PSA: Swimming Reminder

Sorry this is long, but I think it is very important!

You must always be attentive and prepared to jump in the pool when your child is in the pool - even during swim lessons!

Yesterday, my son was at swim lessons and I had to jump in and save him. He is 3 and a non swimmer - hence why he is taking lessons!

To give you background information, they have the 3-5 year old beginner swimmers sit on the side of the pool where it is probably 3.5-4 feet deep. They have three instructors for probably 20-25 kids and one lifeguard in the stand. The kids in the class have varying degrees of swimming ability. Additionally, they have school age swim lessons that are going on simultaneously and there are probably 35 kids taking those lessons. Those kids can swim, but obviously have a wide range of ability.

Anyway, my son was sitting on the edge of the pool and fell in. I think he might have been reaching for a noodle or something. Who knows - it happened so fast. Even though he was pretty close to the edge, he couldn't reach it so I had to jump in and get him.

NOT ONE LIFEGUARD addressed the fact that I had to jump in the pool. The other parents were all like that was a good save on your part. Luckily, I always wear a bathing suit just in case, so I was ready to jump in. Every other parent at lessons is in their regular clothes.

Afterwards, one mother said, "That was really good that you saw that and jumped in". I said, "Yeah cause the lifeguard was being inattentive, which is unacceptable and I am going to complain to the manager" She then proceeded to say, "well, there are a lot of kids in the pool" UM - is this mom f%&*ing kidding me!!!! I was a lifeguard for 10 years and a lifeguard manager for 5. I oversaw 5 different public pools in Levittown with more than 75 guards. If one of my lifeguards missed a save and/or didn't acknowledge a save, they'd be in so much trouble. Immediately, they would be removed from the stand and told to go home. They would then need to shadowed for an extended period of time to make sure they knew how to properly guard the pool. If I didn't feel like they could do the job, I would fire them.

I complained to the manager and she said she would speak with the guard and that they were having training that night and she would address it. I also commented that they need to schedule additional lifeguards to watch the pool if they have that many kids in the pool LEARNING to swim. I am honestly still annoyed and upset by the situation.

I just want to remind everyone that you must always watch your kid in the pool AT ALL TIMES!!! I see parents not even paying attention to their kids and sitting far away. You need to have your eyes on them at all times.

Re: PSA: Swimming Reminder

OMG that is fuking nuts!
I'd be pulling him out of that swim school ASAP.
What if you hadn't been watching?
It's chilling.
100% unacceptable.

I, like you, am insane around the pool. When DD used to go to parties at Saf T Swim, I would stare at her through the glass observation window like a hawk. I'd follow her every move.
Other moms would be chatting away, and I'd be like laser focused.
She wasn't the greatest swimmer at the time and even though she had on a puddle jumper, I wasn't taking any chances.

So glad everything is ok!

How scary

ETA- and isn't there laws about how many lifeguards are needed for X number of swimmers?
There has to be!

Message edited 3/23/2018 8:41:12 AM.

PSA: Swimming Reminder

That happened to my DD once too at swimming lessons but there wasn’t nearly as many kids in the pool. She must have been around 3 also. She was sitting on the edge of the pool with other kids as the instructor was doing one-on-one with another and had her back turned. My Dd fell over, I jumped up and screamed “she fell” and the instructor had to put the other child back on the edge and then she got my DD. I wasn’t happy. It’s very scary. I was more shaken up than my Dd though.

PSA: Swimming Reminder

Omg! This is so scary! My twins are 14 months and will be beginning 1:1 lessons next month, thank you for sharing you wore a bathing suit, I didn’t even think of that, but I will now! Even though they wont be in a group lesson, anything can happen!
I’m so glad your son is ok! I hope the pool does something about this situation or gives you money back for the lessons! I would be going elsewhere!

Message edited 3/23/2018 8:51:38 AM.

PSA: Swimming Reminder

That is absolutely unacceptable. They need to have sufficient adults IN the pool to supervise the kids. I find it very hard to believe this is the first time this has happened. And that mom would be singing a different tune if it were her kid who fell.

I never thought about wearing a bathing suit to DD’s swim lessons, that’s a great idea.

Glad all is well.

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PSA: Swimming Reminder

This whole situation is crazy. Too many kids in the pool, not enough lifeguards, kids sitting on the edge without flotation devices, the lack of response from the lifeguards and supervisors. All totally crazy to me.

We use the Y for lessons. The have bubbles on as soon as they approach the pool. We've only ever had groups of 2-4 and there are no more than a dozen kids getting lessons at a time between the different groups. Dd's last session was 4 kids and 2 instructors. I know part of that is just luck and there are bigger groups at times. But what you describe just sounds like an accident waiting to happen.

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OMG, I'm so glad your son is ok!

This is one of my fears. We have both DS and DD in swim lessons. They are both in 1:1 lessons, which is a little less stressful, but when we have both kids in the pool for lessons, I always want DH there, too, so we can each watch one child. It's hard with so many kids in the pool. Of course I trust the instructors, but I trust myself more. Bottom line.

Is there a manager above the one you spoke with? I'd escalate the complaint, if possible.

Re: PSA: Swimming Reminder

Message edited 7/28/2018 9:44:16 AM.

PSA: Swimming Reminder

thank goodness he's ok!!!! i would be looking for a new swim lesson place. that sounds like WAY too many kids for a learning to swim type situation. The place where my 4 year old goes has one instructor for 3 kids, with a max of only 6 kids in the water at a time ( with 2 teachers, so only 2 lesson groups going at once) no way does that many kids taking lessons at one time sound reasonable!!

Re: PSA: Swimming Reminder

Those ratios sound wayyy off to me. I would either pull my child from that program or basically be prepared to jump in again as you have to pretty much assume they are not being watched.

PSA: Swimming Reminder

Just mentioned to dh who used to run a summer camp and he said the ratios do not seem right to him. He said you can look it up in the health department.

Re: PSA: Swimming Reminder

Very true that you have to watch your kids.

But that sounds like a very BIG problem with the swim school. My kids both took lessons in which the ratio was 1 instructor: 2 kids (who can’t swim/early swimmers) and they put a back/front foam float on the kid each time they go to pay attention to the other one. It’s a high danger situation and they say kids who just learned how to swim are at the highest danger of drowning.

PSA: Swimming Reminder

I hope you aren't going back there!! So glad you were right there!!

Re: PSA: Swimming Reminder

Message edited 3/23/2018 3:16:06 PM.

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How scary!

I would consider a place with a 1:1. My son has always been 1:1 for swim lessons, group swim lessons with young children scares the heck out of me! I don’t know why group lessons are so popular for the young ones.

PSA: Swimming Reminder

Would you mind sharing where this happened? I’m looking to start my kids on lessons this spring and definitely don’t want to go there!

Thank god you were there!!!

Re: PSA: Swimming Reminder

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That’s insane!!!! They could get in major problems, those ratios are def off and I really hope they do something about it!! I don’t even wanna imagine what could have happened if ur class was like my son’s class that didn’t allow parents, I don’t even wanna imagine!!!! It doesn't even sound they were so apologetic either! I’m glad ur little is ok and u were there to help him

Re: PSA: Swimming Reminder

Posted by soontobemommyof2

That’s insane!!!! They could get in major problems, those ratios are def off and I really hope they do something about it!! I don’t even wanna imagine what could have happened if ur class was like my son’s class that didn’t allow parents, I don’t even wanna imagine!!!! It doesn't even sound they were so apologetic either! I’m glad ur little is ok and u were there to help him

PSA: Swimming Reminder

Wow that's scary. Seems like the school didn't want to address the issue and admit fault. That type of response would be enough for me to remove my child.

PSA: Swimming Reminder

Holy crap! That’s awful! Thank god you were paying attention.

This is why I’m so glad I enrolled my daughter in ISR which is Infant Swimming Resource (for ages 6 months-6years). The videos of babies falling into a pool and floating sometimes go viral. She learned how to rescue herself should she fall into a body of water by swimming and floating to safety or until someone can get to her. I wish these lessons were mandatory.

Message edited 3/28/2018 7:08:37 PM.