Spending all day at the pool?

[longestlurkerever]

I'm aware this post is going to come across as judgy and I genuinely don't mean it to be as fully aware my holidays probably sound shit too, but I am curious about what people mean when they say they spend all day by the pool on holiday as i think i must have the wrong end of the stick. I bloody love pools and swimming and go most days even at homr but after an hour I'm ready to get out and dry and into the shade. Isn't it a bit uncomfortable spending all day in the pool? And even if you include "by" the pool, isn't it difficult to relax while there are kids playing and shouting and splashing you? And are the kids just nagging you to get back in the whole time? It's these kinds of reasons I've never been on a resort holiday or to center parcs but everyone I know seems to enjoy them and say the kids have a ball, so wonder if I'm missing out based on misconceptions.

It’s not really for me either but we have had holidays like this when chn were young. We generally went to the pool for a few hours either morning or afternoon but I’d be bored all day. Then the next day we’d do something different like exploring the sights. BIL has a physical job so he wants to be horizontal for a week- each to their own. Holidays mean different things to different people.

I can spend all day by the pool,

Especially if someone is delivering food and drink to us.

Take books, card games, when we are on holiday there's often slides as well as just the pool bit.

Sometimes I just look at the sea for a bit,

We've done a few holidays like this. Few hours in the morning - in and out, reading. Lunch and a few hours in the afternoon. DH hated it!

In Cyprus we hired a car to break it up a bit.

If I was without the kids I could do it just reading all day!

If you're bored you need a better book!

I adore lying by the pool. Reading a book, sunbathing. Jumping in the pool to cool down. Relaxing. Achieving nothing.

My kids are passed the kiddie pool stage so we can sit at the quieter areas of the pool.

I also enjoy a city break and seeing and experiencing lots.

But it's also nice to go to a good resort and just chill and relax.

See I think this is what I mean. I can imagine having a blissful holiday just lying somewhere beautiful with a book. But it wouldn't be by a swimming pool with loads of other people around and my kids nagging me to get soggy again when I've just dried off.

I love sitting by the pool. Going for a cooling dip, getting a drink delivered, playing some games with the kids. Kids making friends. Playing pit pat or catch. Heaven.

one week is plenty.

evenings are for walking, eating out, ch aging the scene. Maybe hire a boat and other day, or take a trip to a family friendly beach club.

kids are avid readers too and we all enjoy flopping now. We lead very busy lives so the holiday is a real break from all that.

we did do other holidays at other times of the year so there is balance!

It’s all down to the type of hotel you choose and who you are with I guess.

Well that rather depends on the age of your kids. If they are old enough to not need you watching them constantly, or you don’t have any with you of course, then there is literally nothing better than lounging on a sunlounger, reading a good book, listening to music, couple of cocktails, jump in the pool to cool down when you get too warm, and have a snooze in the shade whenever you like. Wander off for a long leisurely lunch during the hottest part of the day. Pure heaven, you come home so completely relaxed, and in three weeks time I’ll be doing exactly that.😁

I love a day by the pool. We always book a villa so it’s just us. Early morning swim before breakfast, then splash about and do some lengths before a late bbq lunch. Game of boules or ping pong, then catch the early evening sun with my feet in the water with a G&T and a book. Another swim before the children’s dinner and bed, glass of wine and charcuterie/cheese, then possibly a late night swim in the illuminated pool. I love those days!!

Our life is utterly manic and so I love breaks when we can flop. Before I had kids, I never understood it and would always go in hiking holidays etc. DH never joined me...

Now we do a couple of days sightseeing seeing and then relax for the rest.

It helps that my 4 DC all get along, are all strong swimmers and love a good book so aren't pestering me all the time unless they need money for an ice cream. Admittedly, it's only be the last two years where I was not constantly observing them (before that I spent the entire time counting heads to ensure that they were not in danger) but now I can play with them and sit by the side of the pool to read and watch them as we all need.

I can spend all day by the pool. I rarely go in though. It's quite nice to relax in the sun reading and drinking with the option to dip your toes. I think you're over-thinking it.

I am at a small hotel where there are only about two children here. It is Amazing and not busy at all. I have two older children.

10am - 12pm We went swimming in the lake/paddle boarding/lilo lying.

Came back to the pool and here has been the schedule:
Coffee
Drink
Sunbed/pool variation
Read book
Ate lunch
Snoozed on sun bed
Had a drink and ice cream
Went on mumsnet
Went in the pool
Back on mumsnet
Will go back in the pool

It has been very relaxing, calm, just being in the moment, enjoying the difference to my life. It does take time to wind down to this level of relaxation though!

I’m just about to go on my first pool holiday in years, and I’m also not sure how anyone spends all day for several days doing it. I’m hoping it will be a revelation, but I suspect I will be climbing the walls soon enough. I have 14 new books on my Kindle, which I hope will be enough to entertain for some of the time (I read every day so reading isn’t a special thing for me).

We used to do it pre DC, and found it very relaxing, shade, well back from the pool to avoid noise/splashing, kindle, drinks being served, but the DCs turned out to prefer indoor pools and cooler weather (and not like beaches AT ALL) and indeed I would have found it too hot if I'd had to emerge from the shade and go in the pool with them. So once they grew out of Eurocamp etc we switched to active holidays, they'd have been bored stiff on a pool holiday as teenagers (still would as young adults). One day maybe DH and I will go back to these sorts of holiday without them but at the moment they still always come with us.

I couldn’t do it every day for a week, but I love a day or 2 completely by the pool, particularly at the start of a fortnight break.

As others say, have a good book and in and out of the water/snoozing/people watching.

We go to nude resorts - people are extremely respectful.
Kids are playing, but never yelling or screaming, no one reserves sun beds as at other places - there’s plenty for everyone, but it’s just never, ever done.

No soggy swim clothes when you get out of pool - just dry off in the sun!

We did this last year- AI resort with DD who was 5 and I was about 7 months pregnant. We spent most days by the pool and had a great time- DD loves to swim and was literally IN the pool for about 6 hours a day. We spent some time with all 3 of us swimming together and some with DH and I swapping in and out so the other one could chill with a book for a bit. Potter over to the poolside restaurant for lunch and occasionally go to the room to cool down for an hour on the hottest days. Was lovely!

Currently sat by the pool. It's 40 degrees.

It's too hot to go anywhere so we are alternating the following-
Sunbathe
Pool
Shade
Drink
Eat
Sunbathe
Pool
Shade
Etc

My friend can lie there all day, listening to podcasts and music, and occasionally having a little dip in the pool to cool off. But she's a proper sun worshipper.

I can manage a couple of hours, and do enjoy it, but like to mix it up with walks, or bus trips, or whatever.

I must say that I could easily do a couple of days at this moment in time though. I haven't been on a pool/chill holiday since before Covid.

When ours were little we’d go to a place where there were activities for the kids (not all day kids clubs). There’d be tshirt painting or something crafty in the morning for about an hour and then a sporty/physical thing in the afternoon. These were brilliant as it gave us at least a bit of rest if the DC chose to participate which they usually did. We also had loads of family time together too.

I could easily spend all day by the pool previously, mostly out of the pool just reading and relaxing. Since DS came along coupled with a melanoma our holidays are a lot more active now although when he's older we might be able to do more holidays by the pool although I'll be in the shade!

I could do it for a few days. I would read and relax. Being by a pool at the moment just means being on high alert that my kids don’t drown!

Ah kids' activities and taking it in turns makes it make more sense. Still think I prefer the idea of the beach though as you can do most of the chilling stuff but also have the views, and sand and waves to help occupy the kids (and me, as I love a body board). And if you can find a deserted one , even better though you have ti take your own drinks.

I know what you mean, it's not for us either - though nothing against it for those who enjoy.

We (me, DH and DS (10)) all enjoy swimming. We do have very busy lives in term time - I teach full time, DS obviously has school plus activities and DH works for himself. That said, we are an active family and love being out and about.

We are currently having a blissful (to us!) time in the Austrian alps. We have been hiking on the mountains, been on the glacier (included sledging), visited a big suspension bridge and tree top walk, crazy golf etc.
We have also been swimming most days- usually an hour or so mid-late afternoon, which we have enjoyed and had some time chilling on the balcony.

We are just that sort of family that enjoy doing and exploring- I don't think any of us could do a full day at the pool.

I take by the pool to mean go for breakfast then head down to the pool. Swim, play in water and use the slides. Sunbathe or read. Grab a drink or snack.
Go for lunch and maybe a walk or freshen up in the room. Then the same in the afternoon.
Not something I would do with young kids but very restful.
We normally alternate between beach and pool with meals and trips to the shops thrown in plus a bit of down time in the room with aircon