Question about children and swimming pools

I am not sure if it's just me, but it seems like there is some sort of drowning "epidemic" going on.

I grew up around swimming pools and I plan on buying a house that has one b/c I love them...but I am also planning to become a Certified Life Guard.

other than that though, what more can you do?

we tell all of my younger cousins and nieces/nephews the dangers of going near the pool without a grown up (the range from 4 to 9 right now) and they "seem" to listen..

has it always been this way? have there always been so many drowning or is this a new (and terrible) phenomenon?

my heart just breaks for these poor kids...and even for those that were entrusted with their care..what a heavy and horrible weight to bear!

Re: Question about children and swimming pools

Get a tall fence with a lock.
Get your children in swimming classes at an early age.
WATCH YOUR CHILDREN AT ALL TIMES!

Re: Question about children and swimming pools

From what I've read, drowning is and has always been a serious risk with children and home swimming pools. It's very dangerous, perhaps just more publicized recently?

ETA:
Leading cause of unintentional death in children under 4 in Texas, second leading cause in children under 14

Message edited 8/8/2007 3:38:09 PM.

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Re: Question about children and swimming pools

Message edited 8/8/2007 3:43:34 PM.

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Re: Question about children and swimming pools

Its not new, its been happening for a long time. I don't understand how it happens, how kids just wander into pools. If you have a pool, there should be a fence around it which is locked up when not in use... its so sad. I had a drowning call a few years back and I will never ever be able to get the image of that little boy out of my head.

Re: Question about children and swimming pools

I think it's because there is an increase in houses with pools and people underestimate their kids abilities (whether it be to understand not to go in the pool EVER, their ability to get out of the house, etc).

I'm absolutely petrified of this - my kids are off to FL to stay with my MIL and her POOL.

eta. Link on Parenting about - Children Drown Without a Sound

Message edited 8/8/2007 3:49:32 PM.

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Re: Question about children and swimming pools

It's so sad.
A kid in my first grade class drowned in a pool. I still remember his name-- Austin.

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Re: Question about children and swimming pools

I was JUST talking to my mom about this yesterday!!!

Growing up we had a 24x36' inground pool and from all the drownings these past few weeks, I asked my mom how she managed.

1-She threw me in the pool when I was a year old and taught me how to swim like a fish.

2-any kids in our yard had to wear a life vest at all times.

3-an adult always had to be in the backyard.

And still she worried like a maniac, and still our neighbor fell in the deep end, but with adults around he was scooped up immediately.

Re: Question about children and swimming pools

I am so paranoid about this. I have a pool and a baby on the way. We do have a fence around the pool, but plan to get locks for it, but also have a pool alarm because as kids get older they can climb. We also plan on putting a lock on the sliding door, at the very top, so the child cannot reach it.

I'm still scared though, I almost regret getting a house with a pool.....even though we love it.

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I have no idea why this is happening, but is truly sad.

DH and I decided long ago that when we buy a house, we will not have a pool. I fully plan on teaching my kids to swim, teaching them about pool responsibility, and taking them to the local pool/beach , but I just don't want the responsibility of having a pool.

I know that this does "solve" any problem, but I cannot deal with the responsibility that goes along with having a pool.

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Message edited 11/10/2011 5:03:08 PM.

Re: Question about children and swimming pools

definitely the increase in houses with pools- more people now have them than did in the past.

also, i think more parents work longer hours-- and now most homes have both parents working full time jobs and they might not be around as much to watch the kids... just a guess.

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Re: Question about children and swimming pools

We were never allowed in our pool w/o our parents present and we followed those rules.

Our next door neighbor took it upon himself to go night swimming in our pool one early summer night. Because it was dark, the idiot didn't know that the pool hadn't been treated yet.

Also knew a guy who broke his neck because he decided to go night swimming in someone's pool. He underestimated the depth. (The guy was a troublemaker...as in thief, so I wasn't too heartbroken over that. )


My DH gave me a real hard time about buying a home with a pool. He's still giving me a hard time about having one installed.

Re: Question about children and swimming pools

I grew up with a pool, I took swimming lessons AT A BEACH and I still would not swim alone. That's the key thing. Everyone in or everyone out. And we ALWAYS brought the portable phone outside when we were down there.

I'm not afraid of pools because it comes down to two things....knowing how to swim and not swimming alone.

Re: Question about children and swimming pools

i've literally been around pools my whole life. i almost drown once and i still swim. there wer always adults around when we swam, we were never allowed to swim by ourselves.

i think if you teach kids what can happen, they won't be so curious about the pool.

Re: Question about children and swimming pools

i would put a 4 ft locked fence around it,
install a pool alarm
always keep all house doors locked when kids are inside
install an alarm when the back door opens (FILS have this, it was about $5 and makes a DING DONG noise when the sliding door is opened)

honestly though, even after all of that i dont think i could ever have a pool . . . we lost our puppy - he drowned in the pool COVER after it rained and FH has not been in the pool since. . . i think i would just want to avoid ANY possibility of anythign happened

oh yeah and swimming lessons from age 1!!!

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i think there's more of a problem with parents not supervising their little kids. when i was little, my mom took me into the bathroom with her so as not to leave me unsupervised. (i should be in therapy for that )

everyone in my family has a pool...and it was never a problem because we were never unsupervised.

i don't have a pool, but plan to get one eventually. i shouldn't have to get a pool alarm because a neighbor *might* decide to come onto MY property to swim in MY pool.

someone above mentioned the train...again it should be personal responsibility. if you're drunk/talking on your cell/fooling around and fall...well, who should be responsible but you? if you cross the tracks and get electricuted because you're trespassing/spraying graffiti (like that boy), why is the LIRR responsible?

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I personally won't get a pool because I just don't think the convenience is worth the risk. My kids both know how to swim and my husband & I both know CPR. But I have heard too many instances of neighborhood kids getting into other people's pools and I just don't want that kind of stress and responsibility. My son's are not allowed to go to a house where there is a pool unless I am there - even though they KNOW that going in a pool without me around is NOT ALLOWED.

My best friend will be getting a pool and because she has children she will also be getting a retractable cover that can be walked on when closed over the pool - in addition to the requisite fence and the swim lessons for her girls.

Re: Question about children and swimming pools