Pool Time!

[sunshineNJ]

OF COURSE he needs to be watched at 6 and for years after. You concerns about his being snatched are 100% right. My husband didn't watch my kids when they were little as well as I did so I made sure I was watching them. 6 years old is a baby!!!!

 

[nchulka]

OF COURSE he needs to be watched at 6 and for years after. You concerns about his being snatched are 100% right. My husband didn't watch my kids when they were little as well as I did so I made sure I was watching them. 6 years old is a baby!!!!

6 is only a baby if you treat them like a baby. At 6 my DS could ride his bike all over the neighborhood and be trusted to come home on time every time. He could get up and use appliances to cook his own breakfast, he could shower and take care of all of his personal hygiene. Now at 7 he does all of his own laundry from sorting to stain checking, to washing, drying, folding and putting away. He also occasionally makes dinner for us, using the oven or stove. 6 years olds are quite capable if given the opportunity, they are also quite babyish if hovered over.

 

[serenita05]

I would never leave my 6 year old alone...never

 

[nrpofp]

I would never leave my 6 year old alone...never

I don't think anyone is talking about leaving their 6 year old alone. A 6 year old is certainaly capable of swimming alone with an adult watching from a chair. My 6 year old is a great swimmer and does it everyday. Some parents may feel the need to be 10 ft from their kids at all times and thats fine. There is certainely nothing wrong with parents that take a more relaxed approach to parenting. 99.99999 percent of strangers will have your childs best interest at heart. 99.99999% of kidnappings are by a family member.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I don't think anyone is talking about leaving their 6 year old alone. A 6 year old is certainaly capable of swimming alone with an adult watching from a chair. My 6 year old is a great swimmer and does it everyday. Some parents may feel the need to be 10 ft from their kids at all times and thats fine. There is certainely nothing wrong with parents that take a more relaxed approach to parenting. 99.99999 percent of strangers will have your childs best interest at heart. 99.99999% of kidnappings are by a family member.

Nobody is saying you have to trail behind the kid like a toddler. The OP did say that her husband was more like "Oh he's around here somewhere" Really? I am sorry but I think that is terrible. You (a general you) cannot keep an eye on your own child? Why? It interferes with your relax time? Please. I am not advocating having the kid glued to your hip but if you cannot even keep watch of your own child then that is selfish. Sorry but that is how I see it. I agree that the child can swim with an adult watching from a chair. Of course that is as long as the child can actually swim. I do think giving kids freedom is a good thing. I just don't think you should impose on others and first and foremost should be their safety. YMMV.

Again- this is not directed at anyone. It is simply my general opinion on the subject.

 

[bellebud]

Nobody is saying you have to trail behind the kid like a toddler. The OP did say that her husband was more like "Oh he's around here somewhere" Really? I am sorry but I think that is terrible. You (a general you) cannot keep an eye on your own child? Why? It interferes with your relax time? Please. I am not advocating having the kid glued to your hip but if you cannot even keep watch of your own child then that is selfish. Sorry but that is how I see it. I agree that the child can swim with an adult watching from a chair. Of course that is as long as the child can actually swim. I do think giving kids freedom is a good thing. I just don't think you should impose on others and first and foremost should be their safety. YMMV.

Again- this is not directed at anyone. It is simply my general opinion on the subject.

I totally agree w/ this. Again, I go back to kids being kids, inappropriate horseplay, accidentally getting hit on the head in the pool, etc. Don't expect the pool lifeguards at disney to be fully aware. I've been there many, many times and have never run across a lifeguard that I thought was 'really' on top of things in the pool, unlike Great Wolf Lodge. And yes, it's a water park so I 'guess' it's different, but water is water.

AND, as a parent, I want to be sure my 6yo isn't being the inappropriate one w/ jumping in, running around the pool deck, bothering other people, etc. Six year olds can act like, well, children, and do things they shouldn't, and it's our responsibility as parents to make sure they're learning not just how to be 'free', but how to behave appropriately in public situations. At 6yo, I think the freedom can wait, but it's the right age to direct appropriate behavior.

 

[mjkacmom]

Every single one of my kids has ended up at the bottom of the pool. My oldest insisted she could swim without arm bands at the age of 2. I told her to go ahead. She wore them after that. Ds13 ended up at the bottom at the Y - I took him to the bathroom, and he took off his swimmies, and family swim was ending, so I didn't put them back on, and went to get his sister out of the pool (turning my back to him for a few seconds), and the lifeguard was in the pool. The other 3 were at home, with tons of people around, and although they were being watched (and thank goodness, since it is soundless), it takes a second for a child to go into the pool (they forget they don't have swimmies on).

I also rescued a young boy from our pool club. His mom left him poolside to put her bag down, first day of the season, and he just walked right in, and under. Apparently, the previous season, he was scared of the pool, so his mom never even thought he might go in. Again, totally silent.

My kids had swimming lessons year-round since the age of 3, until they knew their strokes, and could swim the whole pool (50 meters?). By the age of 6, all could do this. I had a pool growing up, and I had year-round swim lessons as well.

All children should be able to be strong swimmers by the age of 6. Most of the drownings are toddlers who slipped in, or older kids who were not taught how to swim. Yes, it costs money, but this is one activity that is really important. Forget dance, gymanstics, TKD, baseball, etc., if you are short on cash, but get swimming lessons for your kids.

I had a 7 year old at a swim party go under, who couldn't swim (my dropped her off, and didn't tell me). Thank goodness I had dd14 sitting on a chair, staring at the pool, in a bathing suit.

 

[maxiesmom]

Nobody is saying you have to trail behind the kid like a toddler. The OP did say that her husband was more like "Oh he's around here somewhere" Really? I am sorry but I think that is terrible. You (a general you) cannot keep an eye on your own child? Why? It interferes with your relax time? Please. I am not advocating having the kid glued to your hip but if you cannot even keep watch of your own child then that is selfish. Sorry but that is how I see it. I agree that the child can swim with an adult watching from a chair. Of course that is as long as the child can actually swim. I do think giving kids freedom is a good thing. I just don't think you should impose on others and first and foremost should be their safety. YMMV.

Again- this is not directed at anyone. It is simply my general opinion on the subject.

I agree with you 100%.

 

[nrpofp]

Nobody is saying you have to trail behind the kid like a toddler. The OP did say that her husband was more like "Oh he's around here somewhere" Really? I am sorry but I think that is terrible. You (a general you) cannot keep an eye on your own child? Why? It interferes with your relax time? Please. I am not advocating having the kid glued to your hip but if you cannot even keep watch of your own child then that is selfish. Sorry but that is how I see it. I agree that the child can swim with an adult watching from a chair. Of course that is as long as the child can actually swim. I do think giving kids freedom is a good thing. I just don't think you should impose on others and first and foremost should be their safety. YMMV.

Again- this is not directed at anyone. It is simply my general opinion on the subject.

Op did say she trailed after her kid like a toddler after she saw him "running amok" playing with the water guns. A six year old is capable of telling a parent where they are going and asking permission. A six year old should know pool rules like no running, jumping, splashing, bothering adults. If they don't and you have to chase them around thats a parenting problem. In my opinion 6 year old should also know how to swim. It irritates me to see children over 4 with life jackets on. As long as the whole pool is visible which most wdw pools are except bc. I think it perfectly fine for parents to relax. If you teach your kids to be respectful of other adults, follow pool rules, and for goodness sake teach them to swim. They will not be imposing on others. Like one poster said if you treat them like babies they will act like babies. Op asked for an opinion I gave it. I think she needs to relax.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Op did say she trailed after her kid like a toddler after she saw him "running amok" playing with the water guns. A six year old is capable of telling a parent where they are going and asking permission. A six year old should know pool rules like no running, jumping, splashing, bothering adults. If they don't and you have to chase them around thats a parenting problem. In my opinion 6 year old should also know how to swim. It irritates me to see children over 4 with life jackets on. As long as the whole pool is visible which most wdw pools are except bc. I think it perfectly fine for parents to relax. If you teach your kids to be respectful of other adults, follow pool rules, and for goodness sake teach them to swim. They will not be imposing on others. Like one poster said if you treat them like babies they will act like babies. Op asked for an opinion I gave it. I think she needs to relax.

I somewhat agree with you. Yes a 6 year old should be able to understand pool rules etc. but some kids are simply immature no matter how little you coddle them. So while they may think they are playing they may not realize that they are playing a little fresh etc. I will agree though that many times the parents are not strict enough imo.
Also just because they know how to swim doesn't mean they won't bother other families. We play with our kids. I can't tell you how many times we have had random unsupervised children join us. Now we never turn them away as we know they are kids and just want to join in the fun but we are on vacation too. We shouldn't have to entertain your (a general your) children because you (again general) don't want to be bothered. Get in the pool and play with your kids!
I don't know why though it irritates you if a child older than 4 wears a life vest. Just because you can swim doesn't mean you can touch the bottom and kids and adults cannot tread water for ours. I have kids younger than 4 that can swim very well. However, if they cannot touch the ground they are wearing a life vest no matter how old they are. Better safe than sorry. YMMV.

 

[mjkacmom]

I somewhat agree with you. Yes a 6 year old should be able to understand pool rules etc. but some kids are simply immature no matter how little you coddle them. So while they may think they are playing they may not realize that they are playing a little fresh etc. I will agree though that many times the parents are not strict enough imo.
Also just because they know how to swim doesn't mean they won't bother other families. We play with our kids. I can't tell you how many times we have had random unsupervised children join us. Now we never turn them away as we know they are kids and just want to join in the fun but we are on vacation too. We shouldn't have to entertain your (a general your) children because you (again general) don't want to be bothered. Get in the pool and play with your kids!
I don't know why though it irritates you if a child older than 4 wears a life vest. Just because you can swim doesn't mean you can touch the bottom and kids and adults cannot tread water for ours. I have kids younger than 4 that can swim very well. However, if they cannot touch the ground they are wearing a life vest no matter how old they are. Better safe than sorry. YMMV.

My rule was, once you turn 3, you are not allowed to use any floatation device. Yes, it meant that I had to be in the pool with them, right next to them, and no more deep end, no more diving board. They were really motivated to swim. By the time my kids were 4, they were able to participate in our swim teams hour-long lap swim - with no breaks. My kids are no more likely to drown in the deep end than myself, and I'm not wearing a vest.

Sure, we'll play with our kids, but they love just playing with each other, or with other kids. It's amazing the creative games they come up with! Let the kids play without adult interference!

 

[maxiesmom]

By the time my kids were 4, they were able to participate in our swim teams hour-long lap swim - with no breaks. My kids are no more likely to drown in the deep end than myself, and I'm not wearing a vest.

I find that thought process very scary. People drown all the time who can swim. In fact, on the news just a few days ago there was a young mom who drowned after going down a pool slide, and no one found her until 3 days later! Can you imagine? And the pool was open, and lifeguards all around. They are trying to figure out how the heck that could happen.

No one should be complacent around a pool. No one.

 

[nrpofp]

I somewhat agree with you. Yes a 6 year old should be able to understand pool rules etc. but some kids are simply immature no matter how little you coddle them. So while they may think they are playing they may not realize that they are playing a little fresh etc. I will agree though that many times the parents are not strict enough imo.
Also just because they know how to swim doesn't mean they won't bother other families. We play with our kids. I can't tell you how many times we have had random unsupervised children join us. Now we never turn them away as we know they are kids and just want to join in the fun but we are on vacation too. We shouldn't have to entertain your (a general your) children because you (again general) don't want to be bothered. Get in the pool and play with your kids!
I don't know why though it irritates you if a child older than 4 wears a life vest. Just because you can swim doesn't mean you can touch the bottom and kids and adults cannot tread water for ours. I have kids younger than 4 that can swim very well. However, if they cannot touch the ground they are wearing a life vest no matter how old they are. Better safe than sorry. YMMV.

Kids do that because when kids get to a certain age they wan't to play with other kids. The kids are not joining you(general) because they wan't to play with you(general). If you let your(general) kids play with other kids I am sure they would love it. If you don't wan't your(general) kids playing with other kids that join you just ask them to leave. Kids should know how to swim by age 4 if they don't that is a your(general your) problem.

 

[nrpofp]

My rule was, once you turn 3, you are not allowed to use any floatation device. Yes, it meant that I had to be in the pool with them, right next to them, and no more deep end, no more diving board. They were really motivated to swim. By the time my kids were 4, they were able to participate in our swim teams hour-long lap swim - with no breaks. My kids are no more likely to drown in the deep end than myself, and I'm not wearing a vest.

Sure, we'll play with our kids, but they love just playing with each other, or with other kids. It's amazing the creative games they come up with! Let the kids play without adult interference!

Amen

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Kids do that because when kids get to a certain age they wan't to play with other kids. The kids are not joining you(general) because they wan't to play with you(general). If you let your(general) kids play with other kids I am sure they would love it. If you don't wan't your(general) kids playing with other kids that join you just ask them to leave. Kids should know how to swim by age 4 if they don't that is a your(general your) problem.

Yes my kids like to play with other children and we have met some lovely families but on vacation they also enjoy the complete family time. We don't have to stop to do chores etc. They do play with other children from time to time if we are at the pool and we know the other kids at the resort don't want to play with adults per say. They do however want to join in when we are doing stuff like catching them when they jump in etc. We're not going to be mean to a child because their parents can't be bothered to have some fun with them. I do agree that children should know how to swim. I also don't think you are taking into account that each child has different abilities and fears. We too make sure our children can swim but we don't feel that is a reason to not be aware of where they are in the pool. YMMV.

ETA- I just wanted to add that I am not trying to argue with anyone. I just think there are many more components to this and it is not a one size fits all solution. Like parenting you will find that one way doesn't work for every kid even if it worked for your own.

 

[nrpofp]

Yes my kids like to play with other children and we have met some lovely families but on vacation they also enjoy the complete family time. We don't have to stop to do chores etc. They do play with other children from time to time if we are at the pool and we know the other kids at the resort don't want to play with adults per say. They do however want to join in when we are doing stuff like catching them when they jump in etc. We're not going to be mean to a child because their parents can't be bothered to have some fun with them. I do agree that children should know how to swim. I also don't think you are taking into account that each child has different abilities and fears. We too make sure our children can swim but we don't feel that is a reason to not be aware of where they are in the pool. YMMV.

Any parent that takes their kids to wdw is obviously spending time with them. I see nothing wrong with parent having some "relaxation time at the pool". We work very hard to pay for these vacations. I would not assume parents "can't be bothered" because they are not in the pool throwing a ball around. I would never start playing a game with my kids in a public pool, and not expect other kids to join in.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Any parent that takes their kids to wdw is obviously spending time with them. I see nothing wrong with parent having some "relaxation time at the pool". We work very hard to pay for these vacations. I would not assume parents "can't be bothered" because they are not in the pool throwing a ball around. I would never start playing a game with my kids in a public pool, and not expect other kids to join in.

Hey I totally agree with you about relaxation time We all need it and parents deserve it too. I don't think I am explaining myself correctly. I am not talking about us playing some big game. I am talking about us all hanging close together at the side of the pool and the little ones jump to Mommy or Daddy or something along those lines. I agree that I would not start up Marco Polo or something and act shocked when others join. That would be stupid.
What I meant by parents not playing with their kids is this. Yes. All parents should be able to relax etc. That doesn't mean that they are not good parents etc. BUT- when your child is bored and looking for something to do and it has now become some other family's job to entertain them then the parent needs to get up and do something. That being said the kids we have met have always been very sweet and we really didn't mind letting them join in but thought it was odd that their parents were nowhere to be found.

 

[mjkacmom]

I find that thought process very scary. People drown all the time who can swim. In fact, on the news just a few days ago there was a young mom who drowned after going down a pool slide, and no one found her until 3 days later! Can you imagine? And the pool was open, and lifeguards all around. They are trying to figure out how the heck that could happen.

No one should be complacent around a pool. No one.

Every single time I've seen a kid go under, and need help, it was because the child was a non-swimmer, or poor swimmer, and he or she forgot he or she wasn't wearing a floatation device. And they sunk, no splashing. At our pool club, flotation devices aren't even allowed in the deep end, for this reason. Therefore, I got my children off of the false sense of security the floatation devices offered, for their safety. Most cases of drowning happen with the parents close by, and the highest population are under 4, or teens (most likely because they never learned to swim well, and are too old for floatation devices.

 

[ChrystalUnicorn]

At 6 I would never leave my kids unattended at the pool. The pool is not the place I want to start giving my kids freedom.


I ditto this!!

Plus I saw on My America that Florida has tons of sex offenders. Not a place I would be taking my eyes off my 6 year old.
Or my 8, and 11 year olds.

Just my opinion!

 

[nchulka]

What I meant by parents not playing with their kids is this. Yes. All parents should be able to relax etc. That doesn't mean that they are not good parents etc. BUT- when your child is bored and looking for something to do and it has now become some other family's job to entertain them then the parent needs to get up and do something.

Two entirely different philosophies at work here. The parents who feel it's their job to entertain their kids and the parents who feel their children need to be able to entertain themselves. It should be no one's job to entertain another, children should be able to gather at a pool, meet other KIDS, and make up water games to play to amuse themselves. I tend to be a big kid myself and love swimming and playing. I have to stop myself and step back and let my kids be on their own so they can learn how to play. I'm not a lay out with a book type. Usually I'll drift with a noodle while the kids make friends and play and slide and go off the diving board. Throughout several hours at the pool there will be periods where I chase the kids around like a shark, or play other such games, but a good 75% of the time they are entertaining themselves.

If my child was telling me they were bored at a resort pool at WDW they would be sitting out in a chair for a while for being so ungrateful!