Would you rent a vacation house with a pool (no fence) if your 4 year old could not swim?

[Anonymous]

Yes, no? I am hesitant. Any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

no way. you won't relax at all.

[Anonymous]

well, no 4 year old can swim well enough to be unsupervised, anyway. I would.

I would just tell the 4 year old that they are not allowed near the pool without an adult present. Of course you will still have to watch him or her, but it might help.

Also, do you want your 4 year old to learn to swim? I want my kids to take lessons, solely to help protect them from water accidents happening to them. maybe you can sign up for a few swim lessons before the trip?

Also, get some water wings/flotation devices, to help your child in the water when you or other adults are there.

[Anonymous]

also, I'm surprised a rental company would have a pool with no fence--lots of jurisdictions require it.

[Anonymous]

No. There are lots of houses out there.

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

No. My son listens most of the time. But the key is "most," not "all." Not worth the stress.

[Anonymous]

how long are you going to be there? what are the chances that your DC will ever be not with you? where is the pool located?

we rented last year for a week with a 7 yr old, 4 yr old and almost 2 year old. the pool was downstairs and outside. no way those kids could have gotten thru the locked doors of the house and outside without us knowing. we went to the pool altogether. that was that.

[Anonymous]

No. I would be too nervous. Like PP, my son listens most of the time, but not all. It only takes one time, and a few seconds for something bad to happen.

[Anonymous]

no no no, a thousand times no.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for no. Like another PP said, my kids listen very well. But a pool is such a big temptation. And, it is not that difficult for accidents to happen. I know three families who lost preschool children due to accidents where the kids fell in the pool when no adult was around.

[Anonymous]

No for me as well - I wouldn't relax.

[Anonymous]

Yes, you just need to be vigilant. You need to lock the doors and keep the kid inside unless there is someone equipped to watch the kid outside. And that person needs to be a responsible, sober adult. You can't just have a kid outside with grown ups and assume that "someone" will watch the kid. It also depends a lot on the kid. My older son would never go near a pool without permission, while my younger one would jump right in without any thought. FWIW, I have a big fear of balconies and kids, so we lock the door to our beach condo at all times and don't let kids out there unsupervised --- so it's sort of the same scenario as your pool scenario.

[Anonymous]

No way. Statistically, way more children die from pool drownings than firearms (no, I'm not a gun fan either, just stating the well-publicized statistic). I would be especially concerned about a vacation house, where I wouldn't know the tricks to getting in/out nor have the ability to do the necessary child proofing. I have saved a child from the fenced KIDDIE pool in our neighborhood because a parent or caregiver turned away for a few minutes (to chat with someone or attend to another child--stuff we all do). It is scary how quickly things can happen. Kids are naturally curious, especially in new places, and they can have the intention to retrive a toy or see their reflection and tumble in to the pool. A drowning can happen in just a few minutes