At What Age...

[CamColt]

...Do you let your kids swim alone? Or maybe I should say without an adult present.
Obviously at 3 & 6, in a 52 in pool, mine are way too young. I wont even let them stay on the deck unless Im up there with them, LOL! And with 7 boys in our neighborhood(3, 4, 4, 6, 6, 6, 10) I also make sure another adult is with me when others are over. Im just wondering when the kids will be able to go for a swim alone.

 

[debster812]

Former Lifeguard, and long time Pool Rat checking in:

Katie,

First off, they should NEVER be 'alone'. Everyone should always always always swim with a buddy, regardless of age.

With that off my chest, I would say it depends on their level of ability in the pool, level of maturity out of the pool, and your level of comfort with having them in the pool. If It were me, this discussion would probably not be ocurring in my house til they were 11 or 12, and could swim like fish.

Just my opinion of course.

 

[katerkat]

Gosh, a backyard pool? Another Lifeguard checking in - definitely the buddy system! And it depends on ability. My sisters and I were swimming like fish before we were five, and knew basic rescue stuff when we were 10, so we were probably swimming alone when my older sister was 10, I was 8 and the little one was 6.
Neighborhood kids should not be swimming 'alone' in your pool until they're 18. Too much liability! I would always have an adult or a guard around. (IE, I was a certified guard at 16, so my little sister could have friends over as long as I would watch.)

 

[WebmasterAlex]

DD is 10 and swims like a fish. If she has other buddies over we will leave them alone for 2 or 3 minutes while grabbing a drink or using the facilities. Even then the rule is no diving and stay in the shallow end.

 

[Lanshark]

I have a 16 year old daughter who has been swimming competatively since she was about 8 and when she is in our pool alone, I sit on the deck and keep an eye on her. If someone is with her check them every once in a while but not too often.

She is a much better swimmer then I ever was but all it takes is bumping your head and it doesn't matter how good a swimmer you are.

 

[Disneymoon04]

With a buddy system I think about 12 years should be ok without adult supervision. But as for 'alone', I don't think anyone should ever be 'alone', even adults.

 

[CamColt]

You all seem to be replying along the lines of what I was thinking, the 10-12 range.
I knew after I said alone I should reword it, LOL! I did mean as a group, but no adult. I know even then I will be checking all the time.
As it is now, when Im home alone with the kids during the day, I dont mind other kids coming over, but I make sure an adult is with them. I dont want the sole responsibility for a pool load of kids. Im worried enough about my 2, LOL! However today DH and I were both out there so we didnt mind the kids coming over alone. I have to say I was surprised the parents let the kids come alone though. I wouldnt have.

 

[Lynn CC]

I let my DS swim with his cousin last summer together while I was working in the shallow end only! They were both 15, this summer I'm not working! They didn't mind being in the shallow end it was such a hot summer they were just grateful I let them swim. They played all kinds of games, a neighbor checked on them a lot for me!

 

[SuiteDisney]

We have a pool and this is the first year we have let the kids swim together without one of us being present. DS is 17 and DD is 12.

 

[browneyes]

I think I was around 12 when my mom let me swim by myself. She still gets nervous when she sees me swim though (she's terrified of water, and I could live in a pool if I had one).

 

[nativetxn]

Gosh, I don't remember. My son was a competitive swimmer and so he rarely swam alone. He stopped competing when he was 12 but all of his friends who had pools always had adult supervision. Probably when he left home for college. YIKES, that's pretty old, huh? He just didn't go swimming much except at his friend's houses.

I was 12 and I would take my younger sisters to the pool, just by myself, however there were lifeguards present. I was 16 when I went to Surfside without any adults along. So, looks like I was pretty old too, huh?

 

[KathyTX]

DS is 10 and swims like a fish, but no way is he allowed in the pool alone or with friends and no adult.

If I'm out with DS and his friends, and I have to run inside for a minute, I make them get out and sit in the lounge chairs until I get back outside.

(Overprotective? Maybe. But I'd rather be safe than have to deal with an emergency.)