Swimming parties for little children are the absolute worst kind of party

[Tittie]

I love swimming, whether it’s swimming lengths alone, swimming with the kids, lazing in the pool on holiday. It’s my favourite exercise and I regularly hire the local small, WARM, private pools for family to play. HOWEVER. Swimming parties for younger children are the absolute worst and I think it’s so inconsiderate of parents to organise them. We have been invited to a Y1 age swimming party where parents must also be in the water. It’s so awful on multiple counts and I wish they’d be banned!

1. our leisure centre is freezing. The water is freezing. The air is freezing. You can’t get in and warm up with proper swimming or do lengths or anything because the kids just want to stand in the shallow bit and splash
2. I don’t want to hang out nearly naked with dads I don’t know
3. The leisure centre smells or urine and I don’t want verrucas
4. Many parents feel very uncomfortable standing around awkwardly in swimwear with parents they don’t know
5. Pressure to shave and sort bikini line, lest the other parents bitch about you (I’ve seen that happen)
6. Not all of us have spare adults to go in our place

These parents do swimming parties every year (even when their kid was 3!!) and they get family help so they don’t need to get in. They’re not even ‘making the memories’ with their kids. Party child mum is always beautifully made up, meanwhile we will all look sodden and bare faced, stinking of chlorine.

I have taken the eldest to a Y5(ish) party before, at a shallow pool. We didn’t have to get in, we watched carefully and had nice chats. Marvellous.

Thanks for coming to my ted talk and if you’re thinking of doing this for your kids, don’t. There are hundreds of other possibilities that children and grown ups alike will love. Drop offs preferred 😂

I went to one when DD was 6 and had to go in. I wasn’t keen but thought that we’d all be in the same boat (well swimming pool).

Turned up and all the mums were there in the viewing bit and they’d brought the dads along to go into the pool. I’d never even seen some of these dads before- not at drop off or at any other parties.

I mean WTF?! Fair enough to not go in and send your husband instead but if you’re feeling body conscious enough to do this then why would you turn up to gaze upon the people who are feeling the same but don’t have a an alternative adult? Go and spend your 2 free hours doing something else.

It’s a thing - have a look at Swimple.

There really was no age limit. DC was invited to one in reception too. It's ridiculous. I bought a shorty wetsuit for it. I just don't fancy shivering while standing in water.

I have been to ones when the kids are Year 5/6. They are much better. Parents sat in the cafe with coffee and cake while the kids played in the water. You really should wait for all the kids to be able to swim to have these type of birthday parties.

DH and I both hate doing them so we flip a coin to decide who has to go. Last year he really didn’t want to go despite losing the coin flip and literally offered me money to do it 😂.

Also, the chlorine and my hair do not mix so I am normally the only one there wearing a swim cap like a muppet.

This sounds like hell on earth.

What fresh hell is this?! Thankfully it's not something we've had the pleasure of yet.

YANBU. It's a horrible idea. Luckily none of mine had to go to a swimming party until they were old enough for me not to have to get in with them.

Pool parties are only good if all of them can swim, are safe in the water and do not need parental water supervision.

Just politely decline!

Swimming parties are popular here from age of 8, which means you don’t have to get in the pool, they all have to show they can swim a length before they’re allowed on the inflatable assault course and there are lifeguards in attendance. Parents can pick up kids once they’re changed at the end.

Oof! Thank god DD is past this stage. There is no way on earth I’d go to that party! Just decline. And you know what? If they ask why you’re not going TELL THEM!

Best me to it 😂

We have been invited to one. Also Y1. Decided not to go!

Have you got any long lockers?

You are a bit ridiculous.

I give you the "freezing water", at least pick a warm pool!
But parents pick something their kids like and want, they just suck it up, how is that a big deal.

I don’t want to hang out nearly naked with dads I don’t know
Many parents feel very uncomfortable standing around awkwardly in swimwear with parents they don’t know

I seriously doubt most people ONLY go to private swimming pools and private beach where they know everybody and it's the only time they have to mix with the riff raff😂

Most of us manage to hang around "nearly naked" men and women at the gym
(shorts and sports bras are fairly revealing let's be honest) and don't even think about it.

Pressure to shave and sort bikini line, lest the other parents bitch about you (I’ve seen that happen)
wear swim shorts? I do.

If you were complaining about the faff, I would sympathise but your reasons are just silly.

I certainly had no idea! Just looked at Swimple, as suggested by @TheBossOfMe, and there are none in my area. Sounds nice if you have the option, though.

Reading this thread is hilarious! A poster the other day was slated by many for only inviting 10 out of 14 in the class to a party, but it seems ok for many of you to decline a swimming party invitation as it involves actually looking after your children and putting yourselves out.

YANBU but YABabitU to be so sniffy about leisure centres, which is the swimming option available to most people.

And yes to the Motherland episode!

I don't think anyone is suggesting that they wouldn't attend a party where they can remain fully clothed.

So many suggestions of wetsuits and swim shorts. Do people really do this? Surely this will just grab attention and make people stare in wonderment about what you’re hiding?!

I have certainly learned something from this thread!

Thank you OP! There aren't many near me, but you are right to say that it isn't too expensive.

I would never attend a swimming party. Ever.

But the intent of the parent doing the inviting is the same - a party for their child. And it seems that a lot can't be bothered with the faff of a swimming party, so it's ok then to decline.

Ex lifeguard here. The usual rule is that they are allowed at age 8 without an adult.

Op, I get it’s a faff. Howevrer, I cannot understand your thing about wearing your swimming kit in front of men you don’t know - surely that happens every time you go to the pool?

The last leisure centre I worked in, the kids pool was 32C and the big pool 29C. Altbough tbey do vary and tbis is on the warmer end of things. Obviously you don’t have control if it is someone else’s party but if anyone is booking their own one, the lifeguards or managers would be able to tell you their typical temperatures.

no? Some women like one piece swimsuits, or tankinis, others like shorts, who cares?

If people start wondering if you are "hiding" something, they need to get a life 😂

As the party organiser the pool parties were by far the easiest I ever did for my kids. I only ever did them when they were under 8, so that parents had to supervise their own children and there was none of this dropping siblings off with me, because, only a limited number allowed in the pool for safety. I prepared lunch boxes with cake already in, for when they were out and dressed. The whole thing was over and done with in an hour and a half, job done.

It used to make me laugh, because Dad's who I had never seen would be dragged away from their Saturday lie ins to supervise in the pool. I always did it as early as possible, so we could all get it over and done with.