Business & Finance7 mins ago
Swimming
21 Answers
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.)
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.)
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.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).
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!).
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!).
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.
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.
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!
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.)