When can the kids swim without me watching them?

[Anonymous]

I would let them swim unsupervised if they were together. At least then if there is an accident one kid can call for help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents let us swim in pairs of good swimmers from 10 onwards. Honestly, that seems reasonable to me if you're talking about a home pool that the kids are familiar with. I would actually be very curious how many 10+ year olds w/ basic swimming ability die in swimming pools every year in the US. I bet it's very very few.

Does it matter? It’s preventable. How can you live with yourself if your child died from a preventable cause?

[Anonymous]

Never, ever, ever... my H is a cop... and has had too many calls with kids who "can swim" and parents reading a book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents let us swim in pairs of good swimmers from 10 onwards. Honestly, that seems reasonable to me if you're talking about a home pool that the kids are familiar with. I would actually be very curious how many 10+ year olds w/ basic swimming ability die in swimming pools every year in the US. I bet it's very very few.

10 a day in the US

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents let us swim in pairs of good swimmers from 10 onwards. Honestly, that seems reasonable to me if you're talking about a home pool that the kids are familiar with. I would actually be very curious how many 10+ year olds w/ basic swimming ability die in swimming pools every year in the US. I bet it's very very few.

10 a day in the US

site?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Ok then, change the question to “swim with each other” or “swim with a friend” without a parent directly watching. I am going to say 16 if a parent is home and the friends’ parents are ok with it. 18 if you’re not home and limited to a small number of friends.

Really? You'd actually sit there and watch two 15 year old's swimming?

I'm not that poster, but we have a backyard pool and while I don't sit on the deck and watch my 15 yo DS and friends the entire time like a hawk, I do keep an eye out. I look out windows to make sure no one is doing anything dangerous. I will open the sliding door and yell out there and tell them to cut it out. I also count heads. Something I think I'll do until my kids are 35.

My DD is 12 and sometimes I'll hang outside closer to her (and her friends), other times I sit at the kitchen table where I can still have a direct sight line to the pool, but I'm not as intrusive on their fun.

To further mortify my kids, before they get in the pool with friends, I go over the rules with them. I take pool safety VERY seriously.

Any parent who would allow someone else’s 12 year old to be in the pool while they are inside in the kitchen is neglectful. Pool safety is an adult by the pool watching every minute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents let us swim in pairs of good swimmers from 10 onwards. Honestly, that seems reasonable to me if you're talking about a home pool that the kids are familiar with. I would actually be very curious how many 10+ year olds w/ basic swimming ability die in swimming pools every year in the US. I bet it's very very few.

10 a day in the US

site?

What? Totally false. 148 in the whole US under 15 in swimming pools or spas. I would guess the vast majority of those are under 5 and the vast majority of the others couldn’t swim. The truth is that for competent rational sober swimmers, swimming pools are not particularly dangerous. Way less
Dangerous than, e.g., driving in a car.


Cite: https://www.cpsc.gov/content/latest-pool-safely-statistics-at-least-148-children-fatally-drowned-in-pools-and-spas-this

[Anonymous]

^^ Sorry that stat is for summer 2018.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents let us swim in pairs of good swimmers from 10 onwards. Honestly, that seems reasonable to me if you're talking about a home pool that the kids are familiar with. I would actually be very curious how many 10+ year olds w/ basic swimming ability die in swimming pools every year in the US. I bet it's very very few.

Does it matter? It’s preventable. How can you live with yourself if your child died from a preventable cause?

Do you ever put your kids in a car? Give me a break. Life is about weighing up risks not avoid any activity with any risk.

[Anonymous]

This is why I don’t ever want a backyard pool. It’s much safer for your kids to swim at a public or club pool with a lifeguard on duty.

[Anonymous]

No good advice op but just commiserating. I take pool safety seriously and could never have a home pool. I like the security of a lifeguard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was 21 and a lifeguard and still not allowed to watch my 19 and 17 year old siblings swim. At our lake, where we had all been able to swim as soon as we could walk.

That is insane. You were an adult. Your 19 year old sibling was an adult. Exactly who "didn't allow" your ADULT sibling to decide who was qualified to watch her swim?

[Anonymous]

Huh. I must be a bad parent. Kids are 7 and 9 and I let them swim alone often, checking in every 20-30min or so. They've been swimming since they were babies and this will be their third year in swim team. Have never once had an issue.

I do understand the concern though about grates and other variables.

[Anonymous]

These replies are a little absurd. "Never"? Are you going to watch them when they are 30? There is an age where you stop watching them and OP is just asking what it is. "Never" is a useless reply.

[Anonymous]

Former lifeguard husband and swim team wife family -

Never.

I’ve seen fully competent adult swimmers drown. I always keep an eye out when my children swim. I always will.

This question is like saying “when can my child ride in a car without a seatbelt”.