What age can kids go to the pool alone?

[DisMN]

I would let a 14 year old go to the pool alone, definitely. By 14, most kids are out and about, walking around town, at movies, at concerts, at the fair, etc. I do not see why being at the pool at a WDW hotel would be any different. I would definitely give her some safety tips, such as letting her know what to do if she feels uncomfortable, and who to talk to. Be sure to tell her to keep an eye out when she is walking back to the room. Tell her to get in and close the door quickly when she is entering the room (the doors automatically lock when closed all the way). This is a safety tactic that all people should follow when staying at any hotel.

Oh, I would like to add. The kids who were molested did have parents at the park, within a reasonable, safe distance. This can happen anywhere, anytime, with or without parents. People don't realize that even if they are there, it can still happen to their kids, and it will have the same effect either way. Explain to your children what to do if this does happen (get out of the water, get a description of the person, and go immediately to a lifeguard. Report it so action can be taken, and have a cell phone handy to call the parents).

I echo the sentiments of this entire post!
I too would let my 14 year old go to a lifeguarded pool alone. I have gone through the safety talks with both my daughter and grandchildren, to the point of teaching my granddaughter a break-away technique in case someone tries to hold onto her arm and she doesn't want them to. LOL

Good luck to the OP! Enjoy your trip!!

 

[MAYNARDS99]

OP What did YOUR parents do when you were 14?

I remember my Dad taking me to Disneyworld when I was 10 and a half. He would take an afternoon nap, while I went to the CR pool by myself, or just rode around on the monorail. This was a different era, 1974.

 

[CarolAnnB]

We will be staying at Beach Club Villas, and on one day, we are going to do a tour my daughter is not old enough to go on. She is 14.

Does anyone else wonder why Disney will let a 12 year old alone at a pool but will not let a 14 year old on a tour with her parents??

 

[Withacy]

Does anyone else wonder why Disney will let a 12 year old alone at a pool but will not let a 14 year old on a tour with her parents??

Isn't it the Segway tour that you have to be 16 to go on? Maybe it's a liability/driving of the Segway issue. Or not. I could be mistaken.

 

[DaParkers]

One thing that has been forgotten is that this child will be left at the RESORT alone, not just the pool. I think a 14 year old is old enough to go to a pool alone, but not stay in a resort alone. Even the most responsible teens make dumb mistakes. Like maybe telling someone that she is there alone. At home, sometimes you have neighbors and other family members close by, but not in WDW.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Does anyone else wonder why Disney will let a 12 year old alone at a pool but will not let a 14 year old on a tour with her parents??

Very interesting point.

ah well, this kind of topic always gets a bit heated.

I suggest that some of us have had very different experiences in life, and that these differing experiences give us different pepectives.

I have seen tragedies unfold before my eyes a number of times as a teacher. Some of my students are no longer alive. Perhaps that puts me on the side of too much caution.

Teaching our children does require balance.

As a teacher, I feel an obligation to tend to the needs of the more conservative of my parents. Many of our parents would not allow their children to go to a pool unchaperoned on a trip to WDW. I venture to say, just about ALL would hold me accountable if I left their child alone and something happened. By law, I am not even allowed to leave them alone in the confines of my own classroom!

And oh, the trouble they would get into if I did! Especially the ninth graders!

 

[Hannathy]

One thing that has been forgotten is that this child will be left at the RESORT alone, not just the pool. I think a 14 year old is old enough to go to a pool alone, but not stay in a resort alone. Even the most responsible teens make dumb mistakes. Like maybe telling someone that she is there alone. At home, sometimes you have neighbors and other family members close by, but not in WDW.

Again 14 not 8. A 14 yr old is babysitting other younger children ALONE in a strange house, many times not their neighborhood, or even somewhere they have never even been before. What age is OK then for someone to stay alone? 14 is Plenty old enough to stay alone. do you really think her parents should get a sitter?

 

[babyfacebabe86]

How much smaller could you get for heavens sake? going to a crowded resort pool with families, staff and life guards?

Considering my 14 yr old was babysitting 2 little girls all day at the time she was 14 and taking them to swimming lessons and all around town on the bus and feeding them etc I hardly think going to the pool alone a massive increment!

I can't believe 14 yr olds don't go to community pools without their Mommies so why would Disney be any different.

Wow. You sure do give your daughter alot of freedom...My mom would hardly let me walk away from her at Walmart.

A 14yr old is still a child and should not be left completly alone IMO. Thats how children get kidnapped! If she had a friend with her I would probably feel a little better.

 

[DaParkers]

Again 14 not 8. A 14 yr old is babysitting other younger children ALONE in a strange house, many times not their neighborhood, or even somewhere they have never even been before. What age is OK then for someone to stay alone? 14 is Plenty old enough to stay alone. do you really think her parents should get a sitter?

Some people let their 8 and 9 year olds stay home alone, babysit their siblings and even commute back and forth to school alone. NOT ME! I've seen too many 14 and 15 year olds DIE! I am overprotective and will NEVER apologize for it. I have this perspective because of where I'm from. I had a job at 13 that I traveled about 20 miles to and from alone on public transportation and my wife walked to and from school alone at 6. Even though we're still here, that doesn't change our views. I was a young black male in a city with the highest murder rate. My mother was naive for letting me roam the city and my wife's mother was also for letting her do the same. Our parents gambled and won. I won't gamble with my child's well being. With that said, these are MY views. I respect your right to raise your children any way you want. I never suggested the OP not leave her dd and I won't. It's her choice. And for the record, I think that her child will be ok. I just wouldn't leave mine. My tour would have to be put on hold.

 

[mjkacmom]

I don't know about yours, but my watch isn't capable of being aware of its surroundings, seeking help if a situation seems sketchy, or otherwise protecting itself, and I'm not concerned with teaching my watch the things it will need to know when it heads out into the world without me.

I love this response! I have to laugh at people who compare their children to their purses - I like to think that my children have more common sense than a Coach bag.

 

[mjkacmom]

Wow. You sure do give your daughter alot of freedom...My mom would hardly let me walk away from her at Walmart.

A 14yr old is still a child and should not be left completly alone IMO. Thats how children get kidnapped! If she had a friend with her I would probably feel a little better.

The chances of a child getting kidnapped by a non family member is slim to none. I'm sorry your mom was so over protective. My dd13 babysits, as I did at her age - it's normal. She also walks 15 minutes to school (sometimes alone - gasp!). In a couple of years she's going to be driving, and then she will be going off to college. A 14 year old not being allowed to be alone? She's more of a young woman than child.

 

[pta-mom]

I do think this is all about personal choice but I have to agree with the side that says 14 is plenty old enough to go to a resort pool alone.

I'm curious about parents who "guard" their children, teens especially, from all of lifes "possible" misfortunes. If a 14 year old is not yet old enough to be left alone for a few hours at a resort, how will you allow them to get a p/t job at 15? How will you allow them to drive at 16? Date? Go to parties? Go to college at 18? How will THEY learn to make good choices if you as the parent make all their choices for them? It's so important that we allow our kids some freedom to make those choices, learn from their mistakes & learn from their truimphs! I think it would be very scary for a kid going off on their own at 18 who has been sheltered all their lives!

I don't know that I would let my 14 year old travel by bus to downtown New York to spend the day shopping or allow him/her to travel with friends through Rome....but a pool at a resort?

Yes, sometimes bad things happen to kids but really, you can NOT protect your kid 24/7 so you better make sure to give them some skills to protect themselves & some freedom to put those skills in action.

 

[Disneyfun1]

I didnt want to cause such an issue with this as OP, just wanted to know what the age was.

thanks for the input though!

 

[Withacy]

I was discussing this thread with my best friend - the mother of my godchildren - who has 4 children (2B, 2G) ages 7 through 23. What struck us was how often people talk about their children as if they are inanimate objects. Not just on this thread, but other threads too. They're people who think, learn & grow (if you let them).

One thing she pointed out to me, in response to people who say they feel better if their child is with a friend instead of alone, often kids are better off alone in certain situations. When they're with other kids their age, often their defenses are down and they're not as aware of potential danger. Not to mention peer pressure. To be perfectly honest, thinking back to when I was a pre-teen and teen, almost every time I did something my parents didn't approve of (or, let's be honest, would've been horrified by) I was with someone else. I did stuff I never would've considered doing alone. And some of the worst stuff was with a friend my parents liked and thought was a good influence (if they only knew!). And then there was the trouble my older brother led me into when I was little.

 

[Britgirlus]

I think the OP got the answer to her question
Just to throw something else out there - here in South Dakota kids can drive at 14, and many do - alone, unsupervised.

 

[Howellsy]

Some of these repsonses have totally shocked me! I can't believe how overprotective some parents are, it's make me very grateful for the freedom my parents allowed me. I'm 18 and I'm travelling to Florida from the UK for two weeks with my DGF (also 18) next week - some parents on this thread probably wouldn't allow their children to do that.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

18 is an adult, 14 is not. It's comparing apples to oranges.

 

[Hannathy]

18 is an adult, 14 is not. It's comparing apples to oranges.

yes but you don't go to bed at 17 and wake up at 18 knowing how to handle yourself and situations UNLESS you start early and learn. Practice makes perfect-or at least experienced.


What an exciting trip to Howellsy! Have fun, your parents have raised an independent confident young woman, I'm sure, not one fearing every shadow.

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

Some of these repsonses have totally shocked me! I can't believe how overprotective some parents are, it's make me very grateful for the freedom my parents allowed me. I'm 18 and I'm travelling to Florida from the UK for two weeks with my DGF (also 18) next week - some parents on this thread probably wouldn't allow their children to do that.

18 is an adult, 14 is not. It's comparing apples to oranges.

True enough, however, I do think that the PP is stating that she is glad her parents allowed her the opportunity to experience life without having a hovering parent. I allow my kids to do things that most of my friends wouldn't dream of (OMG, the horror, I know!!) but my kids also have a self confidence about them that they were able to accomplish things that most of their friends weren't even able to consider. My middle schooler gets home earlier than I do on most days, she begins her homework and gets the mail and checks in with me. I did the same when I was her age, and I grew up on Long Island during the time of the Son of Sam and guess what I turned out ok (well maybe a little crazy). What I'm saying is that there are different guidelines for every situation and every parent must parent their children in the manner in which they are comfortable and no one should ever criticize someone else unless they have walked a mile in their shoes. Ok, nuff said.

 

[mjkacmom]

18 is an adult, 14 is not. It's comparing apples to oranges.

A 14 year old can reproduce - I think this makes them closer to being an adult than being a child.