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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Swimming pool and kids

55 replies

Swimmingpool123 · 17/06/2025 11:31

Hi all,

Just curious to know whether you all think I am being unreasonable or not.

Partner arrived home with the pool attached in the picture and filled it up.
We have 3 kids ages 3, 6 and 17.

I am not happy to have a pool of this size with my younger two, especially the 3 year old.
there is a cover for it but it is one of those plastic sheets that would barely hold up the weight of a leaf don’t mind a small child and I also feel this could be more dangerous if you were to get caught up in it.

I have since emptied the pool as we are in a disagreement over it.

He has said he will build a solid lockable cover for it (eg something like plywood on top and around sides).

what are your thoughts and many thanks in advance.

Swimming pool and kids
OP posts:
Original poster
Swimmingpool123 · 17/06/2025 11:34

Height 65cm
length 2.6m
Width 1.6m
It holds 2,282 litres of water

OP posts:
Octavia64 · 17/06/2025 11:36

We had a pool like that when my kids were age 6 upwards.
they loved it.

plywood cover seems excessive - not sure the frame will support the weight of it.

can the 6 year old swim? I’m assuming the 3 year old can’t.

Icepop79 · 17/06/2025 11:36

I think it’s fine as long as your youngest is supervised any time they have access to it. But at that age, that would apply with any body of water, even a small paddling pool.

redskydelight · 17/06/2025 11:38

I agree it's not fine for your youngest (and potentially the 6 year old) to be out in the garden unsupervised with the pool there. But then I wouldn't expect a 3 year old to be out in a garden unsupervised anyway, so it's not an issue.

somuchrubbish · 17/06/2025 11:38

Surely your DC's won't be left in it unattended will they? Or playing around outside unattended or without being watched?

So I personally don't see the problem. No harm in allowing him to build a solid lockable cover and see how you go.

stayathomer · 17/06/2025 11:38

Personally I’d hate it op, but then I hate any of those things, for having to supervise, ready for something to happen and water wastage.

girlwhowearsglasses · 17/06/2025 11:39

No way.

leading cause of death for under five’s in Australia is drowning.

also: you know you’ll need a pump and loads of chemicals? And the pump filter will need changing, and then the pump will break, then the pool will go green. And the chemicals for a season will cost more than the pool did. Been there in Covid

Hankunamatata · 17/06/2025 11:41

Mine wouldn't be allowed out in the area where the pool is without supervision.

If you can't fence off or an area where kids cant get to then get a solid cover.

HarryVanderspeigle · 17/06/2025 11:42

Supervised or not, children can drown in an extremely small amount of time. All it would take is for the adult to pop out the front with the bins and chat with a neighbour for a few minutes, or be takingdinner out of the oven. I wouldn't be happy with that and a 3 year old.

Fuzzypinetree · 17/06/2025 11:42

Ours is a little bit bigger and deeper and we've had it since DS was 5.
Our cover is quite sturdy but I got it as an extra one. The original one wasn't great.
We've got DD as well now, who is about to turn 1.
The kids aren't left unsupervised in the pool and DS has been able to swim from about age 4. He's done water safety before that.
Do your kids usually play by themselves in the garden?

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 17/06/2025 11:43

Dd and SiL have exactly the same, it’s now in its 6th season. It was bought initially during the first lockdown when all the public pools were closed. Very little Gdcs (no more than coming up to 4 and 5) could already swim after a doggy-paddle sort of fashion, so we didn’t want them to lose their water confidence.
They were never in it unsupervised. It’s always been covered at night - the cover is tied on at the corners.

TBH it’s been a fantastic buy, though admittedly the filtration and heating systems have bumped the initial and running costs up by quite a bit. But it’s used a great deal whenever it’s warm enough - by a good many of Gdcs’ friends, too. ‘Pool parties’ are a regular thing at their house.

somuchrubbish · 17/06/2025 11:51

HarryVanderspeigle · 17/06/2025 11:42

Supervised or not, children can drown in an extremely small amount of time. All it would take is for the adult to pop out the front with the bins and chat with a neighbour for a few minutes, or be takingdinner out of the oven. I wouldn't be happy with that and a 3 year old.

Who in their right mind would do that though? Seriously? Leave a 3 year old in a pool while you pop the bins out, or take something out the oven?

If the adult is constantly with the 3 year old and is watching them and with them, its fine. As long as the adult in question is responsible, (i.e the OP) then I don't see the issue.

Original poster
Swimmingpool123 · 17/06/2025 11:59

Thank you everyone for your comments I appreciate the different views and for the links that have been posted. I have done a bit of reading since the pool arrived and I do feel it has made me even more cautious.

6 year old has been doing lessons for 1.5 years but not going anywhere fast and 3 year old cannot swim.

They would definitely not be left in it unsupervised, my bigger concern is accidentally falling into it, our garden is absolutely tiny and it takes up a good bit of room there.
It’s like a pp said, it’s only takes a short amount of time for something to happen.

I think I will look into a solid cover and see if I can find anything suitable. I didn’t think about the plywood being too heavy for the frame but I can’t seem to find a solid one online.
if anyone has any suggestions for this type of pool please let me know. X

OP posts:
AprilShowers25 · 17/06/2025 12:04

I would be annoyed he has given it no thought as to it making your life more difficult, im going to presume you are the one doing the bulk of the childcare. You won’t be able to leave them to play in the garden without constant supervision. If it had a hard cover they would probably climb on it. They will be constantly asking to use it and you will be the bad guy if you say no. The chemicals and maintenance will be a pain in the arse.

Original poster
Swimmingpool123 · 17/06/2025 12:12

You are spot on @AprilShowers25 that is another part of it😢

OP posts:
NoKnit · 17/06/2025 12:24

We have a bigger version of this pool and it's great our kids are much older though at 9 and 12

Its a fair amount of work to maintain, you need a filter and to chlorine it of you don't want it looking like a swamp

NHSinterviewupcoming · 17/06/2025 12:25

YABU. There is no way a three year old could climb into it.

it’s hot. They’ll love it. Supervise your kids.

Wakeywakey678 · 17/06/2025 12:28

redskydelight · 17/06/2025 11:38

I agree it's not fine for your youngest (and potentially the 6 year old) to be out in the garden unsupervised with the pool there. But then I wouldn't expect a 3 year old to be out in a garden unsupervised anyway, so it's not an issue.

I came to say this!

NoKnit · 17/06/2025 12:28

I don't think there is no way possible to fall in it though, they'd have to climb into it. I reckon it's fine, 65cm high so water level about 50cm they can all stand up in it no issues. Yes you have to watch them but for endless hours of fun in the hot weather we'll worth it

HarryVanderspeigle · 17/06/2025 12:33

somuchrubbish · 17/06/2025 11:51

Who in their right mind would do that though? Seriously? Leave a 3 year old in a pool while you pop the bins out, or take something out the oven?

If the adult is constantly with the 3 year old and is watching them and with them, its fine. As long as the adult in question is responsible, (i.e the OP) then I don't see the issue.

Show quote history

Children die in ponds or pools in residences every year. So clearly quite a few people, right mind or not. I refused to get even a small pond in the garden until my youngest was 6. We have one now, but the worst they would get is soggy ankles as it isn't deep.

Chocolateorange22 · 17/06/2025 12:39

We have a padding pool and I debated only yesterday a cover for it. However I absolutely do not trust the 4 year old not to go near it. He often disappears into the garden as it is let alone adding a bigger temptation. The 6 year old I think would be fine she understands safety around bodies of water and is doing well. In lessons. I can however imagine her egging on the 4 year old though so it's still a big no from us.

TheSandgroper · 17/06/2025 13:00

NHSinterviewupcoming · 17/06/2025 12:25

YABU. There is no way a three year old could climb into it.

it’s hot. They’ll love it. Supervise your kids.

Huh?

Any three year old worth their salt can climb into that. Give them a brick, a bucket, a chair or a bbq (as a famous Melbourne bloke found out to his cost) and they will climb. But plenty of three year olds won’t need assistance.

Kids die in pools. A lot of small kids die in pools. And we here have fencing rules and every year the councils use Google earth to find unregistered pools to stop kids dying in pools without proper fencing.

Itallcomesdowntothis · 17/06/2025 13:07

As someone who grew up in a country filled with swimming pools (we had one which was very normal), lakes (my home town had three and they were all able to swim in) and water all around YABU. But, this is also because culturally you aren’t used to it.

No one I know ever drowned because we all did swimming lessons, has water safety (yeah they do these in the UK at school too) and people knew the dangers and supervised their kids.

I think you are overreacting but understand these are fears based on not having any of those things.

People that scare longer and say how dangerous etc haven’t lived in places with water all around.

Kids love water and frankly can drown in the bath in two inches of water.

Swimming pools are fine. Supervising is key.