To NOT include 9 year old DD in Boxing Day swim?

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Our family and another will be heading to the beach about 30 mins away for a walk and a quick dip. It’ll be seconds in and out.
DD wants to join in the fun. Her similar aged friends won’t do it but DD is very gung ho.

For context: There’s not an ounce of meat on her, she’s tiny. No cough or cold. We do own a wet suit for her which she can use. Weather here will be 0 - 3 degrees on Friday.

I don’t think she should. Grown ups yes, and she can have fun on the beach with her mates. She’s tiny and at best will wine about the cold afterwards, and worst - well.

DH thinks I am being the fun police and lighten up.

I don’t know either way.

YABU - of course she can, YOLO!
YANBU - hypothermia in a 9 year old on Boxing Day is a rational fear.

Make her wear the wetsuit and then let her try and if she can get in fair enough. Bring the usual stuff you will need to warm her up afterwards or get her home to hot shower / bath asap.

I’d probably say no if going to be walking back. I’ll let my kids ( youngest 10) but I’ll drive in a camper van so easy to get in the warm, properly dried, clothes back on and a hot chocolate.

What sort of experience does she have of cold water swimming? What experience do you and DH have?

Let her. But since dh is the one insisting he will be the one responsible to get her warm immediately afterwards.

Im a cold water swimmer, i wouldn't let a child have a dip that time of year. Where i dip the temperature is 7°c, children lose heat much quicker than adults and not worth the risk

If she really wants to I'd try and make it happen (in the wetsuit) if you've got the right stuff to warm her up afterwards. I think it's always best, where possible, to say Yes to things like this. It really nurtures a spirit of adventure and optimism, a willingness to try things and hope for the best.

If you really genuinely believe it to be dangerous/you don't have the necessary dry robes etc to dry her properly afterwards, then no.

Mine is a few years older than yours but just did a cold water swim with her friends. Her mate has been doing it since 7 years old. In much colder water than the UK.

Make sure you have the means to warm her up after and she’ll be great!

She’ll be fine. Won’t get hypothermia from seconds in the water. Obviously have lots of warm layers.

I would let her. I let DD swim in the cold pool (7 degrees I think) in a spa when she was 4. So long as its quick in and out and she can get dry straight after.there's no risk of hypothermia - children younger than that go ice swimming in my country.

She'll be fine in a wetsuit for a few seconds.

Mine would spend the next 4 hours with blue lips and shivering so I really wouldn't let her - using the other kids as an excuse: you all stay together.

I wouldn't go in the first place myself anyway 😂

How do you even know if the sea will be calm enough in a few days?

I wouldn’t be so worried about the cold this time of year if you teach her how to enter correctly but rather the safety of the water dependent on the weather.

If it’s a shallow beach with minimal waves and tides I’d let her dip her feet in (and change her mind 😂)

You are are meanie. Why would you do
an activity on Boxing day that your daughter can’t join in with?

She's a nine-year-old, not a newborn, and she's got a wetsuit. She is absolutely not going to get hypothermia from an in-and-out dip in the sea, and presumably everyone will be wrapping up warm and getting hot drinks etc afterwards. She'll be fine.

A friend of mine has been doing this with his son on New Year's Day every year since his son was around 7ish and his son's now in his 20s. No hypothermia so far!

Both my 3 year old and 6 year old have been going in the sea almost 3 times a week for the last number of months. They have proper thick winter wetsuits - 5mm thick, boots, gloves and hats.

If she has those things then let her try, if she is planning on going in using a summer 3/2 mm wetsuit then no, dont, she will be miserable.

I just keep a close eye on them. Then as soon as they are out into the boot of the heated car, towel dried, into vests, thick socks, pjs, wooly hats and blankets with electric hand warmers and hot chocolate from a flask to bring their temperature back up

We have had no issues this way

Are there other adults not swimming? It's getting her out of kit at the end that will be the biggest pain while trying to dress yourself.

If there's someone to get her ready whenever she wants to get out then I'd put her in the gear and see how she goes. She might just paddle once she experiences the water.

She'll end up with wet feet regardless so probably easier just to put her in wet gear.

Make sure you have warm drinks and hot water bottles for afterwards.

Edited to say a brisk walk afterwards is the best way to warm up.

She’ll be fine. Don’t be the fun police.

Assuming you already know about cold water shock and you’re there to talk her through getting in and keeping an eye on her…why not? It’s a fun thing to do!

You would be incredibly stupid to do it at all. The RNLI are issuing warnings left right and centre due to the north easterly winds hitting the country.

that sounds like an incredible amount of faff ! And I thought muddy football was bad😂

She will be fine.

If she’s not used to cold water swimming then now is not really the time to start but if it’s literally a dip or she has a wetsuit on I think she’ll be grand. My kids cold water swim/surf all year round (N Scotland) and are fine. Plenty hot juice or hot chocolate and clothes wrapped in a hot water bottle for after. Wear a hat.

Up to her really, as long as you have the right kit. All of mine have done boxing day or NYD swims with me over the years, and the 15 year old and 8 year old may do again this year. 13 year old less keen.

Let her just make her wear the wetsuit and have plenty of warm layers for her to wear after, also a foil blanket is easy enough to buy, and take a flask of hot chocolate/tea too and make her have some of that.

But if she isn't used to swimming in colder water, I'm not sure.