Pool people - how do you manage wet towels and bathing suits?

[Pea-n-Me]

What about people coming in to use the bathroom? (ie wet floors)

Drinks? Snacks?

Neighborhood kids?

Anything else you want to share?

What about pool safety for teens? What rules do you have and how do you communicate them with visitors to your pool?

 

[LBAK]

I'm curious to know too. Our pool is being installed next week and DH and I were discussing the same thing.

I'm thinking it bring your own towels and I guess I'll have some of the cheap push up ice pops on hand and iced tea. My kids are older but their friends will eat us out of house and home if I let them.

 

[lillygator]

hang them in the bathroom.....??
we don't have neighborhood kids using ours.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm curious to know too. Our pool is being installed next week and DH and I were discussing the same thing.

We had ours installed a couple of weeks ago (above ground) but we had a few problems that needed to be resolved AND it's been horrible weather!!

Yet we still already have bathing suits and towels all over the place, lol. (From a few quick dips just to try it out!)

 

[Miller1412]

We have a rule for our own kids...one towel, one bathing suit, one outfit change a day. My kids tend to get a new towel, new suit, and put on a new dry outfit 3-4 times a day.

Neighborhood kids can only swim if I invite them, and if they don't know how, their parent has to come and watch too. The other rule: Everyone gets along, or everyone goes home. It's my mantra.

I keep towels on a shelf in our shed out by the pool. My son always seems to forget to bring one out (until he is sopping wet).

We do get some water from the back door to the downstairs bathroom, but I am tiled and hardwood, so it's easy to clean up.

The wet yellow lab that lives in the pool makes the biggest mess, but she is living the high life when that pool opens up!

 

[Tuffcookie]

Well, even for my dinky pool, I put a towel bar outside. As for the trips to the bathroom and water on the floor...It's going to happen. I'd rather have water on the floor to deal with than ***** in the pool!

TC

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We have a rule for our own kids...one towel, one bathing suit, one outfit change a day. My kids tend to get a new towel, new suit, and put on a new dry outfit 3-4 times a day.

Neighborhood kids can only swim if I invite them, and if they don't know how, their parent has to come and watch too. The other rule: Everyone gets along, or everyone goes home. It's my mantra.

I keep towels on a shelf in our shed out by the pool. My son always seems to forget to bring one out (until he is sopping wet).

We do get some water from the back door to the downstairs bathroom, but I am tiled and hardwood, so it's easy to clean up.

Excellent suggestions! I like!!

 

[Darcy03231]

We used to have a pool and I let all my kids friends over to swim (we had a big pool and were the only ones in the neighborhood to have one). My rules were:

1. You had to be able to stand up with your head completely out of the water and prove to me that you can swim or you had to wear a life vest (we had an above the ground pool).

2. You have to bring your own towel, drinks and snacks.

3. No swimming without an adult present.

4. Everyone gets along or everyone goes home.

5. No jumping or diving off the deck into the pool.

If a parent gave me a hard time about the life jacket rule, they had to come over and watch their kid for the whole day. Needless to say that never happened.

Since my kids were out there, I was out there all day too. If I had to go in the house for something everyone had to come out of the pool until I came back.

For the bathroom issue, we rented a port-a-john for the summer. My husband is in the construction field and was able to get a really good deal. It sat out back of our house so it wasn't visible from the road and we have a fenced in backyard, so it wasn't an eyesore for the neighbors. I just figured into my pool budget each year. Since our summer season is pretty short (usually Memorial Day weeked to Labor Day weekend) it wasn't out there long.

Once the kids hit their older teen years they began working and by that point we inherited a lake house so the pool really wasn't being used. We ended up giving it away to one of DH's co-workers (and he's still using it).

 

[Pea-n-Me]

As for the trips to the bathroom and water on the floor...It's going to happen. I'd rather have water on the floor to deal with than ***** in the pool!

True, lol. There is a nice tree out there!

We've told them about those (?fictional) tablets that turn the water purple if someone pees in the pool. (Do those things really exist??) Even if it's not true, maybe they'll think it is!

I like the towel bar idea. We usually use the deck railing but the sun is so strong out there, towels and suits can fade in just an afternoon.

I did get a big thermos for ice water and some paper cups and a trash can to keep under the deck.

As for the neighborhood kids, we have a lot of younger kids directly around us and many of our kids' friends have younger siblings who "tag along". Our yard is fenced and I'm pretty strict about who comes in, but I worry they could somehow work their way in.

 

[anniemae]

Growing up, we had a neighbor with a pool. There were so many kids and friends in the neighborhood so they came up with a plan to manage it. They said every Wednesday afternoon during the summer anyone was welcome to come over anytime after 12:00. It was kind of a weekly "open pool" She was always there to supervise, but usually adults came with their kids, unless the kids were older. Everyone was expected to bring their own towel, snacks, drinks etc.

The bathroom wasn't an issue because they had a walk-out basement with a bathroom right inside.

 

[bellebud]

we've always hung the towels on the backs of all the patio chairs (we have many). But it's always kinda bugged me. Then spiders make webs on them overnight, etc, and you're shaking them out hoping there's not a spider in it.

I *wish* when we built the house, we would have planned plumbing for an outdoor bathroom. Boy, I would love that!! I try to steer the little boys (little cousins, my ds) to the great outdoors (outside of the pool) to pee. The girls of course have to go inside (the boys can too if they want - they usually don't want to though).

We don't have the neighborhood coming to swim, most everyone here has their own pool, and the kids in my neighborhood don't pool hop or house hop. I've never had someone who couldn't swim without their parent here anyway - not even a "rule" i made, I've just never had a parent want to drop their kid off for swimming if the child couldn't swim. I simply wouldn't open the pool if I had a kid that young w/out their own parent with them.

I'm actually looking at those 'towel trees' you leave outside to hang the towels on (I'm not going to wash towels every day of the summer). But most look chincy, and the ones that don't are very expensive ($200 - $300)... ouch!

We do LOVE our outdoor shower - I actually bought it at the flower/garden festival at Epcot - it's a bronze sunflower shower head w/ some leaves on the pole. It's really nice! A company from Buffalo NY was there selling them. We LOVE that, especially for my own family - I always hated to go have to "shower" upstairs after the pool (or I'd be itchy).

And yea, wet bathing suits - I put a clothes rack thingie in my whirlpool tub in the master bath (because we NEVER use that tub), and now we put the wet suits on that. A hotel-style pull string across a regular tub/shower would be a good idea too. I just said to dh though... ok, the kids come in w/ wet towels, change out of their wet suits, hang them on the clothes rack, but now the towels. I need somewhere for the towels to dry and be reused (again, I'm not washing 4 or more huge towels every day of the summer). Still thinking on that one. I now hang them on my upstairs banister, until I remember to bring them back outside and throw on the backs of the patio chairs. I need a new idea!

In the summer, I do keep all the clean towels on the back porch, so they're right there for anyone who needs one.

As for food/drinks, again, we're not having the 'neighborhood' coming over, so anyone here I'm already planning on feeding.

 

[Mkrop]

No running.


We supplied the snacks and drinks.

Most brought their own towels, on occasion some would forget sunscreen so I lent that out.


Everyone out of the pool if I had to go in the house.

We have a bathroom downstairs in our basement which leads to the pool. I ask them to drive off as much as possible before heading in, someimes that works and sometimes they just got to go


I am wondering when to leave the older ones out there by themselves...for now I bring books and magazines and sit out there. I can also control how intense the "pool wars" get ( they shooting each other with pool toys while on rafts)

 

[Momvic5]

Ahh...the pool! I try to convince myself that it is a lot of fun!

The towels and swim suits are hung outside. My rule for towels and swim suits is that they wear or use the same one all day. I have a place on the porch for them to hang their towels and bathing suits. If I find a swim suit or towel on the floor of their bedrooms or bathrooms, no more swimming for the day. (I know, I am mean) All of our swim towels are rolled up in a basket at our back door - they can grab a towel on their way out to the pool.

Neighbors - In past years, they were a problem, but not so much anymore. My kids have reached that age where they have certain friends in mind that they want to "hang out" with so if the neighbor wasn't invited over, then they are not allowed to swim.

Snacks - that's another headache! Swimming always makes everyone hungry. I try to keep watermelon slices, popcorn, and sandwich stuff on hand, but I will be honest and admit that sometimes, my kitchen is invaded by teenage boys. It can get crazy! We also have a water cooler so everyone drinks from that.

Bathroom issues - I remind them that they need to dry off before coming in, but we all know how that goes sometimes. I keep an old towel folded by the door. I use it to mop the floor up should someone not dry off well.

 

[melk]

We have a clothesline for wet towels, bathing suits. Kids have to dry off reasonably well to come in and use the bathroom. Only swim when a grownup is there, and if there is a child there who cannot swim they are not allowed up on the pool deck unless they have on a life vest or swimmies. As for neighborhood kids, they are welcome to come over if their parent comes to watch them as well.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We do have a downstairs bathroom which is just inside the door. The room you walk into is carpeted. The problem is that that entrance is farther away from the pool than the other bathroom and most people take the quicker route into the house, dripping water all over the place (that floor is tiled, though). I guess I'll have to work on re-routing. I'll also buy a runner to keep on the carpet on the path to the bathroom for the summer.

We've had an Intex pool for years so this isn't completely new, but I anticipate the new pool will get more activity, and, the kids are older now (13) so they have more freedom than they've had before when it comes to the pool. I think it's a good time to get some new ground rules in place going into the teen years.

 

[BKMETV]

We'll be opening our inground pool this week if it ever stops raining.

Towels are hung on the clothes line. The wet trail to the downstair bathroom is just something I've learned to live with. There is a fridge in the pool house which I stock with pop, juice packs and water. I buy it on sale so they get what they get. Most friends bring stuff and help keep it stocked. There are also lots of towels and spare suits in the pool house. No one is allowed in the pool unless a parent is on the deck.

We joke that there are five pool rules:

1. No peeing in the pool
2. No running on the deck
3. No squirting/spraying the mommies (who are usually sitting on the deck)
4. No fighting/arguing/bullying...everyone has to get along.
5. No drowning

I have no problem telling kids that those are the rules. Most are regulars so know them already. I will also tell a kid to behave or they're out. I would suggest you figure out what rules you are comfortable with and let your kids/visitors know from the get go. I'm not sure I would be comfortable with teens being in the pool without an adult there (I'm not quite at that point yet...eldest is only 11)...I figure they may be able swim fine, I'm there to make sure the rough housing doesn't get out of hand.

 

[luvmy3]

My rules are pretty simple
If you can't swim, your parent has to stay with you
If you can swim, you need to be able to touch with your head above water (I only have a 4 ft pool)
No holding others underwater
No fighting, and that includes things like splaashing people just to be nasty or you are out.
No running on the deck
Nobody is allowed in the pool, or on the pool deck if there is no adult outside. I do make exceptions for my dd and her friends when they are sunning themseleves.

I supply all snacks and drinks. I got one of those huge drink cooler and I fill it with ice water. I do make lemonade, but if the kids want to constantly drink, they can fill up on the water.
I always have freeze pops ready

I have enough towels so that guests do not have to bring them, but most kids do anyway. We use our deck railing to dry them. When they have to get out and use the bathroom, I ask that they towel off so they aren't dripping. Most kids go a good job, but luckily if they don't there isn't much carpet between the patio door and the bathroom.

 

[mjkacmom]

Dry off before going to the bathroom, towels get hung on the fence or chairs, if you forget one, one will be provided (they tend to multiply anyway ), most of our friends will bring snacks, I'll usually bring out some snacks and drinks, teens can hang outside on their own.

 

[luvflorida]

The two most important pool rules that I had were:

1. ABSOLUTELY NO DIVING!
2. ABSOLUTELY NO GLASS CONTAINERS INSIDE THE FENCED IN POOL AREA!

We had an inground pool at the house we recently sold. The deep end was only six feet, and I was always worried about people diving in. I had the words NO DIVING stenciled in bright, red letters on the fence gate closest to the deep end of the pool, and always reminded first time visitors of the no diving rule.

Glass was another concern of mine. Between the cement pool and the cement decking around the pool, if anyone dropped or knocked over a glass container, it easily would have shattered. And with everyone walking around barefoot...

Wet towels were usually hung over the pool fence or back of chairs to dry. Bathing suits were either hung over the fence to dry or left in the bathroom to hang over the tub edge, shower head, or shower rod. I like the idea of the drying rack in the tub that a previous poster mentioned. Wish I had thought of that at the time!

I kept extra towels in a large, waterproof Rubbermaid bin that was kept inside the pool area, and we had a large, bench-type storage container that held pool toys.

My kids were older (youngest was 12) when we had the pool installed, so I didn't really have the worries of little ones in the pool area. Our kids, and their friends, were old enough to know to towel off before going in the house and were certainly responsible enough as far as getting their own snacks or drinks.

We are now building a new house and installing an inground pool. We now have very young grandchildren that visit frequently, so I'm sure we'll have all kinds of new rules! Safety will be my biggest concern. The pool will definitely have a safety/childproof fence around it, and no child will be allowed in the pool area without CONSTANT ADULT SUPERVISION.

Here in Arizona there are many, many houses with pools, and way too many reports of young children drowning. It is so sad because most of the drownings could have been prevented.

 

[JessicaR]

I have an easy access bathroom right off the pool area. No traveling through the house wet! My husband also built a cabana - that now stores all his gadgets! My kitchen has a sliding door to the pool also so its easy for me to grab snacks but usually I just bring out fruit and PB crackers and pitchers of drinks and bottled water prior to the pool day starting so we dont need to hit the kitchen while wet.

I have a retractable clothes line for all the wet stuff that is outside. Love that!

My kids are now 14 and 18 and a couple of years ago my husband installed a camera system so I can hear and see the kids when I dont want to sit there. Comes in handy when they gather late night for a swim.

I have a huge boat box that stores towels and toys for the pool and keeps things neat. I also store the chemicals and pool gadgets in the cabana.