Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

So I watched the Today show segment on the drowning of Bode Miller's little girl and it nearly broke my heart :( and I know this is so common.

So what are your thoughts on kids in pools and supervision etc.

Do you think ALL kids / teens etc should have someone watching them while they swim? I read a story of a man in his seventies dying in his pool on the north fork this week - have to assume that he suffered some medical issue while in his pool and he was there alone and died.

I feel that I am always the overprotective mom and I want someone sitting AT the pool if kids are IN the pool or playing near the pool - kids in my circle are all ages 8 and above and all kids are excellent swimmers but we all know that this does not prevent drowning.

I know several moms who think as long as they are home and"keeping an eye" or in the kitchen that this is sufficient supervision. I do not and it worries me.

I know one mom who will leave a group of 12 year olds in her pool while she goes food shopping!!

If you have a pool or if your kids visit a house with a pool what are your general rules and expectations?

Thanks

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

I think this is a very good question. If I have kids over my house, I am outside with them supervising if they are in our pool. All kids are usually between the ages of 7-10 and excellent swimmers and in my pool, the water only comes to their chests but I still am watching.

I will say though if I am with other moms I have noticed that the others and myself will be near the pool but will get distracted by talking to one another. I try to remind myself that drowning can happen so quickly. I am curious to hear others’ responses.

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

We have a pool and between my own kids and their friends, it ranges in age from 2-10. I am right next to or in the pool at all times. I don’t allow non-swimmers in without an adult in the water itself. If I run inside, they all get out. My DS and his friends get a lot more crazy then my DD and her friends, so sometimes I have to kick kids out if they are acting too nuts. They go between the playground, trampoline and pool and what makes me most nervous is going down our slide wet, it’s steep and they go so fast lol. Anyways, my DH and I were lifeguards growing up so I have similar rules to when I did that.

ETA: I do think someone should be watching if anyone is in the pool. I actually don’t go in my pool when nobody is home, and I was on swim team etc., but I’m overprotective. My DD went to a pool party this summer and I ended up staying and chatting with a couple moms, but I was probably the only one looking at the water.

Message edited 7/30/2018 10:20:57 PM.

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

I don't feel comfortable with DD in the pool without me out there sitting on the deck. She's 8 and a good swimmer and can stand at all points in our pool too...no deep end.
Anything can happen..she can hit her head, you never know. If I have to run inside to use the bathroom, I make her get out until I am back.
If other kids are involved even more so....the way they horse around, I always worry.
I have been to a few pool parties with SO many kids, all jumping in practically on top of each other, and then like 400 floatie toys in the pool and that makes me so nervous even with a life guard there...its impossible to keep eyes on all those kids at once!
So yeah, I am a bit nutty around the water even now that she is a confident swimmer

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

I think anyone at any age should have another adult around to supervise. I had a really bad experience a few weeks ago and I’m 40. I’m an OK swimmer, but I nearly drowned in about 1-2 feet of water, and, yes, you are right it can happen so quickly.

You suddenly find yourself underwater in this peaceful state and you just can’t help yourself. You NEED someone to help you out, especially in this situation.

I know people are tired of hearing my story from a few weeks ago, but I got caught under the water (it was a river), and I kind of got caught away away because I fell. All of a sudden, I couldn’t really get up or do anything (and I always hold my nose under water, and I didn’t even think to do that). Thankfully, my adult friend helped me out.

It’s like you aren’t even really thinking in that moment. You are just under the water. It’s really strange to explain. You are under the water and you just cannot get out— it doesn’t matter if you have a medical condition or not.

Bottom line— there needs to be an adult there. It happens so quickly.

Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

You can never be too safe around water. I am either in the pool with DD, or right nearby so I can jump in if I have to.
We had a bad experience on vacay one year. She was in the pool and DH and I were a few steps away from her, but outside of the pool. We were chatting and kept looking at her, and in literally seconds someone in the pool splashed water on her and she freaked and went under. Thankfully, someone was right next to her and got her up while DH jumped in.

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

No one swims alone is our house rule. Not even adults.
Ny kids are 13 and 14 and are excellent swimmers, so I will leave one of them to supervise the other for very short periods of time (10 minutes max) but only if one is out of the pool and 100% watching his brother. If both are in the pool I will stay outside with them.

Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

i've had 2 adult saves in my lifeguarding years, and countless kiddie pool saves from toddlers losing their footing.

my neighbor has had a pool, and has a son who is going into the 4th or 5th grade. He constantly has friends over late at night for wrestling pay per views and things like that. the boys are heard screaming and running around until like 10/11pm in the summers (this has been going on since last summer) and no adults are ever out there watching them because they have a couple of little kids that they're watching inside. Dh swears he saw one of them jump from the garage roof into the pool the other night and I wouldn't be surprised. I just get no nervous about someone getting hurt

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

I don't leave my kids unattended at a swimming pool, and they are 11 and 19. They are both great swimmers. But, someone can hit their head, pass out, etc. etc. etc. I know people that sit in their house and let their kids swim outside without direct supervision. Not my cup of tea. Drowning happens without a sound. You could be in the house one minute, next minute your kid is dead. Not worth it to me to walk away.

Message edited 7/31/2018 8:34:59 AM.

Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

I don't mess around with pools (or any body of water). My mom is a former lifeguard, and always insisted that swimming be supervised. I even remember "supervising" her when she'd go for a swim by herself.

Even a strong swimmer can get disoriented, or accidentally hit their head on the side, or get a cramp, and other kids swimming with them may not notice right away or just may not act quickly enough.

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

Water makes me very nervous- when we did get a pool I wanted an above ground because I was so afraid of someone falling in. I do not let my kids in the pool unless someone is up on the deck with them,and when we are not in the pool the ladder to the deck is removed.

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

Thanks for all your replies. I think the real danger may be when the kids can actually swim as the parents seem to feel safer then. I had one mom scoff at the notion of her kids drowning as they are excellent swimmers. She was shaking her head at me when I said that would be supervising ALL children if they come to swim at our pool - regardless of age or swimming ability.

Its so frustrating as I have to say no to certain playdates as the parents are just not watching the kids - they think because they are home that all is well but its not.

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

Yes agreed and at least from the people that I know the same ones who "watch" their kids in their pools from their house as they ones who are done away with boosters the minute their kids are 7 o r8 regardless of height / weight etc.

Frustrating.

Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

Well my kids are youngish but I don't take my eyes off of them when they are in the bath, let alone a pool. I would not be comfortable with any child swimming alone. If my child was older and a good swimmer I would be ok with a buddy around (if I was home i.e., in the kitchen). But definitely not alone.

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

We have an inground swimming pool and 2 DC - I take no chances. We have a Katchakid fencing system around the pool along with a Poolguard alarm. The fencing system, from my research, seemed far superior to anything else I could find. No gaps, no sagging, no easily reachable locks or spaces where little finger/hands can get into. The pool alarm alerts us whenever someone who weighs 18lbs or more enters the pool.

My kids are not allowed in the backyard unattended. Either myself or my husband is outside at all times. I usually make them wear their lifevests when in the backyard as a precaution depending on what they are playing with. We check the locks on the pool fence periodically throughout the day/evening just to make sure. I will probably always be outside watching my kids well into their teens.

Both of my kids also had ISR swim lessons (I used Kristine McCarren in PJ) to teach them pool survival skills. This was an amazing tool for us to have since we live on the North Fork and are around water most of the time. It teaches them how to self-rescue in a variety of different scenarios.

You can never assume kids understand pool safety unless it is continually reinforced. We ask the kids randomly all the time if they know what the pool is for, who is allowed near the gate, who can be in the pool, etc. It can happen in the blink of an eye but there are SO many ways to prevent it. I know many families who don't have gates or locks or alarms or watch their kids in the yard with the pool.

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by mrsrainbow


You can never assume kids understand pool safety unless it is continually reinforced. We ask the kids randomly all the time if they know what the pool is for, who is allowed near the gate, who can be in the pool, etc. It can happen in the blink of an eye but there are SO many ways to prevent it. I know many families who don't have gates or locks or alarms or watch their kids in the yard with the pool.

I used to constantly quiz my DD on that. Who are you allowed to go up on the pool deck with? And she would rattle off all the adults in our lives. LOL
Do you EVER go on the pool deck without one of those adults? No
What do you do if you see another kid on the pool deck without an adult? Go get mommy or daddy.
I felt like I wanted to reinforce it constantly so it was ingrained in her head.
I still randomly do it and she's 8 now.

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

I had a disturbing experience recently. I was at a 4th of July party and the older kids had taken over the pool so the neighbor said the younger kids could use her inground pool across the street. There were about 10 kids were between the ages of 7-11. The youngest being my daughter. I saw the neighbor come back and I was like “who is with the kids?”..she said “they will be fine”. Anyway I went to watch the kids because even though I know they know how to swim..it’s a deep pool and 11 years olds are not responsible enough to be in the pool by themselves. Needless to say the kids are not going tomhere to swim ever again.

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

IMO, it's not an issue of swimming skills. All it takes is for one wrong slip and a bang on the head, and Michael Phelps could drown....
There should always be an adult watching the pool when in use, whether it's a bunch of 8 year olds, or a 30 year old training for a triathlon.

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

Re: Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

My son is still young - 4 - but I will always supervise him in the pool. He just mastered the diving board and slide at the pool, but I am still not 100% confident in his swimming ability. Because of that, I am always in the pool with him within arms reach. When he is better at swimming, I will supervise from the side of the pool.

I lifeguarded for 10 years (4 years in a supervisory position) and I will say there are amazing and then just ok lifeguards so you need to be watching your kid at all times! I don't know if people remember, but my son almost drowned during swim lessons since neither the instructor nor lifeguard on duty saw him go underwater!!

Swimming Pools - Safety Questions

so we now belong to a community pool. I have 3 kids 7,5,2. my 7 and 5 yr old are great swimmers. There's at least 2 lifeguards on at all times. Anyway, I am usually the only adult in the pool with my kids. it's crazy. One mom has 4 kids and the youngest is younger than my 2 yr old and the past 2 days he's in there floating around with his siblings she's not even that close and she's socializing. I can't believe it. I know where my kids are at all times. They have to tell me where they are going and what they are doing.