Anonymous wrote:There are 2 very different things being discussed here. They are not comparable at all. Many people are referring to the second thing.

1. Being truly alone (no other humans) at a private pool

2. Being allowed to attend an HOA/club pool without family supervision but that is lifeguarded and attended by other patrons.

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Anonymous wrote:Do you mean like let your kid go to a public or community pool with lifeguards and other adults you know around, but you aren't there? If so, our pool has a rule of 10 which seems reasonable to me.

Or do you mean like let them swim in a backyard pool by themselves without an adult? For me, when they've gone through lifeguard training and have a buddy (so 15) or when they turn 18.

You wouldn’t let your kid in the pool without a buddy until they turn 18? Am I misunderstanding?

I would not let my kid swim alone in a pool (e.g. a backyard pool where no one else in in the vicinity, not a public pool) and I wouldn't swim alone myself. I think it's a situation where there is safety in numbers. When they turn 18 they can obviously make their own choice.

That’s…extra.

I agree with the PP. My kids, husband and I are all strong swimmers and none of us, regardless of age, swim in our backyard pool without someone else around. Same with skiing. My kids and I are strong skiers, but none of us ski alone (meaning on slopes where we don't have a buddy or where we aren't always in view of a good number of people). So for us it's not about their being kids, it's about general safety. When we chose our house, though, we specifically chose one where you can see the whole pool out the back family room window, so it's very easy for someone to go for a swim while someone else is in the family room with windows or doors open. Hasn't been difficult for us over many years with this set-up and the kids (teens) don't mind at all.

Interesting. It would never occur to me not to swim alone in a pool.

NP. Not swimming alone is a standard safety guideline around water for adults, not just children.

DP - it is. Red Cross safety standard is never to swim alone. https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/water-safety/swim-safety.html

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Anonymous wrote:Do you mean like let your kid go to a public or community pool with lifeguards and other adults you know around, but you aren't there? If so, our pool has a rule of 10 which seems reasonable to me.

Or do you mean like let them swim in a backyard pool by themselves without an adult? For me, when they've gone through lifeguard training and have a buddy (so 15) or when they turn 18.

You wouldn’t let your kid in the pool without a buddy until they turn 18? Am I misunderstanding?

I would not let my kid swim alone in a pool (e.g. a backyard pool where no one else in in the vicinity, not a public pool) and I wouldn't swim alone myself. I think it's a situation where there is safety in numbers. When they turn 18 they can obviously make their own choice.

That’s…extra.

I agree with the PP. My kids, husband and I are all strong swimmers and none of us, regardless of age, swim in our backyard pool without someone else around. Same with skiing. My kids and I are strong skiers, but none of us ski alone (meaning on slopes where we don't have a buddy or where we aren't always in view of a good number of people). So for us it's not about their being kids, it's about general safety. When we chose our house, though, we specifically chose one where you can see the whole pool out the back family room window, so it's very easy for someone to go for a swim while someone else is in the family room with windows or doors open. Hasn't been difficult for us over many years with this set-up and the kids (teens) don't mind at all.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Do you mean like let your kid go to a public or community pool with lifeguards and other adults you know around, but you aren't there? If so, our pool has a rule of 10 which seems reasonable to me.

Or do you mean like let them swim in a backyard pool by themselves without an adult? For me, when they've gone through lifeguard training and have a buddy (so 15) or when they turn 18.

You wouldn’t let your kid in the pool without a buddy until they turn 18? Am I misunderstanding?

I would not let my kid swim alone in a pool (e.g. a backyard pool where no one else in in the vicinity, not a public pool) and I wouldn't swim alone myself. I think it's a situation where there is safety in numbers. When they turn 18 they can obviously make their own choice.

That’s…extra.

I agree with the PP. My kids, husband and I are all strong swimmers and none of us, regardless of age, swim in our backyard pool without someone else around. Same with skiing. My kids and I are strong skiers, but none of us ski alone (meaning on slopes where we don't have a buddy or where we aren't always in view of a good number of people). So for us it's not about their being kids, it's about general safety. When we chose our house, though, we specifically chose one where you can see the whole pool out the back family room window, so it's very easy for someone to go for a swim while someone else is in the family room with windows or doors open. Hasn't been difficult for us over many years with this set-up and the kids (teens) don't mind at all.

Anonymous wrote:Do not leave your little kids without you around water. It can all change in an instant. Even bigger kids too. Just google 'child drowns' to see how often and easily it happens. This boy died 15 minutes after being dropped at his fancy country club where I'm sure everyone thought he was safe. The margin for error with water is so so small.

https://meaww.com/martha-vineyard-country-club-manager-pleads-guilty-involuntary-manslaughter-three-year-old-child

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Anonymous wrote:Do you mean like let your kid go to a public or community pool with lifeguards and other adults you know around, but you aren't there? If so, our pool has a rule of 10 which seems reasonable to me.

Or do you mean like let them swim in a backyard pool by themselves without an adult? For me, when they've gone through lifeguard training and have a buddy (so 15) or when they turn 18.

You wouldn’t let your kid in the pool without a buddy until they turn 18? Am I misunderstanding?

I would not let my kid swim alone in a pool (e.g. a backyard pool where no one else in in the vicinity, not a public pool) and I wouldn't swim alone myself. I think it's a situation where there is safety in numbers. When they turn 18 they can obviously make their own choice.

That’s…extra.

I agree with the PP. My kids, husband and I are all strong swimmers and none of us, regardless of age, swim in our backyard pool without someone else around. Same with skiing. My kids and I are strong skiers, but none of us ski alone (meaning on slopes where we don't have a buddy or where we aren't always in view of a good number of people). So for us it's not about their being kids, it's about general safety. When we chose our house, though, we specifically chose one where you can see the whole pool out the back family room window, so it's very easy for someone to go for a swim while someone else is in the family room with windows or doors open. Hasn't been difficult for us over many years with this set-up and the kids (teens) don't mind at all.

Interesting. It would never occur to me not to swim alone in a pool.

NP. Not swimming alone is a standard safety guideline around water for adults, not just children.

DP - it is. Red Cross safety standard is never to swim alone. https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/water-safety/swim-safety.html

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Anonymous wrote:Two or more teenagers alone at a pool is maybe the most risky possibility. My experience with a pool at our home and also at my sister's home has been that teens and also young adults are the most foolish and risk taking and boisterous and dangerous when they are not supervised by a sober, paying attention adult.

This, for sure. But also probably out of my control. I could try to tell my teen that they can't go in a friend's pool unless an adult is around, but I also have to recognize I have almost no control over that situation unless I am going to much more closely monitor my kid's social life. I think like everything else safety related, you have to consistently reinforce messages about responsible behavior, and hope they stick when they are put in certain situations and you aren't around.

Anonymous wrote:Two or more teenagers alone at a pool is maybe the most risky possibility. My experience with a pool at our home and also at my sister's home has been that teens and also young adults are the most foolish and risk taking and boisterous and dangerous when they are not supervised by a sober, paying attention adult.

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Anonymous wrote:Does camp count? My 8 yo goes into the pool without parental supervision at school and camp, but there are lifeguards.

I used to lifeguard swim team, and there were always dozens of kids at the 8&under practice without a parent in attendance. People saying that they won’t let their kids out of sight until they are 12 are crazy.