To throw DS a swimming party?

[otinata]

He is turning 7, really wants a swimming party.

They do a floats and fun party type thing at the leisure centre, but parents have to get in with their children.

AIBU to ask that of people?

I’d go, because DD would want to. But I’d secretly hate you. If you’ve seen Motherland, Julia’s reaction would be me!

I don’t know the answer to this, but what is the average swimming ability for 7 year olds (plus I assume if he’s just turning 7, he’s the oldest in year 2, so will have a lot of 6 year old friends)? Does he have enough friends who are confident enough swimmers to enjoy it? Like I said, I’ve no idea what the answer to that is, I’ve never been to a swimming party.

We did that loads of times at that age, they were fun and very easy as parties go.

I'd probably quite enjoy it, but where I live parents don't normally stay at 7th birthday parties, so some might be pissed off that they not only have to stay, but also have to get in the water.

Why don’t you ring the Mum’s of the kids you’re thinking of inviting and see what they think?

I have to wear various stick on medical devices which mean I can’t get into the water so I wouldn’t be a fan of this as my DC would be excluded (unless I could rope another family member into going!).

I can’t swim so would personally hate this as an attendee 🤣 one of my boys isn’t an especially strong swimmer either.

I would tell him he could have one when he turns 9, so that all of his friends would be at least 8 and no longer need to have an adult in the water with them.

As a pp said, by 7 parents will generally drop off at parties, so being expected to stay would be annoying / inconvenient enough let alone to have to go in with the dc.

Between the demand that parents not only stay but have to go in the pool and the fact that not all 7YOs are strong swimmers it sounds awful. I would 100% decline. Best saved for a 9th birthday I think when the DC will be a minimum of 8 and can all go without an adult in the water.

You’re not BU if you ask the parents to tell you honestly what they think about the idea rather than just booking it. That probably only works if you know them all reasonably well.
tbh it’s probably best left another year or two until they’re old enough to be in the pool without parents. We did a pool party for dd when she was 8, parents happily on the sides.

Kids will love it, parents will hate you.
DD had one when she was 7 but we only had to have 3 adults in the water so DH and 2 other Mums volunteered so everyone else was off the hook. I would happily have done it but I was sorting cake, food etc so DH offered

Please watch the Swimming pool party Motherland episode!!

As a parent this would be my worst nightmare, sorry. No-one wants to see their fellow parent-acquaintances in swimsuits.

Why don’t you take them to a special pool they don’t usually go to with flumes and slides etc as a bday treat and then do a smaller party with a couple of friends, film and McDonald’s sort of thing

My children have been invited to a few of these parties and usually it’s one adult for two children (of the age I assume are attending). It’s never been an issue for the parties I’ve been to, so assume enough people have someone who will go.

I would decline the invite

I'd leave it until 9 when most are basic swimmers, and pool ratios are easier.

7 needs too much supervision and too many non/ weak swimmers.

I have a dd the same age, if it was a smaller party with her close friends I would go, but a big class party where all the parents were all there in swimwear would be a bit awkward for me personally.

I agree. Unfortunately I can't see many children attending this kind of party at 7, a large amount won't be able to swim and even if they can it's quite likely a parent won't want to be in the pool with the other school parents.

I would definitely save it for when he's older.

You might find a lot of invitees are "busy". Maybe do a different type of party and tell DC they can invite one child swimming the following week and you supervise both.

A lot of kids that age will be weaker or non-swimmers. I would leave it until they're all a bit older.

If another mum was asking me what I thought of such an idea, I'd say the above rather than "I would rather not be seen by all in a swimming costume thanks" but I'd be thinking it...

Is it definitely parent per child? We did this and it was one adult per 2 children. So both me and DH swam which gave us option to offer to take/supervise some people's DC if they couldn't come and/or didn't want to get in the water. We also allowed siblings to make it easier for people. It was a slightly stressful (for me as was keeping eye on so many DC) party but they all loved it. Can you chat to a couple of the parents of his closest friends and see what they think?

Went to loads of those when my kids were little 😀 I guess it helped that I /my kids were all good and enthusiastic swimmers.

I wouldn’t be able to take mine. I like the suggestion of a swim party when he turns 9 so all his friends at old enough. You could throw him a different party this year and a day at the pool for family?

Is it 1:1 adults in the water? We had them where it was like 1:3 ish, they had about 12 kids, so birthday parents (mum & dad) plus two other parent volunteers or family (aunts etc) with other parents tending to stay but watch from the side.

I would have absolutely hated this for various personal reasons, I wouldn't do this and i would have no qualms saying - no thanks. I think many parents might be uncomfortable with this and therefore some of your son's friends might not be able to attend.

I personally would just arrange a party for him which doesn't have to involve the parents having to get so involved too.

X

Omg I absolutely hate these parties, had so many invites over the years, after the 1st one when we turned up and the mother said I had to go in too I nearly fucking died, all I kept thinking about was my legs that hadn't been shaved as well as others bits, my white ugly body with god awful stomach, I said I didn't know so didn't bring a swim suit and she's like, everyone knows you have to go in and tried looking for spare swimsuit so I pretended to go home to get mine and drove to McDonald's with my child and sat there and never accepted a pool invite again. Just make sure you tell the parents they have to get in, many are ok with that.

This was in the ‘small’ pool at our leisure centre where they could all touch the floor as well. I know that doesn’t stop the risk but less risky then where kids are jumping in out of their depth.