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?

Have a look at the facts at the bottom of this page - children can and do drown, even if they are good swimmers, in very little water. https://www.escb.co.uk/safeguarding-topics/child-safety/water-safety/

No, she shouldn’t have been left unattended for that long.

It would have been fair to let him use the loo before you went to lie down.

Taking an hour for a poo is a problem and he needs to go and see someone about it.

Hope you’re feeling better

My 5 year old is a competent swimmer. She was in our garden pool the other day that comes up to her waist and I was watching.

She managed to get her leg tangled in a bodyboard strap and got stuck under the water. Luckily I was right on hand to help her. If I had been upstairs having a poo she would have drowned. Despite only being in waist deep water, and despite being a good swimmer.

Don't waste your breath. I've mentioned this point about 10 times but it doesn't seem to register. Some people just don't think logically I guess 🤷

@walkingnightmare

This is advice on keeping babies and toddlers safe and older kids safe in open water and pools

It doesn't say anything about the dangers of a 6 year old in shoulder height water of an inflatable pool

Perhaps because you are wrong?

You can get cramp, you can hit your head if you are silly and dive in when you shouldn't, you can breathe in water accidentally and panic.. She's only 6

@CellophaneFlower

No...they're too busy imagining catastrophes

Because catastrophes never happen, do they?

Appalling behaviour. People who don't know water or water safety are always cavalier about this kind of thing, including many on this thread.

@Dotto

Cramp? She's in an inflatable pool.. not swimming the channel

It clearly says that 53% of the 8-17 year olds whose deaths were reviewed were thought to be able to swim and 83% occurred when not supervised by an adult. Also on the right of the web page, you'll see the advice that says that children should always be supervised around water. The poster whose child's leg got caught in a strap shows that.

My local private swimming pool has a no lone-swimmer policy... Why do you imagine this could be? 🤔

I'm not sure if you are truly ignorant about cramp, or if you're being deliberately goady, however.

I don't think anybody here is unaware children can drown. Everybody risk assesses differently though.

I still cut grapes for my 10 year old. Do I think he'll choke if I don't, he almost certainly won't, but it's something I do as it takes seconds. He does go in our pool with his 7 year old brother though, whilst I'm in the kitchen. I may even pop to the loo. It's just not feasible for me to get them in and out every time I go to the kitchen. Yes, there's a risk there... but I regard it as small enough to take it.

He does go in our pool with his 7 year old brother though, whilst I'm in the kitchen.

There are two of them and they are both older than OP's child.

So you're saying in your local swimming pool, you can't go swimming there unless you bring someone with you?!??

@Dotto

Totally reasonable for a swimming pool to have this policy

We're talking about an inflatable garden pool that's only as deep as a six year olds shoulder

No it means no one in the pool completely alone as in no other swimmers.

Oh right ok!

Yes and I have already said I would have taken the 6 yo out in OP's situation. It was just pointing out that we all see things differently and it doesn't necessarily mean OP's husband is the most neglectful dad on the planet, as some have painted him to be.

This. I'm assuming the child is having swimming lessons. It's an important life skill.

It's a lot easier to drown if someone is out of their depth, whether adult or child. Hence the swimming pool rule.

There will always be freak accidents but a lot of UK child drownings are whilst they're on holiday in a deep pool, often when they weren't even in it originally - they fall in.

People that take an hour to shit are clowns.

LTB

@fruitbrewhaha

thats actually irrelevant. Kids can drown in a couple of inches of water, because they panic & don't think to sit or stand up.

im not sure at what age this changes though, I mean we don't watch teenagers in paddling pools.

must do more reading...

HauntedbyMagpies please provide evidence of how many children aged 8 or above have drowned in a paddling pool in the backgarden.

For the third time... It's not a paddling pool.