Would you let your 10 year old do this?

[allie&mattsmom]

We have a pool down the street from us that we belong to. The kids get a pass to go on their own at age 9. My kids are 9 & 11 and have been going since they turned nine on their own. They ride their bikes or rollerblade. My only requirement is that they call me when they get there and before they leave to come home. The lifeguards there are very attentive and strict so I feel pretty comfortable with it.

 

[Karel]

he's only 10, the lifeguards are not babysitters, they have jobs to do. Sending a child without supervision just adds to their list of responsibilites and really it isn't their job to look after young children

Well, yes, watching kids in the water is their job. I pay a lot of money each year for those lifeguards to watch my kids in the pool.

At my swim club, kids can go to the pool by themselves at nine with a high band (swim two laps of the pool, tread water)

With my family, we do it in small steps. At 9 or 10 years old, I would drop them for an hour or so and run to the store or I went to work for two hours. Then I would pick them up when I was finished. Occasionally, we'd all go to the pool and if they wanted to stay awhile, I would come back later for them.

There were strict rules - one of the biggest was 'do not leave the swim club!'. There was one night it stormed and I couldn't go get them and I panicked but they were fine. They waited the storm out at the pool under shelter and walked home.

Now, they ride their bikes over by themselves, just like my husband and I did when we were younger.

 

[Hannathy]

I would let him go. It's close, there are lifeguards, and I'm sure most of his neighborhood friends will be there, not to mention a few neighborhood Moms at different times who he knows will report any mis-steps to you. It is a good small step toward independence.

 

[grlpwrd]

It depends.

Has he taken a water safety course - i.e. has he learned to swim with a buddy? Is he a proficient swimmer - i.e. can he swim laps? Is he responsible and mature? Are the lifeguards certified and capable?

I want to point out that here in Virginia a child of a good friend went unconscious in the waterpark. She witnessed the lifeguard panic and that lifeguard would not (could not?) give CPR to the child. It is one thing to be certified as a lifeguard, but it's another thing to actually have them do their job. I am not saying this can happen in all cases, just commenting on this one incident that I know happened. It happened at a waterpark, not at a community pool, but still...

I have also learned in my lifeguarding classes that one of the blind spots is right in front of the lifeguard stand. If you do let your son swim there, then please at least ingrain safety rules, including always swimming with a buddy and never swim right in front of the lifeguard stand.

 

[crazee4mickey]

Well, yes, watching kids in the water is their job. I pay a lot of money each year for those lifeguards to watch my kids in the pool.

The safety of swimmers and patrons is their job....
Maybe your kids are self sufficient, I know mine aren't so I don't expect someone else to look after my kids, I don't care how much money I spend. IMHO, I'm their parent and that is my job not theirs and I just don't feel comfortable sending someone this young on their own

 

[lucyanna girl]

No, it has nothing to do with what your son may or may not do. It is because there are some very bad people in this world and I believe there is no such thing as an over-protective parent anymore.

Penny

 

[noodleknitter]

If you think he would do well, trust your heart. I like Disney Doll's suggestion, especially. Taking a walk down and checking on him on occasion, would allow you to know that he is doing well, so that you could relax. Independence is a good thing, as is learning to make good choices on their own. And I think 10 is a nice age for kids. Not hormonally driven, and still wanting to please the adults!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

If he could swim and there are lifeguards--then yes.

But the kicker would be one complaint from a legitimate source--then I'd probably have to take that privilege away.

10yo is a generous policy and I would have been appreciative as a kid--ours was 12.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

The safety of swimmers and patrons is their job....
Maybe your kids are self sufficient, I know mine aren't so I don't expect someone else to look after my kids, I don't care how much money I spend. IMHO, I'm their parent and that is my job not theirs and I just don't feel comfortable sending someone this young on their own

I would agree if some parent were sending an unskilled swimmer or their child whom they have difficulty keeping control of in the pool.

However I also agree with Karel.

If a child is a skilled swimmer--absolutely it is the lifeguards duty to attend the pool and protect all patrons regardless of age. Sending a skilled swimmer is NOT asking the lifeguard to babysit.

Neither is asking the librarian to babysit when you send a 10yo unaccompanied.

Neither is asking the neighbors to babysit if your 10yo is out riding a bike.

Inferring that the lifeguard is babysitting is a stretch for an older skilled child when the establishment permits children of that age to go to the pool without their parents.

 

[golfgal]

No, it has nothing to do with what your son may or may not do. It is because there are some very bad people in this world and I believe there is no such thing as an over-protective parent anymore.

Penny

There have always been bad people in the world, even 50 years ago kids were molested, kidnapped, murdered, etc. The only real difference these days is that we hear about it on the news where as 50 years ago, kids didn't make headlines. There is most definitely such a thing as overprotective parents and the kids are the ones that suffer. Kids that are never allowed to do anything on their own don't develop 'street smarts' to deal with uncomfortable or unsafe situations. You start small by letting them walk alone to the neighbors house to play and build from there.

Letting your children do things on their own like riding their bike down the block to visit a friend also helps them learn to make good/bad decisions so when they are in high school and someone want them to do something illegal, take drugs, etc. they have a background in decision making for themselves and they can deal with these situations easier. These things start in toddlerhood when you ask a child if they want peanut butter or mac-n-cheese for lunch. Overprotective parents are taking these life skill lessons away from their children and when they are finally out on their own, oh, boy, poor kid!

 

[Southern4sure]

My DS 10 is a very good swimmer and I would let him go as long as there were lifeguards present. Our HOA limits the age to 12. No child under 12 is allowed at any of the lodge facilities at anytime unless a parent is present. We do not have lifeguards at our pools though.

Our HOA had to change the policy because parents were dropping their children off while (during the summer) they went to work and these kids would run around unsupervised and cause problems (some of these kids were under 8 yrs old).

 

[Hannathy]

Well said Golfgal ! I agree with you. And Yes there most certainly are over protective parents, more now than ever before.