To think that swimming pool rules are daft

[Reallytired]

My son is seven years old and can swim 50 metres both front and back. I also have a small baby. I have been told that if we go swimming we have to remain in the baby pool even if the baby is fast asleep on the side of the pool in her car seat.

I have also been told off for my son being excessively boistous in the baby pool. I think I should be allowed to take my son in the main pool with the baby in the car seat. I would be able to see the baby at all times.

What is completely ridicolous is that children who are over 8 are allowed to go swimming on their own, in any pool, even if they are non swimmers.

Cat64 - there isn't a difference, really. There are a lot of things that cut-off by age . Some children at school are ahead on ability in different subjects but they are not allowed to progress outside their year group. Age cut-off depends on the average for that age group (the norm?) there will be some who are more than ready and some who are not ready even when they reach the required age.

juule... thats true but not always...

for example if you go to a theme park you have to be a certain size to go on things or not go on things...

I really dont see why an adult cant take 2 children (who can competantly swim into a swimming pool)

NannyL - I would have thought that's probably because otherwise you would either need a certificate of competency (or something) or maybe would need extra staff for observing the child doing a certain demonstration swim - not sure what criteria that would entail.

Probably easier and cheaper for them to just use the age thing which is coincidentally the same cut-off as the age of children for whom childminders need to be registered for. Under-8s and over-8s seem to be viewed differently.

in our local pool the life gaurd does it... there are 2 on duty, 1 in the chair and 1 walking round and the walking round one observes the test swim