Does anyone feel like "pool life" doesn't work for you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids are 5 mo 4 and 8. We joined a pool for the second year in a row and I really want it to work for us. I see families with kids my age..sometimes even 4 kids or families with a set of twins...staying at the pool for 3,4,5 hours everyday. I can't seem to get that down. I try and stay organized. A bag for towels, cooler, bag for toys, bag with extra clothes and diapers. It seems by the time I get everyone in their gear, get the bags ready, get into the car and going we are - 45 minutes. Older kids do well for the first hour usually. I try and get the baby to sleep in the stroller and join in. My 4 year old is fine in the baby pool so we maybe splash with the little one until she tires out. Then kids want to eat and then by hour 2 we generally break down. Baby either is up and overstimulated or tired and can't get into a good sleep. 4 year old wants to do more in the big pool but I'm unavailable for that. 8 year old sees friends and wants to stay longer but little kids can't handle it. It seems like I spend 45 minutes getting ready, maybe 90 minutes there are decent, last 30 terrible, then 45 minutes to get everyone back home and changed and repack the bag/wash towels/empty cooler. I don't know what to do to make this easier and longer?? What am I missing here??

I'm really fascinated by all of you that only stay for an hour or 90 minutes. How terribly wasteful and boring...

1- We do bathing suits at home, and sunscreen, and they eat lunch on the drive or walk to the pool. I set up camp in the middle of the big and little pool, so I can keep a monitor on all, and nobody swims alone unless they can pass a swim test. I'll do laps of the pool deck with the stroller, or put baby in a carrier and stand up to my knees on the stops with the 3-5 year olds. Also, ALWAYS shower there, or at least rinse off, and if nothing else, everyone takes off suits and puts on dry clothes/diapers or undies. The drive home has never not made anyone of my 6 fall asleep, in 13 years of doing this. We go at 11 or 12 depending on the day, and are there until 4 usually.

What, exactly, is being wasted?

And you can't say time, because to my kids and to me, 1.5 hours is a great amount of time to be at the pool. That's a great and fun time for US.

Tell me what's being wasted? My community pool membership is built into our HOA fees. So using it a few days a week for as long as *we want to* feels just fine for us. And we aren't pinching pennies and desperate to make the most out of anything like that.

Right? What's wasteful about it? We used to go to a pool that was a five-minute walk from our house. The nice thing about it was that we didn't feel like we needed to stay all day to make it worth the trip--we could go, swim a bit, have dinner and head home. It didn't have to be a Big Thing. If you're having fun and want to stay longer--great! If not, what's the problem? To me, boring would be staying at the pool even after everyone was tired of it and it wasn't so much fun anymore.

Effort. Effort is being wasted. Its a lot of work to get everyone ready to only stay a short while. I only have two kids but didn't take them much by myself until the older one was a decent swimmer on her own.

It always shocks me how DCUM women are terrified of a little bit of effort and work.

[Anonymous]

It’s the age of your kids, at 5 months we wouldn’t be out all day. Now that our DD is 2, we are outside at the pool all day

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids are 5 mo 4 and 8. We joined a pool for the second year in a row and I really want it to work for us. I see families with kids my age..sometimes even 4 kids or families with a set of twins...staying at the pool for 3,4,5 hours everyday. I can't seem to get that down. I try and stay organized. A bag for towels, cooler, bag for toys, bag with extra clothes and diapers. It seems by the time I get everyone in their gear, get the bags ready, get into the car and going we are - 45 minutes. Older kids do well for the first hour usually. I try and get the baby to sleep in the stroller and join in. My 4 year old is fine in the baby pool so we maybe splash with the little one until she tires out. Then kids want to eat and then by hour 2 we generally break down. Baby either is up and overstimulated or tired and can't get into a good sleep. 4 year old wants to do more in the big pool but I'm unavailable for that. 8 year old sees friends and wants to stay longer but little kids can't handle it. It seems like I spend 45 minutes getting ready, maybe 90 minutes there are decent, last 30 terrible, then 45 minutes to get everyone back home and changed and repack the bag/wash towels/empty cooler. I don't know what to do to make this easier and longer?? What am I missing here??

I'm really fascinated by all of you that only stay for an hour or 90 minutes. How terribly wasteful and boring...

1- We do bathing suits at home, and sunscreen, and they eat lunch on the drive or walk to the pool. I set up camp in the middle of the big and little pool, so I can keep a monitor on all, and nobody swims alone unless they can pass a swim test. I'll do laps of the pool deck with the stroller, or put baby in a carrier and stand up to my knees on the stops with the 3-5 year olds. Also, ALWAYS shower there, or at least rinse off, and if nothing else, everyone takes off suits and puts on dry clothes/diapers or undies. The drive home has never not made anyone of my 6 fall asleep, in 13 years of doing this. We go at 11 or 12 depending on the day, and are there until 4 usually.

What, exactly, is being wasted?

And you can't say time, because to my kids and to me, 1.5 hours is a great amount of time to be at the pool. That's a great and fun time for US.

Tell me what's being wasted? My community pool membership is built into our HOA fees. So using it a few days a week for as long as *we want to* feels just fine for us. And we aren't pinching pennies and desperate to make the most out of anything like that.

Right? What's wasteful about it? We used to go to a pool that was a five-minute walk from our house. The nice thing about it was that we didn't feel like we needed to stay all day to make it worth the trip--we could go, swim a bit, have dinner and head home. It didn't have to be a Big Thing. If you're having fun and want to stay longer--great! If not, what's the problem? To me, boring would be staying at the pool even after everyone was tired of it and it wasn't so much fun anymore.

Effort. Effort is being wasted. Its a lot of work to get everyone ready to only stay a short while. I only have two kids but didn't take them much by myself until the older one was a decent swimmer on her own.

It always shocks me how DCUM women are terrified of a little bit of effort and work.

I'm not "terrified." But my kids were always content to play in their own little world at home. And I could keep an ear out while switching the laundry, prepping dinner or (gasp) reading a book. I didn't have to worry about sunburn or drowning. It always shocks me how DCUM women are "terrified" of entertaining their kids at home. Some people must ALWAYS be going SOMEWHERE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids are 5 mo 4 and 8. We joined a pool for the second year in a row and I really want it to work for us. I see families with kids my age..sometimes even 4 kids or families with a set of twins...staying at the pool for 3,4,5 hours everyday. I can't seem to get that down. I try and stay organized. A bag for towels, cooler, bag for toys, bag with extra clothes and diapers. It seems by the time I get everyone in their gear, get the bags ready, get into the car and going we are - 45 minutes. Older kids do well for the first hour usually. I try and get the baby to sleep in the stroller and join in. My 4 year old is fine in the baby pool so we maybe splash with the little one until she tires out. Then kids want to eat and then by hour 2 we generally break down. Baby either is up and overstimulated or tired and can't get into a good sleep. 4 year old wants to do more in the big pool but I'm unavailable for that. 8 year old sees friends and wants to stay longer but little kids can't handle it. It seems like I spend 45 minutes getting ready, maybe 90 minutes there are decent, last 30 terrible, then 45 minutes to get everyone back home and changed and repack the bag/wash towels/empty cooler. I don't know what to do to make this easier and longer?? What am I missing here??

I'm really fascinated by all of you that only stay for an hour or 90 minutes. How terribly wasteful and boring...

1- We do bathing suits at home, and sunscreen, and they eat lunch on the drive or walk to the pool. I set up camp in the middle of the big and little pool, so I can keep a monitor on all, and nobody swims alone unless they can pass a swim test. I'll do laps of the pool deck with the stroller, or put baby in a carrier and stand up to my knees on the stops with the 3-5 year olds. Also, ALWAYS shower there, or at least rinse off, and if nothing else, everyone takes off suits and puts on dry clothes/diapers or undies. The drive home has never not made anyone of my 6 fall asleep, in 13 years of doing this. We go at 11 or 12 depending on the day, and are there until 4 usually.

What, exactly, is being wasted?

And you can't say time, because to my kids and to me, 1.5 hours is a great amount of time to be at the pool. That's a great and fun time for US.

Tell me what's being wasted? My community pool membership is built into our HOA fees. So using it a few days a week for as long as *we want to* feels just fine for us. And we aren't pinching pennies and desperate to make the most out of anything like that.

Right? What's wasteful about it? We used to go to a pool that was a five-minute walk from our house. The nice thing about it was that we didn't feel like we needed to stay all day to make it worth the trip--we could go, swim a bit, have dinner and head home. It didn't have to be a Big Thing. If you're having fun and want to stay longer--great! If not, what's the problem? To me, boring would be staying at the pool even after everyone was tired of it and it wasn't so much fun anymore.

Effort. Effort is being wasted. Its a lot of work to get everyone ready to only stay a short while. I only have two kids but didn't take them much by myself until the older one was a decent swimmer on her own.

It always shocks me how DCUM women are terrified of a little bit of effort and work.

I'm not "terrified." But my kids were always content to play in their own little world at home. And I could keep an ear out while switching the laundry, prepping dinner or (gasp) reading a book. I didn't have to worry about sunburn or drowning. It always shocks me how DCUM women are "terrified" of entertaining their kids at home. Some people must ALWAYS be going SOMEWHERE.

Yeah how weird of us to take our kids out for physical activity the 3 months a year the amenity we pay for is available to us. We should totally just be sitting at home claiming the kids like it better being forced to stay home because we’re too lazy to handle sunscreen and would rather do laundry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids are 5 mo 4 and 8. We joined a pool for the second year in a row and I really want it to work for us. I see families with kids my age..sometimes even 4 kids or families with a set of twins...staying at the pool for 3,4,5 hours everyday. I can't seem to get that down. I try and stay organized. A bag for towels, cooler, bag for toys, bag with extra clothes and diapers. It seems by the time I get everyone in their gear, get the bags ready, get into the car and going we are - 45 minutes. Older kids do well for the first hour usually. I try and get the baby to sleep in the stroller and join in. My 4 year old is fine in the baby pool so we maybe splash with the little one until she tires out. Then kids want to eat and then by hour 2 we generally break down. Baby either is up and overstimulated or tired and can't get into a good sleep. 4 year old wants to do more in the big pool but I'm unavailable for that. 8 year old sees friends and wants to stay longer but little kids can't handle it. It seems like I spend 45 minutes getting ready, maybe 90 minutes there are decent, last 30 terrible, then 45 minutes to get everyone back home and changed and repack the bag/wash towels/empty cooler. I don't know what to do to make this easier and longer?? What am I missing here??

I'm really fascinated by all of you that only stay for an hour or 90 minutes. How terribly wasteful and boring...

1- We do bathing suits at home, and sunscreen, and they eat lunch on the drive or walk to the pool. I set up camp in the middle of the big and little pool, so I can keep a monitor on all, and nobody swims alone unless they can pass a swim test. I'll do laps of the pool deck with the stroller, or put baby in a carrier and stand up to my knees on the stops with the 3-5 year olds. Also, ALWAYS shower there, or at least rinse off, and if nothing else, everyone takes off suits and puts on dry clothes/diapers or undies. The drive home has never not made anyone of my 6 fall asleep, in 13 years of doing this. We go at 11 or 12 depending on the day, and are there until 4 usually.

What, exactly, is being wasted?

And you can't say time, because to my kids and to me, 1.5 hours is a great amount of time to be at the pool. That's a great and fun time for US.

Tell me what's being wasted? My community pool membership is built into our HOA fees. So using it a few days a week for as long as *we want to* feels just fine for us. And we aren't pinching pennies and desperate to make the most out of anything like that.

Right? What's wasteful about it? We used to go to a pool that was a five-minute walk from our house. The nice thing about it was that we didn't feel like we needed to stay all day to make it worth the trip--we could go, swim a bit, have dinner and head home. It didn't have to be a Big Thing. If you're having fun and want to stay longer--great! If not, what's the problem? To me, boring would be staying at the pool even after everyone was tired of it and it wasn't so much fun anymore.

Effort. Effort is being wasted. Its a lot of work to get everyone ready to only stay a short while. I only have two kids but didn't take them much by myself until the older one was a decent swimmer on her own.

LOL. I’m the poster you’re responding to. I guess we have different definitions of effort. My rising first grader gets herself totally ready except for sunscreen. We all chat and work together. My life isn’t effortless, but fun time with my kids is pretty effortless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids are 5 mo 4 and 8. We joined a pool for the second year in a row and I really want it to work for us. I see families with kids my age..sometimes even 4 kids or families with a set of twins...staying at the pool for 3,4,5 hours everyday. I can't seem to get that down. I try and stay organized. A bag for towels, cooler, bag for toys, bag with extra clothes and diapers. It seems by the time I get everyone in their gear, get the bags ready, get into the car and going we are - 45 minutes. Older kids do well for the first hour usually. I try and get the baby to sleep in the stroller and join in. My 4 year old is fine in the baby pool so we maybe splash with the little one until she tires out. Then kids want to eat and then by hour 2 we generally break down. Baby either is up and overstimulated or tired and can't get into a good sleep. 4 year old wants to do more in the big pool but I'm unavailable for that. 8 year old sees friends and wants to stay longer but little kids can't handle it. It seems like I spend 45 minutes getting ready, maybe 90 minutes there are decent, last 30 terrible, then 45 minutes to get everyone back home and changed and repack the bag/wash towels/empty cooler. I don't know what to do to make this easier and longer?? What am I missing here??

I'm really fascinated by all of you that only stay for an hour or 90 minutes. How terribly wasteful and boring...

1- We do bathing suits at home, and sunscreen, and they eat lunch on the drive or walk to the pool. I set up camp in the middle of the big and little pool, so I can keep a monitor on all, and nobody swims alone unless they can pass a swim test. I'll do laps of the pool deck with the stroller, or put baby in a carrier and stand up to my knees on the stops with the 3-5 year olds. Also, ALWAYS shower there, or at least rinse off, and if nothing else, everyone takes off suits and puts on dry clothes/diapers or undies. The drive home has never not made anyone of my 6 fall asleep, in 13 years of doing this. We go at 11 or 12 depending on the day, and are there until 4 usually.

What, exactly, is being wasted?

And you can't say time, because to my kids and to me, 1.5 hours is a great amount of time to be at the pool. That's a great and fun time for US.

Tell me what's being wasted? My community pool membership is built into our HOA fees. So using it a few days a week for as long as *we want to* feels just fine for us. And we aren't pinching pennies and desperate to make the most out of anything like that.

Right? What's wasteful about it? We used to go to a pool that was a five-minute walk from our house. The nice thing about it was that we didn't feel like we needed to stay all day to make it worth the trip--we could go, swim a bit, have dinner and head home. It didn't have to be a Big Thing. If you're having fun and want to stay longer--great! If not, what's the problem? To me, boring would be staying at the pool even after everyone was tired of it and it wasn't so much fun anymore.

Effort. Effort is being wasted. Its a lot of work to get everyone ready to only stay a short while. I only have two kids but didn't take them much by myself until the older one was a decent swimmer on her own.

It always shocks me how DCUM women are terrified of a little bit of effort and work.

I'm not "terrified." But my kids were always content to play in their own little world at home. And I could keep an ear out while switching the laundry, prepping dinner or (gasp) reading a book. I didn't have to worry about sunburn or drowning. It always shocks me how DCUM women are "terrified" of entertaining their kids at home. Some people must ALWAYS be going SOMEWHERE.

My kids play on their own at home and I watch them play at the pool and—gasp—also get in with them for part of the time. We are home a lot because, wait for it, we’re not at the pool all damn day. See how that works?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids are 5 mo 4 and 8. We joined a pool for the second year in a row and I really want it to work for us. I see families with kids my age..sometimes even 4 kids or families with a set of twins...staying at the pool for 3,4,5 hours everyday. I can't seem to get that down. I try and stay organized. A bag for towels, cooler, bag for toys, bag with extra clothes and diapers. It seems by the time I get everyone in their gear, get the bags ready, get into the car and going we are - 45 minutes. Older kids do well for the first hour usually. I try and get the baby to sleep in the stroller and join in. My 4 year old is fine in the baby pool so we maybe splash with the little one until she tires out. Then kids want to eat and then by hour 2 we generally break down. Baby either is up and overstimulated or tired and can't get into a good sleep. 4 year old wants to do more in the big pool but I'm unavailable for that. 8 year old sees friends and wants to stay longer but little kids can't handle it. It seems like I spend 45 minutes getting ready, maybe 90 minutes there are decent, last 30 terrible, then 45 minutes to get everyone back home and changed and repack the bag/wash towels/empty cooler. I don't know what to do to make this easier and longer?? What am I missing here??

I'm really fascinated by all of you that only stay for an hour or 90 minutes. How terribly wasteful and boring...

1- We do bathing suits at home, and sunscreen, and they eat lunch on the drive or walk to the pool. I set up camp in the middle of the big and little pool, so I can keep a monitor on all, and nobody swims alone unless they can pass a swim test. I'll do laps of the pool deck with the stroller, or put baby in a carrier and stand up to my knees on the stops with the 3-5 year olds. Also, ALWAYS shower there, or at least rinse off, and if nothing else, everyone takes off suits and puts on dry clothes/diapers or undies. The drive home has never not made anyone of my 6 fall asleep, in 13 years of doing this. We go at 11 or 12 depending on the day, and are there until 4 usually.

What, exactly, is being wasted?

And you can't say time, because to my kids and to me, 1.5 hours is a great amount of time to be at the pool. That's a great and fun time for US.

Tell me what's being wasted? My community pool membership is built into our HOA fees. So using it a few days a week for as long as *we want to* feels just fine for us. And we aren't pinching pennies and desperate to make the most out of anything like that.

Right? What's wasteful about it? We used to go to a pool that was a five-minute walk from our house. The nice thing about it was that we didn't feel like we needed to stay all day to make it worth the trip--we could go, swim a bit, have dinner and head home. It didn't have to be a Big Thing. If you're having fun and want to stay longer--great! If not, what's the problem? To me, boring would be staying at the pool even after everyone was tired of it and it wasn't so much fun anymore.

Effort. Effort is being wasted. Its a lot of work to get everyone ready to only stay a short while. I only have two kids but didn't take them much by myself until the older one was a decent swimmer on her own.

It always shocks me how DCUM women are terrified of a little bit of effort and work.

I'm not "terrified." But my kids were always content to play in their own little world at home. And I could keep an ear out while switching the laundry, prepping dinner or (gasp) reading a book. I didn't have to worry about sunburn or drowning. It always shocks me how DCUM women are "terrified" of entertaining their kids at home. Some people must ALWAYS be going SOMEWHERE.

My kids play on their own at home and I watch them play at the pool and—gasp—also get in with them for part of the time. We are home a lot because, wait for it, we’re not at the pool all damn day. See how that works?

When my kids were young I enjoyed taking them to parks, playgrounds, malls, movie theaters, rec centers, grandma's house, play dates, etc. We didn't spend our summers moving between home and the pool although we sometimes went to the pool and spent time at home every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids are 5 mo 4 and 8. We joined a pool for the second year in a row and I really want it to work for us. I see families with kids my age..sometimes even 4 kids or families with a set of twins...staying at the pool for 3,4,5 hours everyday. I can't seem to get that down. I try and stay organized. A bag for towels, cooler, bag for toys, bag with extra clothes and diapers. It seems by the time I get everyone in their gear, get the bags ready, get into the car and going we are - 45 minutes. Older kids do well for the first hour usually. I try and get the baby to sleep in the stroller and join in. My 4 year old is fine in the baby pool so we maybe splash with the little one until she tires out. Then kids want to eat and then by hour 2 we generally break down. Baby either is up and overstimulated or tired and can't get into a good sleep. 4 year old wants to do more in the big pool but I'm unavailable for that. 8 year old sees friends and wants to stay longer but little kids can't handle it. It seems like I spend 45 minutes getting ready, maybe 90 minutes there are decent, last 30 terrible, then 45 minutes to get everyone back home and changed and repack the bag/wash towels/empty cooler. I don't know what to do to make this easier and longer?? What am I missing here??

I'm really fascinated by all of you that only stay for an hour or 90 minutes. How terribly wasteful and boring...

1- We do bathing suits at home, and sunscreen, and they eat lunch on the drive or walk to the pool. I set up camp in the middle of the big and little pool, so I can keep a monitor on all, and nobody swims alone unless they can pass a swim test. I'll do laps of the pool deck with the stroller, or put baby in a carrier and stand up to my knees on the stops with the 3-5 year olds. Also, ALWAYS shower there, or at least rinse off, and if nothing else, everyone takes off suits and puts on dry clothes/diapers or undies. The drive home has never not made anyone of my 6 fall asleep, in 13 years of doing this. We go at 11 or 12 depending on the day, and are there until 4 usually.

What, exactly, is being wasted?

And you can't say time, because to my kids and to me, 1.5 hours is a great amount of time to be at the pool. That's a great and fun time for US.

Tell me what's being wasted? My community pool membership is built into our HOA fees. So using it a few days a week for as long as *we want to* feels just fine for us. And we aren't pinching pennies and desperate to make the most out of anything like that.

Right? What's wasteful about it? We used to go to a pool that was a five-minute walk from our house. The nice thing about it was that we didn't feel like we needed to stay all day to make it worth the trip--we could go, swim a bit, have dinner and head home. It didn't have to be a Big Thing. If you're having fun and want to stay longer--great! If not, what's the problem? To me, boring would be staying at the pool even after everyone was tired of it and it wasn't so much fun anymore.

Effort. Effort is being wasted. Its a lot of work to get everyone ready to only stay a short while. I only have two kids but didn't take them much by myself until the older one was a decent swimmer on her own.

It always shocks me how DCUM women are terrified of a little bit of effort and work.

I'm not "terrified." But my kids were always content to play in their own little world at home. And I could keep an ear out while switching the laundry, prepping dinner or (gasp) reading a book. I didn't have to worry about sunburn or drowning. It always shocks me how DCUM women are "terrified" of entertaining their kids at home. Some people must ALWAYS be going SOMEWHERE.

Yeah how weird of us to take our kids out for physical activity the 3 months a year the amenity we pay for is available to us. We should totally just be sitting at home claiming the kids like it better being forced to stay home because we’re too lazy to handle sunscreen and would rather do laundry.

Why are you so mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids are 5 mo 4 and 8. We joined a pool for the second year in a row and I really want it to work for us. I see families with kids my age..sometimes even 4 kids or families with a set of twins...staying at the pool for 3,4,5 hours everyday. I can't seem to get that down. I try and stay organized. A bag for towels, cooler, bag for toys, bag with extra clothes and diapers. It seems by the time I get everyone in their gear, get the bags ready, get into the car and going we are - 45 minutes. Older kids do well for the first hour usually. I try and get the baby to sleep in the stroller and join in. My 4 year old is fine in the baby pool so we maybe splash with the little one until she tires out. Then kids want to eat and then by hour 2 we generally break down. Baby either is up and overstimulated or tired and can't get into a good sleep. 4 year old wants to do more in the big pool but I'm unavailable for that. 8 year old sees friends and wants to stay longer but little kids can't handle it. It seems like I spend 45 minutes getting ready, maybe 90 minutes there are decent, last 30 terrible, then 45 minutes to get everyone back home and changed and repack the bag/wash towels/empty cooler. I don't know what to do to make this easier and longer?? What am I missing here??

I'm really fascinated by all of you that only stay for an hour or 90 minutes. How terribly wasteful and boring...

1- We do bathing suits at home, and sunscreen, and they eat lunch on the drive or walk to the pool. I set up camp in the middle of the big and little pool, so I can keep a monitor on all, and nobody swims alone unless they can pass a swim test. I'll do laps of the pool deck with the stroller, or put baby in a carrier and stand up to my knees on the stops with the 3-5 year olds. Also, ALWAYS shower there, or at least rinse off, and if nothing else, everyone takes off suits and puts on dry clothes/diapers or undies. The drive home has never not made anyone of my 6 fall asleep, in 13 years of doing this. We go at 11 or 12 depending on the day, and are there until 4 usually.

What, exactly, is being wasted?

And you can't say time, because to my kids and to me, 1.5 hours is a great amount of time to be at the pool. That's a great and fun time for US.

Tell me what's being wasted? My community pool membership is built into our HOA fees. So using it a few days a week for as long as *we want to* feels just fine for us. And we aren't pinching pennies and desperate to make the most out of anything like that.

Right? What's wasteful about it? We used to go to a pool that was a five-minute walk from our house. The nice thing about it was that we didn't feel like we needed to stay all day to make it worth the trip--we could go, swim a bit, have dinner and head home. It didn't have to be a Big Thing. If you're having fun and want to stay longer--great! If not, what's the problem? To me, boring would be staying at the pool even after everyone was tired of it and it wasn't so much fun anymore.

Effort. Effort is being wasted. Its a lot of work to get everyone ready to only stay a short while. I only have two kids but didn't take them much by myself until the older one was a decent swimmer on her own.

It always shocks me how DCUM women are terrified of a little bit of effort and work.

I'm not "terrified." But my kids were always content to play in their own little world at home. And I could keep an ear out while switching the laundry, prepping dinner or (gasp) reading a book. I didn't have to worry about sunburn or drowning. It always shocks me how DCUM women are "terrified" of entertaining their kids at home. Some people must ALWAYS be going SOMEWHERE.

Yeah how weird of us to take our kids out for physical activity the 3 months a year the amenity we pay for is available to us. We should totally just be sitting at home claiming the kids like it better being forced to stay home because we’re too lazy to handle sunscreen and would rather do laundry.

Why are you so mean?

You think that’s mean?? Incredible. It’s literally a recap of her own comment!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids are 5 mo 4 and 8. We joined a pool for the second year in a row and I really want it to work for us. I see families with kids my age..sometimes even 4 kids or families with a set of twins...staying at the pool for 3,4,5 hours everyday. I can't seem to get that down. I try and stay organized. A bag for towels, cooler, bag for toys, bag with extra clothes and diapers. It seems by the time I get everyone in their gear, get the bags ready, get into the car and going we are - 45 minutes. Older kids do well for the first hour usually. I try and get the baby to sleep in the stroller and join in. My 4 year old is fine in the baby pool so we maybe splash with the little one until she tires out. Then kids want to eat and then by hour 2 we generally break down. Baby either is up and overstimulated or tired and can't get into a good sleep. 4 year old wants to do more in the big pool but I'm unavailable for that. 8 year old sees friends and wants to stay longer but little kids can't handle it. It seems like I spend 45 minutes getting ready, maybe 90 minutes there are decent, last 30 terrible, then 45 minutes to get everyone back home and changed and repack the bag/wash towels/empty cooler. I don't know what to do to make this easier and longer?? What am I missing here??

I'm really fascinated by all of you that only stay for an hour or 90 minutes. How terribly wasteful and boring...

1- We do bathing suits at home, and sunscreen, and they eat lunch on the drive or walk to the pool. I set up camp in the middle of the big and little pool, so I can keep a monitor on all, and nobody swims alone unless they can pass a swim test. I'll do laps of the pool deck with the stroller, or put baby in a carrier and stand up to my knees on the stops with the 3-5 year olds. Also, ALWAYS shower there, or at least rinse off, and if nothing else, everyone takes off suits and puts on dry clothes/diapers or undies. The drive home has never not made anyone of my 6 fall asleep, in 13 years of doing this. We go at 11 or 12 depending on the day, and are there until 4 usually.

What, exactly, is being wasted?

And you can't say time, because to my kids and to me, 1.5 hours is a great amount of time to be at the pool. That's a great and fun time for US.

Tell me what's being wasted? My community pool membership is built into our HOA fees. So using it a few days a week for as long as *we want to* feels just fine for us. And we aren't pinching pennies and desperate to make the most out of anything like that.

Right? What's wasteful about it? We used to go to a pool that was a five-minute walk from our house. The nice thing about it was that we didn't feel like we needed to stay all day to make it worth the trip--we could go, swim a bit, have dinner and head home. It didn't have to be a Big Thing. If you're having fun and want to stay longer--great! If not, what's the problem? To me, boring would be staying at the pool even after everyone was tired of it and it wasn't so much fun anymore.

Effort. Effort is being wasted. Its a lot of work to get everyone ready to only stay a short while. I only have two kids but didn't take them much by myself until the older one was a decent swimmer on her own.

It always shocks me how DCUM women are terrified of a little bit of effort and work.

I'm not "terrified." But my kids were always content to play in their own little world at home. And I could keep an ear out while switching the laundry, prepping dinner or (gasp) reading a book. I didn't have to worry about sunburn or drowning. It always shocks me how DCUM women are "terrified" of entertaining their kids at home. Some people must ALWAYS be going SOMEWHERE.

My kids play on their own at home and I watch them play at the pool and—gasp—also get in with them for part of the time. We are home a lot because, wait for it, we’re not at the pool all damn day. See how that works?

When my kids were young I enjoyed taking them to parks, playgrounds, malls, movie theaters, rec centers, grandma's house, play dates, etc. We didn't spend our summers moving between home and the pool although we sometimes went to the pool and spent time at home every day.

Yeah and? We do all of the above and more. It's easier to get in a variety of activities, and some home time, when you don't put your kids through a forced-march 6-hour pool session because of all the "effort" involved in...slathering on a bit of sunscreen; donning a suit; throwing a few water bottles, towels and pool toys in the bottom of the stroller; and putting those few suits and towels in with the next load of laundry.

We don't do elaborate snacks at the pool. We don't stay at the pool all damn day. It's in the mix of our fun summer activities. It doesn't have to take over your whole day, the way you seem to want it to. I'm sorry you, personally, think the pool is a lot of "effort," but...yeah, it's just not for many of us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids are 5 mo 4 and 8. We joined a pool for the second year in a row and I really want it to work for us. I see families with kids my age..sometimes even 4 kids or families with a set of twins...staying at the pool for 3,4,5 hours everyday. I can't seem to get that down. I try and stay organized. A bag for towels, cooler, bag for toys, bag with extra clothes and diapers. It seems by the time I get everyone in their gear, get the bags ready, get into the car and going we are - 45 minutes. Older kids do well for the first hour usually. I try and get the baby to sleep in the stroller and join in. My 4 year old is fine in the baby pool so we maybe splash with the little one until she tires out. Then kids want to eat and then by hour 2 we generally break down. Baby either is up and overstimulated or tired and can't get into a good sleep. 4 year old wants to do more in the big pool but I'm unavailable for that. 8 year old sees friends and wants to stay longer but little kids can't handle it. It seems like I spend 45 minutes getting ready, maybe 90 minutes there are decent, last 30 terrible, then 45 minutes to get everyone back home and changed and repack the bag/wash towels/empty cooler. I don't know what to do to make this easier and longer?? What am I missing here??

I'm really fascinated by all of you that only stay for an hour or 90 minutes. How terribly wasteful and boring...

1- We do bathing suits at home, and sunscreen, and they eat lunch on the drive or walk to the pool. I set up camp in the middle of the big and little pool, so I can keep a monitor on all, and nobody swims alone unless they can pass a swim test. I'll do laps of the pool deck with the stroller, or put baby in a carrier and stand up to my knees on the stops with the 3-5 year olds. Also, ALWAYS shower there, or at least rinse off, and if nothing else, everyone takes off suits and puts on dry clothes/diapers or undies. The drive home has never not made anyone of my 6 fall asleep, in 13 years of doing this. We go at 11 or 12 depending on the day, and are there until 4 usually.

What, exactly, is being wasted?

And you can't say time, because to my kids and to me, 1.5 hours is a great amount of time to be at the pool. That's a great and fun time for US.

Tell me what's being wasted? My community pool membership is built into our HOA fees. So using it a few days a week for as long as *we want to* feels just fine for us. And we aren't pinching pennies and desperate to make the most out of anything like that.

Right? What's wasteful about it? We used to go to a pool that was a five-minute walk from our house. The nice thing about it was that we didn't feel like we needed to stay all day to make it worth the trip--we could go, swim a bit, have dinner and head home. It didn't have to be a Big Thing. If you're having fun and want to stay longer--great! If not, what's the problem? To me, boring would be staying at the pool even after everyone was tired of it and it wasn't so much fun anymore.

Effort. Effort is being wasted. Its a lot of work to get everyone ready to only stay a short while. I only have two kids but didn't take them much by myself until the older one was a decent swimmer on her own.

It always shocks me how DCUM women are terrified of a little bit of effort and work.

I'm not "terrified." But my kids were always content to play in their own little world at home. And I could keep an ear out while switching the laundry, prepping dinner or (gasp) reading a book. I didn't have to worry about sunburn or drowning. It always shocks me how DCUM women are "terrified" of entertaining their kids at home. Some people must ALWAYS be going SOMEWHERE.

My kids play on their own at home and I watch them play at the pool and—gasp—also get in with them for part of the time. We are home a lot because, wait for it, we’re not at the pool all damn day. See how that works?

When my kids were young I enjoyed taking them to parks, playgrounds, malls, movie theaters, rec centers, grandma's house, play dates, etc. We didn't spend our summers moving between home and the pool although we sometimes went to the pool and spent time at home every day.

Yeah and? We do all of the above and more. It's easier to get in a variety of activities, and some home time, when you don't put your kids through a forced-march 6-hour pool session because of all the "effort" involved in...slathering on a bit of sunscreen; donning a suit; throwing a few water bottles, towels and pool toys in the bottom of the stroller; and putting those few suits and towels in with the next load of laundry.

We don't do elaborate snacks at the pool. We don't stay at the pool all damn day. It's in the mix of our fun summer activities. It doesn't have to take over your whole day, the way you seem to want it to. I'm sorry you, personally, think the pool is a lot of "effort," but...yeah, it's just not for many of us.

Ummm, I was saying that my kids and I preferred to do a variety of activities rather than spend every day at the pool. We went to the pool for an hour or so here or there but we didn't live at the pool during the summer like we saw other parents doing during the day. We also didn't spend hours every single evening at the pool like some families do. The pool was one of many summer activities that we enjoyed - including simply hanging out at home, catching fire flies, grilling, playing tag, water guns, lawn sprinkler, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Gross! That shower is NOT clean. Fine to rinse off but as the only place to shower all summer? Before getting into bed? YUCK.

LOL, friend. If you think the pool SHOWER is gross ... don't think too carefully about the fecal matter in the SWIMMING POOL your kids are swimming in!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Gross! That shower is NOT clean. Fine to rinse off but as the only place to shower all summer? Before getting into bed? YUCK.

LOL, friend. If you think the pool SHOWER is gross ... don't think too carefully about the fecal matter in the SWIMMING POOL your kids are swimming in!

Which is why you better believe they’re taking a clean shower afterwards!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Gross! That shower is NOT clean. Fine to rinse off but as the only place to shower all summer? Before getting into bed? YUCK.

LOL, friend. If you think the pool SHOWER is gross ... don't think too carefully about the fecal matter in the SWIMMING POOL your kids are swimming in!

Which is why you better believe they’re taking a clean shower afterwards!!

Our pool showers are cleaned every day which more then the ones in my house!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids are 5 mo 4 and 8. We joined a pool for the second year in a row and I really want it to work for us. I see families with kids my age..sometimes even 4 kids or families with a set of twins...staying at the pool for 3,4,5 hours everyday. I can't seem to get that down. I try and stay organized. A bag for towels, cooler, bag for toys, bag with extra clothes and diapers. It seems by the time I get everyone in their gear, get the bags ready, get into the car and going we are - 45 minutes. Older kids do well for the first hour usually. I try and get the baby to sleep in the stroller and join in. My 4 year old is fine in the baby pool so we maybe splash with the little one until she tires out. Then kids want to eat and then by hour 2 we generally break down. Baby either is up and overstimulated or tired and can't get into a good sleep. 4 year old wants to do more in the big pool but I'm unavailable for that. 8 year old sees friends and wants to stay longer but little kids can't handle it. It seems like I spend 45 minutes getting ready, maybe 90 minutes there are decent, last 30 terrible, then 45 minutes to get everyone back home and changed and repack the bag/wash towels/empty cooler. I don't know what to do to make this easier and longer?? What am I missing here??

I'm really fascinated by all of you that only stay for an hour or 90 minutes. How terribly wasteful and boring...

1- We do bathing suits at home, and sunscreen, and they eat lunch on the drive or walk to the pool. I set up camp in the middle of the big and little pool, so I can keep a monitor on all, and nobody swims alone unless they can pass a swim test. I'll do laps of the pool deck with the stroller, or put baby in a carrier and stand up to my knees on the stops with the 3-5 year olds. Also, ALWAYS shower there, or at least rinse off, and if nothing else, everyone takes off suits and puts on dry clothes/diapers or undies. The drive home has never not made anyone of my 6 fall asleep, in 13 years of doing this. We go at 11 or 12 depending on the day, and are there until 4 usually.

What, exactly, is being wasted?

And you can't say time, because to my kids and to me, 1.5 hours is a great amount of time to be at the pool. That's a great and fun time for US.

Tell me what's being wasted? My community pool membership is built into our HOA fees. So using it a few days a week for as long as *we want to* feels just fine for us. And we aren't pinching pennies and desperate to make the most out of anything like that.

Right? What's wasteful about it? We used to go to a pool that was a five-minute walk from our house. The nice thing about it was that we didn't feel like we needed to stay all day to make it worth the trip--we could go, swim a bit, have dinner and head home. It didn't have to be a Big Thing. If you're having fun and want to stay longer--great! If not, what's the problem? To me, boring would be staying at the pool even after everyone was tired of it and it wasn't so much fun anymore.

Effort. Effort is being wasted. Its a lot of work to get everyone ready to only stay a short while. I only have two kids but didn't take them much by myself until the older one was a decent swimmer on her own.

It always shocks me how DCUM women are terrified of a little bit of effort and work.

I'm not "terrified." But my kids were always content to play in their own little world at home. And I could keep an ear out while switching the laundry, prepping dinner or (gasp) reading a book. I didn't have to worry about sunburn or drowning. It always shocks me how DCUM women are "terrified" of entertaining their kids at home. Some people must ALWAYS be going SOMEWHERE.

My kids play on their own at home and I watch them play at the pool and—gasp—also get in with them for part of the time. We are home a lot because, wait for it, we’re not at the pool all damn day. See how that works?

When my kids were young I enjoyed taking them to parks, playgrounds, malls, movie theaters, rec centers, grandma's house, play dates, etc. We didn't spend our summers moving between home and the pool although we sometimes went to the pool and spent time at home every day.

Yeah and? We do all of the above and more. It's easier to get in a variety of activities, and some home time, when you don't put your kids through a forced-march 6-hour pool session because of all the "effort" involved in...slathering on a bit of sunscreen; donning a suit; throwing a few water bottles, towels and pool toys in the bottom of the stroller; and putting those few suits and towels in with the next load of laundry.

We don't do elaborate snacks at the pool. We don't stay at the pool all damn day. It's in the mix of our fun summer activities. It doesn't have to take over your whole day, the way you seem to want it to. I'm sorry you, personally, think the pool is a lot of "effort," but...yeah, it's just not for many of us.

Ummm, I was saying that my kids and I preferred to do a variety of activities rather than spend every day at the pool. We went to the pool for an hour or so here or there but we didn't live at the pool during the summer like we saw other parents doing during the day. We also didn't spend hours every single evening at the pool like some families do. The pool was one of many summer activities that we enjoyed - including simply hanging out at home, catching fire flies, grilling, playing tag, water guns, lawn sprinkler, etc.

Yes, and? Me, too! Same. Look at how much we have in common.

The point I am taking issue with is when you made the judgment that going to the pool for only an hour or an hour and a half was "a waste of effort." (Some of us manage to get to the pool, enjoy it, and come home with no "effort," just so you know.)

Also just so you know? If you don't want people on DCUM pushing back on you, don't say rude, judgmental statements like the one you made here:
"I'm really fascinated by all of you that only stay for an hour or 90 minutes. How terribly wasteful and boring... "

The only thing "wasteful" in this scenario is you wasting your time and energy by making false assumptions and judging other parents for no reason. Focus on yourself. There's clearly a lot to work on there...