Pool Time Guilt Trip

[laundrymom]

I would tell moms, I WILL CALL YOU IF WE HAVE A POOL DAY.

[MsMe]

Our regs wouldn't allow this. The parents could not sign or agree to anything short of careful supervision at all times. We would have to have an adult with every kid every minute. We aren't allowed to let any age group play outside in the back yard without an adult.

If you had to have an adult within eyeshot of every kid at all times would you be able to do it? Meaning keeping the older kids in the area that is safe for the little kids?

Yes, they would stay with me in the area were it was safe for the smallest child.

[MsMe]

Sooo...

MsMe...

Are you taking the kids to the pool today?

::ducks::

Yes, Ms. X took 4 kids to the pool today. I am home with 3.

[nannyde]

Yes, they would stay with me in the area were it was safe for the smallest child.

It would change the experience for the school agers ... wouldn't it?

Being able to free range a big pool is very different than being in a little kiddie area. It would change the adults perception of how "fun" it was if they had ALL the kids within a few feet of them at all times.

Would it be a good activity for the kids if you had that kind of restriction. Not counting the first couple of weeks... but beyond that?

[Meyou]

I've been wanting to take the kids to the park pool/beach....It's basically a gigantic wading pool surrounded by sand all around. it's shallow and gradually gets deeper up to 7.5 feet in the center. I've never been there, and I'd love to take my kids there, but I worry I cannot handle the daycare kids and my own at the beach. 1 of the dcb's loves the water and will be in and out of it. The other will not go near the water, so I would have 1 on the beach and one in the water.

How do you all handle more than 4 kids at a pool/beach? There are lifeguards on duty there, but I still worry that 1 might wander too far into the water, and the other would be left on the beach. I would put lifejackets on them of course, but just curious what other's experiences are.

I take my crew to a beach at a lake. The park grass borders the sand so I set up my chair. wagon and area very close to the edge of the water and the sand but on the grass (easier for eating). The kids can play on approx 1/3 of the beach, the area closest to me. This gives them about 40ft x20 ft area to play in. The 20ft side being on the water. They are allowed in the water up to their belly buttons within the 1/3 of the beach once they are 3.5 and in swimming lessons. The little ones are only allowed in very shallow water but they stick to the sand anyway. This whole area is lifeguarded and I'm literally a 2 sec sprint from any one of them.

I bring nets for catching stuff, buckets and shovels for them and let them go.

Then I sit and watch like a hawk.

Anyone that breaks a beach rule plays in the grass behind my chair for the rest of the day and holds my hand for the whole walk home instead of playing chase. I have maybe 1 rule broken a week and it's normally one of the 2 year olds who wanders once in a blue moon when she sees a sparkly beach toy she likes.

ETA: They sit in a circle on the grass to eat lunch. I have lunch ready and call to them. They rinse off the sand in the water and I wrap each one up like a burrito with arms sticking out and they each on their lap with legs sticking out straight.

[MsMe]

It would change the experience for the school agers ... wouldn't it?

Being able to free range a big pool is very different than being in a little kiddie area. It would change the adults perception of how "fun" it was if they had ALL the kids within a few feet of them at all times.

Would it be a good activity for the kids if you had that kind of restriction. Not counting the first couple of weeks... but beyond that?

probably not, but that is not they way it is and they DO get to have fun and I enjoy pool days

[kitkat]

A patch would be great! Here it is a plastic card (the size of a CC) with a picture and exp Date. You can get individual/family/full year/summer. Our pool is huge and more like a water park (it drives me nuts, but that is anothor story) it is $6 per child per visit so a pass is the way to go. I do not require anyone to get one but they all do.

I do require they get an spare pass to leave at my house.....as you can imagaine it is murder sharing a pass with Mom and Dad and it coming (or rather not coming) and going each day.

I also require a suit/towel/sunscreen be left with me for the WHOLE summer it does not go home untill Fall. I provide all water wings and toys.

Thanks for the info! Your water park sounds similar to ours, but yours sounds bigger. We only get one patch per person in the family and it has to be sewn onto a suit or towel, so it would have to be shared between home and here.

probably not, but that is not they way it is and they DO get to have fun and I enjoy pool days

Your dcks are very lucky! I bet they'd be happy to go even if they only could stay in the kiddie area.