5 year old swimming party - unaccompanied or not?

[DrSpechemin]

DS has been invited to a swimming party this weekend - its in the local pool. Invite says you don't need to be in the pool with them as they have helpers (which is a result as who wants to be seen by school mums in a swimsuit )

However, the party is in the leisure pool section and is normally pretty packed at the weekend. DS can swim with armbands but isn't that confident in the water.

I feel a bit nervous about not being there with him. What would you do? Volunteer to help out? Or trust someone you don't know to look after your child in a swimming pool?

Don't they get exclusive use of the pool for an hour or something?

i'd go. or ask him if he wants you there.

I had a swimming party for DS last year (6th birthday). For a swimming party we had to hire out the whole pool for an hour.
One of the conditions of the party was that for children under 8 we had to have 1 adult for every 2 children.
We invited over 20 kids, there was no way we could have enough helpers and I knew because of their age there would of been quite a few non swimmers.
I did state on the invitation that i would prefer a parent with them in the pool, but if there were problems, we could draft another helper in.

I wouldn't of thought they would be allowed in the pool with loads of kids and not enough helpers.
x

I would stay and watch - not necessarily in the water, but from the edge of the pool.

what condensedmilkaddict said if you don't want to go in, but tbh I would also have a costume on under my clothes in case I felt there weren't enough helpers or ds was struggling. ds is moderately confident in water but it doesn't take much to put him off his stroke IYSWIM.

I must say that in fact I always went in the water with ds at swimming parties, and I think they are lovely, one of the nicest and most relaxed of children's parties at this age. Hope you both have fun.

Reckon they'll rope off a section of the pool for the party. You could ring up the pool (the Mum won't know) and find out.

Thanks everyone - spoke to the mum today - they will be in the main swimming pool with everyone but have a ratio of parents:children.

I've offered my services in case they run out of helpers. I just feel a bit wary as I don't know the helpers and how do I know that they won't lose DS amongst the public?

I would be a bit concerned too. Make sure DS knows where you are sitting and definitely go. Just say you fancied a swim too!