Cannot believe my 16 year old daughter cant take her 7 year old swimming brother swim

JMW77

I cannot believe that our local swimming pool will not let my 16 year old daughter take her brother swimming , he has passed his 10 metres although not a strong swimmer he can swim.
Last week she went to pay and was asked are you 18 she said no they said you are not able to swim with a 7 year old.

I am so shocked ,she has taken him before when he couldn't swim and at his lessons his teacher often says get your big sister to take you swimming more often.

I remember going as a child just kids no adult at all.

What do you think ?

Elle7

This has been in place for a while - because she needs to take responsibility for him and can't if she is under 18. The legal requirements for lifeguards mean that there need to be more for children under 16 who aren't accompanied by an adult over 18.

There might be times when there are more lifeguards on duty so they will allow it, but you'd need to enquire at the desk.

Its health and safety I guess, trying to keep everyone safe and prevent legal action.

thunderbird

In my experience it is standard practice for children under a certain age (would definitely include a 7 year old) to be accompanied by an adult in a swimming pool.

PudseyDB

Does anyone know what age kids can go in by themselves?

My girls often went swimming last year aged 12 and 14 with their friends. Just wondering how old my youngest would need to be before he can join them.

Lotus-eater

PudseyDB wrote: »

Does anyone know what age kids can go in by themselves?

My girls often went swimming last year aged 12 and 14 with their friends. Just wondering how old my youngest would need to be before he can join them.

I thought the std rules were 16 by themselves. But I've just had a quick look around and it seems to depend on the facility.
So you're going to have to find out from where you swim.

PudseyDB

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I thought the std rules were 16 by themselves. But I've just had a quick look around and it seems to depend on the facility.
So you're going to have to find out from where you swim.

Maybe you're right. I just remember taking my children swimming last easter and the pool being full of kids of all ages and hardly any adults. We ended up going in the baby pool as there was hardly anyone in there and it was far too rough for my son in the big pool as he wasnt a strong swimmer then.

Probably be different now though - this was when it was free for kids to swim so whole groups of them used to go to the pool.

MX5huggy

Would a 17 year old mother be able to take their baby?

janninew

MX5huggy wrote: »

Would a 17 year old mother be able to take their baby?

I was just thinking the same! The school I work at has several teen mums, some 16 year old girls have little toddlers of their own!

fluffnutter

My brother and I used to go swimming together right from the age that our mum was happy for us to get the bus on our own. I can't have been more than 9 or 10 (he's three years older).

I'm interested in knowing how many children's lives have been saved due to this change in policy. I suspect that it's made no difference whatsoever. Swimming pools with lifeguards are, and have always been, pretty safe places for children.

So this leads me to conclude that this isn't about safety at all, it's about the fear of legislation, or 'health and safety' or some such other policy that, frankly, isn't backed up by logic or evidence. Great.

Person_one

janninew wrote: »

I was just thinking the same! The school I work at has several teen mums, some 16 year old girls have little toddlers of their own!

As they're the parent and therefore legally responsible anyway in a way that a sibling isn't, I think they'd probably be ok.

fluffnutter

MX5huggy wrote: »

Would a 17 year old mother be able to take their baby?

Any mother, regardless of age, certainly couldn't take more than one child. I saw this the other day at my local pool. One child per adult. So basically, if you've got a 15 year old (or even a 17 year old) and another younger child, if you want to take them swimming make sure you drag a friend along with you.