What age to start going swimming with a friend without parents?
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Anonymous
| My son is in 6th grade and he and his best friend, a girl in his grade, love swimming and always have done since they were 4 or 5. They've been back at school in person for the past month and the swimming pool near their school is due to reopen. This morning he asked if he and Larla can start going swimming together after school on Fridays, I didn't give an answer, just told him we'll have to think about it. They're very responsible kids, they walk home from school together every day (both their school and the pool are walking distance from our houses) and at weekends they often go to the park and the convenience store together. They always let us know what time they'll be back, take their phones with them and look out for each other whenever they go somewhere. But still I'm a little unsure if they're too young to be left unsupervised at a public swimming pool. Would you let your 6th grader do this or is it still too young? |
Anonymous
| The pool has a lifeguard right? Does the pool allow kids without an adult, and how old do the kids have to be? |
Anonymous
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. |
Anonymous
| If they are both good swimmers and the pool allows and and they are generally responsible I would allow it. |
Anonymous
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I would say yes, then go there every now and then to check on the general ambiance, namely: observe if the lifeguards are responsible and attentive (some of them aren't!), and whether there are distractions that may lead these kids to take risks - for example, if it's really crowded, or if they are with a large group of excitable kids egging each other on, or something. |
Anonymous
| I would allow that. |
Anonymous
|
I would visit the pool when it is opened. If the lifeguards seem attentive and they do not let it get crowded, then it is fine. The problem with crowded pools is it is easier to get kicked or hit or pushed under accidentally and it is harder for the lifeguard to see kids in trouble.
You may also want to talk to all the kids and say that they all have to look after each other. And if one of them is in trouble they get the lifeguard ASAP. |
Anonymous
| If they're responsible kids and good swimmers then I don't see an issue with it. But I agree with what others have said about going to the pool and checking if the life guards are attentive, and look out for anything that could be potentially dangerous. Check if the changing rooms are secure too as they'll have to change in separate rooms. |
Anonymous
| I would wait a few more years. Pools aren't your babysitters. |
Anonymous
| Seems okay to me as long as you make all the necessary checks other posters have mentioned. |
Anonymous
This |
Anonymous
Maybe by college. |
Anonymous
| 13 yo son has been going swimming with his best friend (who coincidently is also a girl) for the past year. There's never been any problems, the staff at the pool are very diligent and they look after each other when they're there. If the same can be said about both the pool and your son and his friend have each other's backs then I say let them go, I'm sure they'll always have a great time swimming and splashing around together |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
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. |