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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be cross with the swimming pool rules.

63 replies

Thevelveteenrabbit · 07/02/2010 16:44

I always thought (yes I know - I should have checked) that you required 1 adult to supervise 2 four year olds when swimming. So as my twins were four last weekend we ventured out to go swimming this afternoon - me, dh, dd1 (6) and dt1 and dt2 (4).
Well they wouldn't let us in as the pool states one for one supervision for under 5s. Fortunately we managed to persuade FIL to come and watch because supervision from the gallery is sufficient!
I am cross because I was so looking forward to going swimming altogether as a family without relying on anyone else and being able to take them swimming on my own during the week when dd1 is at school.

OP posts:
SeaTheStars · 07/02/2010 16:51

yanbu

am sure the rules are there for good reason but they bar many lone parents from a fun, cheap and healthy activity

pooka · 07/02/2010 16:53

But if you have 2 under fives (i.e. the twins) would not you and dh being there satisfy the rule. Or do they factor in your 6 year old as well?

Think is daft that 1 parent is considered insufficient for a 6 year old and a 4 year old.

smokinaces · 07/02/2010 16:56

I'd be pissed at this too. I dont know the exact rules of our local pool but I have taken DS1 (3) and DS2 (1) with a friend and her DD (2) so 2 adults for 3 under 4s. This was fine, as long as they all wore their swimming aids at all times.

YANBU, stupid pool. Do you have any others near you?

smokinaces · 07/02/2010 16:57

oh, and whilst on holiday at a Haven I was allowed to take my 2 DSs (aged 3 and 1 then too) swimming on my own - which was a bloody good thing seeing as I am a lone parent and was on holiday on my own with them!

aoyama · 07/02/2010 16:57

Our pool states 1 adult for 2 under 8s but over 8s don't need supervision at all. I can't take my 3 by myself for another 3 years as they are all under 8 even though my eldest can swim 200m and would only be playing in the baby pool which comes up to his waist at the deep end. I don't know what the rules should be but most adults should be able to supervise at least 3 children in 18 inches of water. Our pool makes no distinction between a babe in arms and a 7yo, maybe 1-2 for under 3s and 3 or 4 to 1 for over 3s would be sensible.

ellokitty · 07/02/2010 16:59

Yes, the rules are bloody stupid some times. I went swimming with my DDs 6 and 3. I'm trying to teach my eldest DD to swim without armbands, as she has been learning in class. But the pool would not let my 6 year old take off her armbands because there were not two adults present. Despite the fact that she was in the shallow end, could easily stand up and I was watching her like a hawk. How am I supposed to teach her to swim without arm bands? (Yet, the swimming teacher can have 15 of them in there without armbands!) Its annoying, because she can swim easily with armbands, and can actually swim 3/4 length without, she just needs confidence and practice, but how is she supposed to get if she's not allowed to take off her armbands?

So yes, I totally agree with you - have guidelines, I totally agree, but surely parents should be able to use their discretion? What if both your four years were confident swimmers? Some children are at that age.

PixieOnaLeaf · 07/02/2010 17:05

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borderslass · 07/02/2010 17:07

glad they didn't have these rules when mine were young I had 3 under 5's that I took on my own every week.

dreamingofsun · 07/02/2010 17:08

i've always had a feeling that the rules are in place because of the complex's insurance policy - nothing to base this on though.

belgo · 07/02/2010 17:14

yanbu, that's a stupid rule but unfortunately probably brought about by a reaction to parents' stupidity. Irresponsible parents spoil things for the rest of us.

I've been swimming loads on my own with my three children, when all three were 5, 3 and 10 months.

ImSoNotTelling · 07/02/2010 17:24

It's all silly. I am still annoyed that they got rid of all the deep ends and diving boards around here.

They make it no fun at all - then wonder why older children don't go any more. Well doh

CarGirl · 07/02/2010 17:26

At our local pool it is 1 adult per child under 8.

I loathe swimming so have got out of taking them for another couple of years

cornsilk · 07/02/2010 17:26

I was never told this when I took my two. Is this a recent thing?

MayorNaze · 07/02/2010 17:28

is only under 8s that need supervising at our pool.

thelunar66 · 07/02/2010 17:30

they have done away with deep ends and diving boards???

sarah293 · 07/02/2010 17:31

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posieparker · 07/02/2010 17:35

Bloody stupid, it means if you're a single parent with two children you really have no chance of taking them swimming. Must be some discrimination going on somewhere. Perhaps if they employed more lifeguards it wouldn't be an issue. Even if your child is a good swimmer you can't go with more than one.

YANBU

CrystalTits · 07/02/2010 17:43

Our local pool stipulates 1:1 for under 4s, which means that until they were 4 I couldn't take my DTs and older child on my own, even if we stayed in the shallow end.

When I queried it, I was told that it was due to ubiquitious Health and Safety following the negligence of 'one or two parents' who didn't supervise their young children properly, leading to intervention from the lifeguards.

Personally I think it's appalling that these policies endanger the health and safety of my children (who didn't ask to be born together!) because I can't teach them how to play confidently in water until they are much older.

YANBU

Original poster
Thevelveteenrabbit · 07/02/2010 17:51

I thought it was just up to 4 that it was 1:1 - so we have been talking about being able to go once they had their birthday! They were very upset when they realised that we couldn't go in - fortunately we managed to get Grandad to come and watch which meant we could then go in the pool with all 3.

OP posts:
bruffin · 07/02/2010 17:52

Its sensible advice. I am a very good swimmer and my dcs could swim from the age of 3. The only time I took them by myself in a holiday place like Haven was a complete and utter nightmare it wasn't worth it. I couldn't keep an eye on both of them at the same time.

foreverastudent · 07/02/2010 18:00

I think all these new rules came in because of the 7 year old who died in a pool in Dundee after he was allowed in without an adult.

sarah293 · 07/02/2010 18:04

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TottWriter · 07/02/2010 18:09

YANBU, but I can see why swimming pools feel obliged to put the daft restrictions in place. They have to cover themselves so that the local papers don't get splashed with a negligence claim (which, lets face it, the media is all too quick to promote these days) when some shitty parent doesn't watch their children properly and they get in trouble.

It's utterly unfair on single parents and people with twins of course, but at least it means they still open the pool. If only the new media weren't so quick to point the blame firmly on any institution we might not be in this mess. I know another woman with twins who often bemoans being unable to take her twins (under 2 still) anywhere because of similar pools.

Though saying that, one of the local ones near here has a 1:1 for the very young, and after that if they pass a swimming proficiency test or have armbands etc., the rules relax a little. Can't remember the ages off the top of my head, but it does seem like a reasonable compromise. I think they must get a certificate which they can present or something (I only have my DS, so it's not something I've encountered yet).

CarGirl · 07/02/2010 18:14

I think the problem is partly that if your children can swim you can be fooled into thinking they don't need supervision/won't get into difficulties but that is not necessarily true.

I do think 1 to 1 for uner 8 is extreme, perhaps 1 to 1 for non competent swimmers and 1 to 2 for swimmers under 8 or something.

CantSupinate · 07/02/2010 18:15

I'm so glad that our local pool is so laid back (in this and other respects). We're 'allowed' a ratio of 1 adult: 3 children under 8yo.