Pool safety questions - what DO you do?

Please be honest as I need to know whether my point of view is as ridiculous as people tell me it is.

1. You go to a party with your kids where there is a pool. Your kids are 5 and 8 and can swim. You dont want to go in the pool. Do you sit by the pool and watch them the whole time or do you socialize, eat and drink while keeping one eye on the pool with you ears open?

2. Your kids are 3 and 5 and cant swim without wearing floaties. A bunch of adults want to go out to dinner. You have no babysitter but someone says all the kids (8 kids ages 3 through 12) can stay at her house and her 18 year old daughter and boyfriend will watch them. They wont be swimming but there is a pool outside. No gate. However you know the daughter and she is very responsible. Do you go?

Thanks.

Re: Pool safety questions - what DO you do?

Re: Pool safety questions - what DO you do?

I only have a one year old, so take this with a grain of salt. I also tend to be a little nervous.

In situation 1 I see no problem with sitting by the pool and watching them if they can swim. I wouldn't let them swim unattended.

In situation 2 I would not leave 8 kids with two 18 year olds. Actually, wouldn't leave 8 kids with anyone and their boyfriend. Would make no difference to me if they have a pool or not, 8 kids is too many kids for one person. I wouldn't even want to watch 8 kids.

Message edited 7/16/2012 3:08:16 PM.

Re: Pool safety questions - what DO you do?

1. If the kids were good swimmers, I would keep them in view, but yes, I would eat, socialize, etc. I see no reason to have to sit 100% on top of them.

2. I would probably hire my own sitter in this situation. Not necessarily because of the pool, but because I feel like 8 kids is way too much for 2 teenagers.

Re: Pool safety questions - what DO you do?

1. my 5 yr old can swim but i am not comfortable leaving him while i am too far away. i usually sit by the pool. recently i left him in the pool with 2 adults and another 5 yr old while i fed my other 2 pizza. i watched him from the table and the other person knew i was walking away and to keep an eye on him.

2. that many kids for 2 teenagers is too many for me to be comfortable with i think.

Re: Pool safety questions - what DO you do?

Thanks for these responses, they are very interesting, especially #2 - I am really torn about this but am being made to feel like I am crazy for not leaving them - it's not like the other kids are babies, they are all pretty self sufficient it's just that when they are all together they tend to get a little rambunctious.

Re: Pool safety questions - what DO you do?

I would sit by the pool and watch my kid.

I would never leave my kids with a bunch of other kids, alone with a teenage girl and her boyfriend.