstractly. Before that age kids have trouble connecting actions to consequences. So a six year old may not realize that if she, for example, jumps around in the pool she might slip and fall.
It can happen as early as five in some kids, so seven is just an average.

We actually live by the sea and my child could swim in the sea at six, supervised by adults of course. So I think he was definitely strong enough swimmer for a paddling pool at that age, even a deeper one. But I do appreciate anyone could slip and drown in a freak accident.

pools here also have a requirement that children 5 or 6 and under stay within arms length of the parent, and max 3 children to 1 parent. Even with the lifeguard.

Nah, they could be jumping around, breathe in a chunk of water, panic, breathe in some more and lose the capability to push themselves up. No head knocks required.

That is irrelevant .. You can drown in 5mm of water.. both Children AND adults should NEVER be alone in water full stop.. its that simple..

Oh it will never happen to me.. ! - how many times have I heard that...

Better to be safe than sorry

Its not a freak accident.. it happens . adults drowning.. kids.. nearly all preventable deaths.. Safety in numbers... always..

A 6 year old that has slipped & banged their head would just lay there & drown!
& not all special needs children would either. Pretty stupid thing for you to say really.

You can't bang your head on water in OP's scenario. Yes, they could slip, panic and take in lots of water and drown I guess, but they're not banging their head.

Does that mean nobody should ever have a bath on their own?!

I've just checked my gym swimming pool and it says to contact reception on the phone if you are the only swimmer there

Hmm it’s a tricky one.
I leave my 6yo in the bath whilst pottering around upstairs and maybe nip downstairs for something but if I’m longer than 30 seconds I shout ‘are you ok?’ Every few seconds 😆 !

Depends how long he was really but I’d advise him not to do it again! As you just never know!