Swimming

[sherrardk]

Went swimming today, first time to the local pool so all a bit of a trial. Firstly, the reception staff gave us some complicated rules about which of us adults could be in which pool with what combination of children (with one pool closing at three and one closing at four).

Changing rooms fine, lots of family rooms and large cubicles so all surprisingly straight forward.

Went through the doors and noticed lots of toddlers in the leisure pool (which is in addition to the teaching pool and the normal pool (oh, and the diving pool)), which the reception staff had specifically said we couldn't take thing 1 and thing 2 into when I directly asked them. Anyway, sign on tube/slide thing said something along the lines of 'all children under eight must be accompanied by an adult unless aged five to seven'.

Are all swimming pools this complicated, is it health and safety gone bonkers? (ps - it was brilliant fun and the reception staff had got themselves so confused with the rules that they forgot to charge us for our adult entries so it was £11 for 2 hours fun for all off us.)

[boxtops]

I think they might be - it's often so there are no lone children in the pool a) in case they get into difficulties, and b) sadly, in case there are weirdos.

[annie0000]

lol - i like the sign on the tube/slide ;o) - glad you had a good time!

[annie0000]

our local pool allows all over 8s in unaccompanied regardless of whether they can swim.....as long as they are over 8 it's fine!!

[annie0000]

When I couldn't be bothered going in the pool (i would spectate) I used to get my two in when the youngest was still 7 as he looked old enough. He could swim better than me anyway as could his 8 year old brother!!

[tamborine]

Am sad of Rules & Regs; swimming is fun/healthy and an important ability.

[sherrardk]

Hi both - it gets complicated when you have twins and a five year old (they didn't seem to be too bothered about the seven year old and not at all fussed about the eleven year old), you would think that they would be allowed to use a bit of common sense (but I understand that they were just doing their jobs).

[sherrardk]

Hi tambo too (you weren't here when I started typing).

[mumsie_wumsie]

But if your child got into difficulties, wouldn't you be glad of those 'rules and regs'. For young children, and those that cannot yet swim, supervision in the water is essential.

[annie0000]

Cant you just get one standing on the others shoulders with a big long dress covering them up and pretend it is just one really tall child (just like in the movies) that always works..........

[albaqwerty]

ooh sherra. I despair of H&S when a parent has more than one child.I think all swimming pools are complicated.. Why can't they alow the parent to make their choice ??

If a parent wasn't comfy then surely the parent wouldn't be there?

[sherrardk]

Hi mumsie wumsie - I get the need for outline rules but surely anyone can see that two grown ups with five children (one of eleven, one of seven, one of five and two three year olds) can probably manage in the shallow (ie inches deep water). Surely adults should have some responsibility for what activities they undertake with their children?

Hi Annie - don't suggest that to my husband, it's something he might consider. As it is, he casts a general glance in our direction when paying in the hope that the cashier will decide that thing 1 and thing 2 are under three, (worked in the Chinese tonight though!).

[annie0000]

I always think that the rules are there for people who aren't able to properly risk assess the situation themselves. Of course no sensible person would put their child at risk, but I know loads of families where the have under 8s that swim really well (some to competition standard) and equally loads of families with 8/9/10 year olds with little or no swimming ability. To have a dividing line at an age rather than a competence level just doesn't make sense to me. What they do in Holland is make all children under 8 (i think) wear armbands unless a certificate of competence is produced from a recognised swimming facility - at least that goes part way to a sensible rule.

[sherrardk]

Hi Alba - I agree completely. A bit of common sense on all parts wouldn't go amiss. I wouldn't take all of them on my own, as I wouldn't be comfortable with it and I wouldn't take the twins on my own at the moment (as thing 1 is a bit wild!).

[mumsie_wumsie]

I understand what you are saying sherrardk, but children move so fast, they can disappear in seconds, and when water is involved,WOW, THATS SCAREY. I am a firm believer in children learning to swim at the earliest age possible.But also agree that going to the swimming pool with the kids is great fun.

[tamborine]

All pools must have qualified attendants ?

[sherrardk]

Hi all - actually, I have never seen so many attendants at a pool - three around the leisure pool and one on the top of the slide thing. I honestly do understand the need for rules, but if the people on reception get confused by them then there must be a bit of a problem (we can't be the only people who go there with so many children). Anyway, it was great so will probably become our Winter Sunday outing!

[sherrardk]

Hi mumsie wumsie - I can't take them for swimming lessons (the twins) as they have to have an adult with each of them (husband is self employed so he can't come). Just one of those things when you have got twins - I should write an idiots guide to having twins!

[annie0000]

lots of twins in my family sher - thankfully we didn't have any (although two kids 13 months apart is pretty bad too) especially as my OH finds them a bit creepy - I think he means identical twins though.

[mumsie_wumsie]

Having twins must be great fun, and lots of hard work.. How old are they and are they identical???(hope you don't mind me asking)...

[sherrardk]

Hi Annie - when I found out I was having twins it was my biggest fear that they would be identical. As babies they must be impossible to tell apart - pretty sure I asked a midwife at one of my appointments if there was a special pen that you could write their initials on their feet! (To be fair, I was in shock from when I found out I was having two, until they actually got here, so I probably spoke a lot of nonsense at the time.)