To be cross with the swimming pool rules.

[Thevelveteenrabbit]

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.

Well, chopstheduck, if you live out here the pools are miles and miles away--you need a car as the buses are irregular. And if the pools are run by the same local authority, the same rules would apply.

So once again it will be poorer families who lose access. And statistically they are EXACTLY the children most likely to be overweight.

Very silly rule.
When we go swimming I have siatica and can only manage it for a short time so dp takes over with the dc's while I get changed then he send's dd to me to get ready.... and with dc'3 on the way it would mean we could never go swimming if they had this rule?!? as we would have 3 under 5.

I take my twins (21/2) swimming on my own during the week

And I take my older dc (6 and 8) with the twins on my own at weekends

We all go in the adult pool, twins in armbands and floatie jackets and the older dc can swim properly- I would leave the 8 year old but not the 6 year old.

Then when we go into the baby pool for a warm up the 8 year old often chooses to stay in the adult pool.

I have never had a member of staff say I cannot take them on my own.

Might be worth looking up industry bodies to see if there is any guidance that you can use to argue with your local pools/councillors? ROSPA or national swimming associations?

This is strange. At all the pools we have ever swum in as parents, the supervision has been 1 adult to 2 under-8s. And that supervision has had to be with the adult either in the water with the children, or sitting on the side of the pool wearing a swimsuit. What on earth is the point of supervision from the gallery?

I'm lucky - our pool allows one adult to two under-8s so I can take my 5 and 3 year old by myself.

At our local pool it is 1 adult to two under 8 year olds. And no stipulation about whether they have arm bands on or not.

Not read the thread but it seems that the rules are not the same everywhere? Our pool states that in the children's pool it is 1 adult for 2 under-fours and 1 adult for 3 age four-seven. In the main pool its 1 adult to 1 under-four, and 1 adult to 2 age four-sevens. I don't think its too unreasonable, though I won't be taking my two (age 1 and 2) swimming on my own yet - even though supposedly I am allowed there is no way I could cope on my own quite yet!

This is quite interesting. I didn't know mine so just had a look and it's

1 adult to 2 children under 5yrs old

1 adult to 3 children under 9yrs old

And only 10yr old plus are allowed in the pool unsupervised whether they can swim or not.

All non swimmers have to wear some type of Buoyancy (sp?) aid.

We went to an ENORMOUS indoor pool in California where they had no rules about adult:child ratios, and they only had one lifeguard on duty!

They did however ban armbands (or 'Waterwings' as they call them). Other flotation aids fine, just not waterwings.

One of our local pools requires that you keep within arm's reach of any child using a flotation aid. Even though my 3yo son was wearing a floaty suit which had 4 different inflation chambers (so the odds of sudden failure and drowning were near nil). 

At same time, their rules meant I could let my 7yo (not using flotation aids) go anywhere far away from me... although she was the one who really <span class="italic">needed</span> me close as she was still a weak swimmer without float-aids. I couldn't realistically expect her to stick very close to me the whole time, but How was she suposed to become a better unaided swimmer without practice?

Needless to say,we don't go to that pool often.

Ours has several family sessions a week when the 1:1 rule is relaxed.

I really agree about the no-fun thing. Where we used to live we went to a lovely pool where my little ones most of all enjoyed jumping off the side into the baby pool. There was really no risk of injury - it was very shallow. It was no more dangerous than jumping off the bottom step of the stairs. But of course it was 'not allowed' and going there ended up being no fun as I always had to be the enforcer.