Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

Paying for swimming lessons in a block/ periods

498 replies

Aquifolium · 07/05/2019 22:25

Hi,

My daughter’s have attended swimming lessons at the local pool for many years. Their attendance has always been spot on. Now they have started their periods they are missing one or 2 sessions a month.
I have contacted the manager to ask if there has been any thought out into this phenomenon, and the reply is of course, they can use tampons, which are perfectly safe.

I wasn’t addressing this issue in a ‘what are you going to do about it’ kind of way, but the dismissive response I have had from the manager has pissed me off.
I feel that my daughters are at a disadvantage now, and that I am paying out for lessons (block booking only)they can’t take up.
Has anyone else done anything about this issue before? Got anywhere?
TIA

OP posts:
sackrifice · 07/05/2019 23:02

No way is a 12 year old going to be using a moon cup. Ouch.
I agree that it should be paid for x lessons not x slots though.

SlipperyLizard · 07/05/2019 23:02

I started my periods young (9/10) and used tampons almost straight away so I could carry on swimming. Perhaps my mum was more matter of fact about it, but there’s absolutely no reason why young girls shouldn’t use tampons.

My 9 year old has already decided she wants to use a moon cup, and her periods haven’t even started yet.

TheRealHousewifeofCheshire · 07/05/2019 23:04

Not read the full thread but I see your point. Aged 12 I wouldn't want to wear a tampon. Personal choice. I still dont want to.

Some pools operate a holiday system where you can book a lesson off and add it to your catch up but you have to use these while youre paying for lessons cant use them as an extra term iyswim

RainbowMum11 · 07/05/2019 23:06

In this case, what would you suggest? That doesn't impact on the boys, the girls who haven't started their periods & those who have started but have got used to the methods of dealing with their periods that enable them to carry on their hobbies?
This is surely a temporary issue anyway?.
And yes - we women have had to get used to making the adjustments and alterations because of our physiological /biological differences - it's not going to change in the medium term.

Original poster
Aquifolium · 07/05/2019 23:07

they could probably do a half hour lesson without a pad in anyway, as the cold water stems the flow
I might suggest this... they could try it when it’s not a lesson. It could be awkward having blood trickling down your leg when getting out though?

OP posts:
Doyoumind · 07/05/2019 23:08

YABU. It's not commercially viable to only make you pay for what you use. The swimming schools would avoid taking on girls and book boys into classes if you only had to pay for when slots are used. Life can't stop for a period. They need to learn to make it part of normal life.

SleepingSloth · 07/05/2019 23:11

Perhaps my mum was more matter of fact about it, but there’s absolutely no reason why young girls shouldn’t use tampons.

Apart from if they don't want to obviously. Wink

Rainatnight · 07/05/2019 23:11

Please please tell us what age they are.

effiesgoldwig · 07/05/2019 23:11

What about period knickers like these?

www.shethinx.com

I've never used them so not sure if they would work in a pool situation. Anyone?

SleepingSloth · 07/05/2019 23:14

I might suggest this... they could try it when it’s not a lesson. It could be awkward having blood trickling down your leg when getting out though?

Sorry but I think this is a very bad idea. I have never found that water stops it and even if it did they still have to get from changing room to water and they may end up with that exact situation you mention.

FanSpamTastic · 07/05/2019 23:14

How about something like this - period pants that can be worn as swimwear? here

Original poster
Aquifolium · 07/05/2019 23:14

holiday system where you can book a lesson off and add it to your catch up but you have to use these while youre paying for lessons cant use them as an extra term iykwim

That would probably work... would depend on the pool having one or 2 swimmers less than the maximum ratio booked in, but it would offer the flexibility that would allow girls to get through the ‘starting periods’ phase until they were confident with periods.

I am fairly unimpressed with comments saying essentially just suck it up, it’s your job as a woman to learn how to deal with an inflexible system that hasn’t considered the needs of young women.

I know there are other issues that are pressing to a larger amount of people, but if we just ignore the small stuff, which has a cumulative effect, how is that going to help?

OP posts:
zzzzzzzx · 07/05/2019 23:15

Even my 16 year old wouldn't use tampax yet and neither would her 24 year old sister at the same age.

However, that said, I can't imagine what response you was hoping for from the Manager. My 8 year old son has missed a lot of swimming lessons due to dance festivals recently. I wouldn't expect to get a reduction for this.

YesQueen · 07/05/2019 23:16

I couldn't use tampons until I was about 28! I use a cup now but pads only for most of my life

Original poster
Aquifolium · 07/05/2019 23:17

Rain, I’m not sure how relevant it is, but they are 12 and 14 and started their periods within weeks of each other.

OP posts:
effiesgoldwig · 07/05/2019 23:18

@FanSpamTastic has the answer! That's the sort of thing I was thinking of.

Usuallyinthemiddle · 07/05/2019 23:20

They can't swim yet? At 12 & 14? If they can, it's a leisure activity. And you're creating an issue.

MuddlingMackem · 07/05/2019 23:20

@zzzzzzzx , but dance festivals are a choice, periods aren't.

cottonwoolmouth · 07/05/2019 23:20

I was a swimming teacher and life guard for over ten years. You can’t pay per lesson. You have to have a set number of kids per class to pay for the teacher and pool costs. In all my time I have never heard of any one complaining of this - ever.

Your dd could go swimming but she is choosing not to. You don’t get a refund because you choose not to attend something.

If a child is ill and can’t come to a lesson - tough. They don’t get a refund either.

If I was on my period and I had to get in the water I had to use a tampon. I chose to work at a pool like your dd chooses to go swimming.

She isn’t ill. She is having a period.

Original poster
Aquifolium · 07/05/2019 23:21

Oh they look good, fanSpamTastic... I didn’t know about those. I bought them some period pants, which they quite like, but hadn’t seen the swim ones.
Quite pricey, but might be worth it.

OP posts:
DecomposingComposers · 07/05/2019 23:23

Surely if you let girls off of paying because they have periods you would also have to let people off if they were unwell, particularly if that illness was a disability under the EA?

I've just missed 8 weeks from the gym because of the disability that I have. Should I ask for a refund do you think?

Original poster
Aquifolium · 07/05/2019 23:24

Usually, don’t really understand where you are coming from. They can swim. Quite well. They enjoy swimming. They like doing it as a structured, regular activity.

Why does this mean I’m creating an issue?

OP posts:
DaisyDoo02 · 07/05/2019 23:24

One of DD's friends' mum once pulled out of taking them swimming because she was 'on'. I was astonished that she didn't just use a tampon but maybe nobody explained them to her at a young age

Hopefully someone did explain to her at a young age that she didn’t have to shove unwanted things up her vagina just so she could go swimming 🤷🏻‍♀️

OP on a serious note, I’m pretty horrified at the “just use tampons” brigade. I remember trying to very painfully use tampons age 12 with irregular (2 weekly) periods just so I could go swimming on a family holiday and not be seen as “weird”, I wish someone had told me it was ok to sit out!

cottonwoolmouth · 07/05/2019 23:26

They can swim. Quite well. They enjoy swimming. They like doing it as a structured, regular activity

What level are they on? Are they in swim club?

Original poster
Aquifolium · 07/05/2019 23:26

Decomposing, I think the holiday system as suggested by a pp would build in a little flexibility to the system that everybody would be able to take advantage of.

OP posts: