to expect my Dads pond to be securely covered while our DC play in the garden?!?

[RiojaLover75]

My Dad has a pond, quite small, maybe 1m x 2m but it's very deep. Last year during the summer my DH told my Dad unless it's covered we wouldn't allow the DC to stay over without us. My Dad got all huffy and refused to pay for a safety grille for his little pond. So we turned up at my Dads to find his little pond covered with planks of wood and stuff to supposedly cover it up.

AIBU to expect HIM to pay for and install a proper pond grille. Or should we pay for it?

It's getting to that time of year again, where the kids are going to want to play in the garden and I would never forgive myself if anything happened to them or my Dad if it happened while he was looking after them. I'm very twitchy about water anyway and am getting very stressed about this issue. I don't want to upset my Dad but I think I'd rather have an upset Dad than drowned children.

I apologise if anyone finds the nature of this post upsetting.

YABU to be huffy with the effort he has made. Ok, it's not ideal, but he's tried right? He's eliminated the casual trip into the pond scenario. Now you just have to worry about curious LOs peering under the makeshift cover, and then falling in.....

Pay for it yourself.

My Dad has a pond in their new house, and mentioned the need to cover it, and I said they should do what they are comfortable with, their house, my children..... but then I would not worry for a second that my DSs would be left alone in the garden with the pond uncovered.
Of course they will get the cover, but not my place to dictate what they do in their own home. My Dad did manage to raise me after all(!)

If you think your dad is responsible enough to look after your children then surely he is responsible enough to know the dangers of a pond.

I think you are being rather insulting towards him.

My ILs have ds once a week and have 2 ponds in their garden - neither of which are covered. I never considered insisting they get covers. I consider them to be responsible enough to look after him (and I am very grateful that they do) and know they wouldn't leave him unsupervised for a second. They have raised 2 children in that house that are still alive.

And that you expect him to pay for it as well?

I would be fuming.

Plenty of dangerous stuff in the house - is he responsible enough to look after them in there do you think?

I think you are being vv unreasonable.

My dad fitted this on my pond. It sits under the water so looks neat, plants can grow through it and it takes the weight of a man. Quite expensive but well worth it as DD2 regularly walks on the pond.

HC
x

TBH I would be happier to leave it uncovered so everyone is aware of just how dangerous it is and have an absolute, watertight rule that the kids are NEVER in the garden without supervision. Here in Oz it is frightening how many small children drown in "fenced in" swimming pools - because they are fenced in everyone relaxes thinking that it's ok, but kids can be inventive and fences aren't always foolproof. I was horrified recently to see a friend's 2 year old open our child-proof pool fence gate by jumping on it so the latch slipped. There have also been cases of kids getting in under pool covers and drowning. Forget the safety gadgets - just watch them!