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

faerie~spangles

Person_one wrote: »

Don't you remember these?

I might print that off and hang it in my bathroom :cool:

Lotus-eater

I suspect it's to do with insurance. Or problems with young children causing trouble.

Spendless

Check the actual policy of the swimming pool. It might be more to do with your son being under 8 rather than your daughter under 18. Where I live the council run pools don't allow a child under 8 to swim without an adult subject also to a adult:child ratio. From 8+ the child can swim without an adult, so a 16yo would be able to take them. Our 'fun' pool only allows children swimming without an adult from age 10 onwards.

LandyAndy

My sons (now 17 and 15) have never had any problem swimming unsupervised at our local pool (Ringwood) over the last few years. They are almost certainly stronger swimmers than any of the lifeguards, though.

There clearly isn't an arbitrary age related rule there to be enforced against them.

If there was a rule, as at the OP's pool, then it would have to be adhered to. These sorts of rules are an attempt to make one size fit all. Being someone it doesn't fit is inconvenient but occasionally can't be avoided.

stargazer59

Oh well, lets just make it even more difficult for kids to be healthy!

I used to spend my school holidays at the beach! we would be packed up with lunch and bus fare home (which we would spend on ice creams and walk!!)

The local pool here is very near the back of my house, i watch whole classes of schoolchildren walk past to use the pool with only a couple of adults with them, during the summer there is a constant stream of children walking down to go to the pool, i do not believe there have been any problems.

Seriously we are becoming so overprotective in this country, we have a major obesity problem, surely this is just putting another obstacle in the way?

JimmyTheWig

bobthedambuilder wrote: »

I used to go to the pool by myself when I was 8 or 9, back in the 50's.

I also went to the local park by myself, and down to the beach in summer. and played out in the street until all hours ....

What a society we've turned into.

Did you read the post above yours (#13) where someone gave the actual rules from their local pool. At 8 or 9 you'd still be allowed to go by yourself.

tea_lover

Gigglepig wrote: »

I'm sort of glad I grew up before "Health and Safety" took over :-)

To defend my profession for a moment... the pool's policy will be based on their risk assessment.

The problem is that unqualified people, often with no idea what they're doing, carry out risk assessments. :mad:

As with so many of these nonsense rules we find nowadays, there is usually no legislative reason for them. But then 'health and safety' gets blamed as ever, despite actual health and safety legislation being proportionate, reasonable and a very good idea if you look at our declining workplace fatality rates over the last 40 years.

And relax....:D

Carl31

Cant help but think theres a few OTT reactions in this thread

Children at the age of 8 are more likely fairly confident and capable swimmers, hence a fair age not to require parental supervision. Obviously not in all cases but in general.

Adult supervision of younger childrens just ensures safety surely?

mumps

Marisco wrote: »

I agree! We used to go down the beach (no pools around my hometown then!!) on our own from about 8, and I'm still here!! Learnt to swim dammed quick as well, no fancy lessons, more like a shove off the deep end of the pier at 9!! That's how we all learned then! And no one ever drowned either, the older kids "kept an eye open". I often wonder how society will be in 20/30/40 years time, when people will have lost the ability to do sod all, as they were so cosseted as kids!!

I don't believe in over protecting kids but lets be honest, kids have drowned in pools. My son was in primary school in the 70s, kids used to go to swimming lessons, 35 in a class with their teacher and a swimming teacher and a life guard. One day they were getting the kids out and saw a body on the bottom of the pool. Yes an eight year old died that day. Children need to take risks but adults need to ensure they aren't fatal.

lostinrates

I don't think this is that new. About twelve years ago I, in early twenties, could only take one niece to the swimming pool. Ironically, we were all wild swimmers ....the kids joined us when it was warm, and swam like fishes in the sea and the school pool, where we were allowed to take as many as each adult 'owned ' and, with a note from parents, their kids too. Play dates were often at the school pool in summer holidays.