We don't, and the few times we've visited friends at their pools they were gross and full of leaves. What do we do all day? My kids go to daycare and camp and I work. On weekends, we go to town pools, splash park, playgrounds, zoo, downtown, Baltimore, nature centers, etc etc etc etc.

Anonymous wrote:OP, what do you do with your kids all summer? Granted this year has been unusually temperate, but most of the time in July and August in this area it is way too hot and gross to be outside unless you are in/near water. For those of us who don't have vacation homes or backyard pools, but don't want to spend all summer indoors, the pool is perfect. (Bonus points if neighborhood friends belong to the same pool-- so much easier than scheduling play dates!)

I'm not being snarky, I am genuinely looking for suggestions on what people do with their kids. (The pool does get old sometimes.)

We play outside.My son and his friends rarely complain about the heat. Lots of water for hydration and play play play ....

We are members at a club and have access to a pool which we never use. Like the beach but not into pools.

We just moved here last year. I'd have to say there is a definite "pool culture" in the DC suburbs -- much more so than I've found in other places I've lived. I think it is a combination of factors: there are just so many newer communities than have their own private community pools (at least here in MoCo) rather than a general town pool, which is often more bare bones; it is hot here in the summer and being outside without water nearby isn't that appealing from June-August; the nearest ocean beaches are several hours away, and there aren't too many lakes or streams to swim in nearby either; the competitive DC vibe dovetails nicely with the whole swim team thing.

Having said all of the above, I must admit we enjoy going to the pool in the summer. It is a nice social outlet.

Anonymous wrote:Your kids matter too, and having a pool membership where they can have fun with their friends is great summer fun. It's not all about YOU!

Sure, having a pool membership is great summer fun, but there are plenty of things that are equally fun that you can do with the time.

We joined a pool when my son was little, through about 6, but then dropped it when they doubled the rates. We loved it when he was little, because it was something we all liked to do. If we hadn't all enjoyed it we would have done something else. Through elementary school he was in camps with swimming and we'd go to the public outdoor pool on the weekends or make a special trip to someplace like Water Mine or the splash pool at Chilllum. By about 11 he had lost interest in swimming and preferred to do other things.

We are not members of a pool, but are lucky that MIL's apartment building has one that we can go to for free. Honestly, it's pretty great for a hot afternoon, post nap for our 3 year old. He gets tired of it after an hour, and that's enough for us too.

When it's super-hot, we go to the park or play outside early in the morning. In the afternoon, we do the same kinds of things we might do in the winter--museums, the aquarium, movies, shopping, building a fort in the basement and playing at friends houses. Sometimes we set up the sprinkler and do a mini water park in the back yard.

Anyone having trouble getting their teens to go to the pool? Mine hate the pool and do not want to go -- swim team burnouts.

It's okay if pools are not your thing, but making sure your kids can swim and are comfortable in water is important and going to the pool often helps reinforce that.

I think your picture of a pool is not accurate, though. Once your kids can swim independently, you may enjoy it especially since it entertains them while you relax.

Nope, my parents forced me to the pool every weekend and I hated it. We only did the pool and that was it. We got with others to the pool but I'm not joining and making it my entire summer.

We don't belong. We go out of town a lot and my kids go to summer camp.

Our neighbors have a pool and they never use it. They invite us over a couple times but they are not social.

Anonymous wrote:Me too OP! I'm just not into the pool. I enjoyed it as a child, and I'm sure I will get flamed or whatever but hanging out in the sun for hours at a time is different now. There are plenty of other things to do in the summer. Now admittedly, we work and our kids are in daycare, but we just got a nanny and it's possible that next summer the pool will be a good idea for them. So I may join, but I don't think it's an absolute. I do want my kids to learn how to swim though, but was thinking they would do that at lessons through the county rec centers, the Y, camps etc.

When you say there are other things to do in summer, what specifically are you referring to? In a typical super-hot DC/MD/VA summer, what other activities keep kids busy during the day if you don't want to be stuck indoors and you don't have a vacation house to escape to? I asked the same question in an earlier post but nobody answered.

FWIW, we do belong to a pool and enjoy it, but I'd love to mix it up sometimes too and I can never come up with anything. This summer has been so nice that we've been able to do playgrounds and stuff, but usually at this time of year it is hot and humid as hell, even in the early am and late afternoons.

Also, for the non-pool posters, how old are your kids? Mine are 3 and 6, but I can see how the pool would feel less important if you just have babies or young toddlers who still nap. Once they get a bit older it's a loooooong day, and they love seeing other kids, which is impossible if you just stay home.

Anonymous wrote:Your kids matter too, and having a pool membership where they can have fun with their friends is great summer fun. It's not all about YOU!

Hence, my statement that we would probably join one eventually. But that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Not belonging to a pool and instead using the municipal pools in DC, including Wilson Aquatic Center (which is pretty damn good IMO) is a damn easy way to save money. Works for us.

Me too OP! I'm just not into the pool. I enjoyed it as a child, and I'm sure I will get flamed or whatever but hanging out in the sun for hours at a time is different now. There are plenty of other things to do in the summer. Now admittedly, we work and our kids are in daycare, but we just got a nanny and it's possible that next summer the pool will be a good idea for them. So I may join, but I don't think it's an absolute. I do want my kids to learn how to swim though, but was thinking they would do that at lessons through the county rec centers, the Y, camps etc.