What age to start going swimming with a friend without parents?

[Anonymous]

Seems fine to me.

[Anonymous]

Do any of their other friends have a backyard pool? If so maybe they could go there first as a test drive before going to the actual pool together. Big pools can be very dangerous for kids without guardians.

[Anonymous]

Like others have said if the kids are responsible and so are the pool staff, then it should be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do any of their other friends have a backyard pool? If so maybe they could go there first as a test drive before going to the actual pool together. Big pools can be very dangerous for kids without guardians.

Public pools without guardians are infinitely safer that private pools without lifeguards.

[Anonymous]

My mom used to drop us off at the pool somewhere around late elementary / early middle. If your pool says 12, I’d do that if they are responsible and good swimmers. Maybe go the first time and just scout out anything you want them to be aware of...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would wait a few more years. Pools aren't your babysitters.

Maybe by college.

Seems a little soon. Pools aren’t your babysitters.

[Anonymous]

5th grade son started doing this with a group of friends this year, never been a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would wait a few more years. Pools aren't your babysitters.

Maybe by college.

Seems a little soon. Pools aren’t your babysitters.

Stop repeating yourself

[Anonymous]

At a life guarded pool I’m fine with this.

What terrifies me is I know the local teens hang out at the Potomac and it scares the beejeezus out of me. 13 yo DD hasn’t asked yet but I really don’t want her doing this when she’s older. The stats around teens and natural water, even if they are good swimmers, are really bad.

[Anonymous]

Our pool only allows 14 and up and honestly that’s probably when I’d be most comfortable. I’ve known way too many friends with kids who have drowned so I’m a little more cautious than most and my son is a great swimmer, even on the local swim team. That’s just me though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our pool only allows 14 and up and honestly that’s probably when I’d be most comfortable. I’ve known way too many friends with kids who have drowned so I’m a little more cautious than most and my son is a great swimmer, even on the local swim team. That’s just me though.

Good Lord how many friends do you have whose children have drowned? I don’t know any. And were they teens or toddlers? And pool or natural water? The statistics are all very different based on that.

[Anonymous]

Check the pool first, make the precautions and if it seems fine let them go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The pool has a lifeguard right? Does the pool allow kids without an adult, and how old do the kids have to be?

OP here, sorry forgot to include those details. Yes there is a lifeguards and kids have to be 12 or older to go in without an adult, our son will be 12 at the end of the month.

NP. Then I would be fine with it. Our pool requires kids be 14 to be without a guardian. So that’s when we’ll do it. If we had our own pool I would certainly let 12 year olds swim alone.

My daughter is 13 and she and her friends go swimming alone if it’s a backyard pool.

That's pretty funny, since at 15 they can lifeguard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our pool only allows 14 and up and honestly that’s probably when I’d be most comfortable. I’ve known way too many friends with kids who have drowned so I’m a little more cautious than most and my son is a great swimmer, even on the local swim team. That’s just me though.

Multiple actual friends who have lost a child to drowning? At a pool with lifeguards? Finding that a tad hard to believe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our pool only allows 14 and up and honestly that’s probably when I’d be most comfortable. I’ve known way too many friends with kids who have drowned so I’m a little more cautious than most and my son is a great swimmer, even on the local swim team. That’s just me though.

Multiple actual friends who have lost a child to drowning? At a pool with lifeguards? Finding that a tad hard to believe.

Same, I'm convinced that's a troll.