Rules for going to the pool?

[Anonymous]

**PP here: sorry if my wording was confusing--mb wants to hire a helper for me only when we go to the pool, as an extra set of hands. Not for every day/all day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My any takes my children in our pool. (We have an in-ground pool in the yard) I trust her to ensure my kids safety so I have not put any rules in place. She is a great nanny and I know she has her own rules for the kids by the water. Some may be different than my rules in the pool, but I know the kids are safe. I leave those decisions up to my nanny. When she is on duty, she is in charge for rules for the kids. She has been with us for 4 years and the kids respect her completely. It works well for our family.

You and 14:05 should give MB training classes. You sound like the perfect example of a very successful MB and nanny relationship. Thanks for your post. Most other MBs on this forum could learn a lot from you, both how to choose a nanny you can trust and how to be a stellar MB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My any takes my children in our pool. (We have an in-ground pool in the yard) I trust her to ensure my kids safety so I have not put any rules in place. She is a great nanny and I know she has her own rules for the kids by the water. Some may be different than my rules in the pool, but I know the kids are safe. I leave those decisions up to my nanny. When she is on duty, she is in charge for rules for the kids. She has been with us for 4 years and the kids respect her completely. It works well for our family.

You and 14:05 should give MB training classes. You sound like the perfect example of a very successful MB and nanny relationship. Thanks for your post. Most other MBs on this forum could learn a lot from you, both how to choose a nanny you can trust and how to be a stellar MB.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: My child is 2, the nanny is late 20s. I know she likes the water, but don't know how strong a swimmer she is. The pool they would go to has a "beach entrance" or whatever its called where the kids can sit in an inch of water and it gradually gets deeper. I don't imagine they'd do much more than splash and play in the shallow end. I do very much trust my nanny, but just want to make sure I'm not overlooking something obvious.

Thanks for the thoughts, much appreciated!

I had a MB who tested the swimming abilities of all her nannies (many kids, multiple nannies). If you didn't pass her swim test (including diving down to the bottom of the deep end) you didn't work there for long (everyone had to test within a week of starting) or, in the case of one nanny whom they absolutely loved, would only be in charge of the teenagers who were already strong swimmers and ran most of the errands for the household.

All that to say it's ok to ask her to prove her swimming abilities to you if you're concerned. Most nannies will be truthful about their swimming ability, but it never hurts to double check or ask a former employer if they had ever witnessed her swimming abilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: My child is 2, the nanny is late 20s. I know she likes the water, but don't know how strong a swimmer she is. The pool they would go to has a "beach entrance" or whatever its called where the kids can sit in an inch of water and it gradually gets deeper. I don't imagine they'd do much more than splash and play in the shallow end. I do very much trust my nanny, but just want to make sure I'm not overlooking something obvious.

Thanks for the thoughts, much appreciated!

I had a MB who tested the swimming abilities of all her nannies (many kids, multiple nannies). If you didn't pass her swim test (including diving down to the bottom of the deep end) you didn't work there for long (everyone had to test within a week of starting) or, in the case of one nanny whom they absolutely loved, would only be in charge of the teenagers who were already strong swimmers and ran most of the errands for the household.

All that to say it's ok to ask her to prove her swimming abilities to you if you're concerned. Most nannies will be truthful about their swimming ability, but it never hurts to double check or ask a former employer if they had ever witnessed her swimming abilities.

This seems like overkill to me, especially if your kids will be somewhere where there is also a lifeguard on duty. More than being just a strong swimmer, I would be more worried about general water safety, what drowning looks like, Nanny's ability to be strict with rules Ina and around the pool, etc. If you trust your nanny to enforce safety rules and be comfortable in the water with your kids, then I think actually having her prove her swimming abilities is not necessary. Especially in OPs case where the child is only 2, they will be in the shallow end where nanny can stand.

[Anonymous]

A swim test would be overkill with one 2yo to supervise, I agree. But OP definitely be clear about your expectations - please stay in the water with him, don't leave him unattended anywhere at the pool or with another mom/nanny, etc. - and also show her the PSA about what drowning looks like that was posted in General Discussions a month or so ago. I watch it every April to remind myself what drowning looks like (and I was a lifeguard back in college, so it isn't like I've never seen it before).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. I'm a nanny to 3 kids, ages 2,3 and 6. We just talked about me taking them to the kiddie pools and such, and my MB said although she trusts me, she wants to hire a 'mother's helper'-type person as an extra set of hands for me. I understand her hesitancy, but it's still somewhat frustrating b/c I'm not sure exactly when this person will be available to help and if it will work out with the times we'd like to go, etc. (plus I feel really confident in taking/swimming with them). I've taken 1-2 of the kids before when oldest was in school, so it's really the fact that I would have 3 to watch at one time that makes her nervous. MB is also a pediatric doctor, so she has seen horror cases of kids drowning and thus, is extra nervous about it!

If you trust your nanny, OP, and you only have one child she'd be taking, I think you should be fine to have her go. Do what makes you comfortable though!

I am a nanny with three small ones and I told the mom that am not uncomfortable taking all three to the pool with me at once. I have a 2, 4 and 7 year old boy. The younger two are non-swimmers and will take off in different directions (the mb and db have zero discipline or rules and I am not allowed to say no to them because she says it will "break their spirit.)

[Anonymous]

I am a MB, and your MB is an idiot. Bless you for even trying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a MB, and your MB is an idiot. Bless you for even trying.

+1

[Anonymous]

Our manny takes the baby in the pool. When he comes out, she comes out. She isn't even allowed to stand at the edge or on the steps until he's ready to go in with her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our manny takes the baby in the pool. When he comes out, she comes out. She isn't even allowed to stand at the edge or on the steps until he's ready to go in with her.

Looks like you have two children to worry about and make sure they both understand what they're allowed to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our manny takes the baby in the pool. When he comes out, she comes out. She isn't even allowed to stand at the edge or on the steps until he's ready to go in with her.

Looks like you have two children to worry about and make sure they both understand what they're allowed to do.

Huh? I have one child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our manny takes the baby in the pool. When he comes out, she comes out. She isn't even allowed to stand at the edge or on the steps until he's ready to go in with her.

Looks like you have two children to worry about and make sure they both understand what they're allowed to do.

Huh? I have one child.

I get that. It just throws me off a bit if I hear parents having to tell grown-up adults what they're "allowed" to do. I don't think I know any adults that need me to speak in those terms. And yes, I have had a number of people work for me.

How old are your daughter and her manny?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: My child is 2, the nanny is late 20s. I know she likes the water, but don't know how strong a swimmer she is. The pool they would go to has a "beach entrance" or whatever its called where the kids can sit in an inch of water and it gradually gets deeper. I don't imagine they'd do much more than splash and play in the shallow end. I do very much trust my nanny, but just want to make sure I'm not overlooking something obvious.

Thanks for the thoughts, much appreciated!

I had a MB who tested the swimming abilities of all her nannies (many kids, multiple nannies). If you didn't pass her swim test (including diving down to the bottom of the deep end) you didn't work there for long (everyone had to test within a week of starting) or, in the case of one nanny whom they absolutely loved, would only be in charge of the teenagers who were already strong swimmers and ran most of the errands for the household.

All that to say it's ok to ask her to prove her swimming abilities to you if you're concerned. Most nannies will be truthful about their swimming ability, but it never hurts to double check or ask a former employer if they had ever witnessed her swimming abilities.

This seems like overkill to me, especially if your kids will be somewhere where there is also a lifeguard on duty. More than being just a strong swimmer, I would be more worried about general water safety, what drowning looks like, Nanny's ability to be strict with rules Ina and around the pool, etc. If you trust your nanny to enforce safety rules and be comfortable in the water with your kids, then I think actually having her prove her swimming abilities is not necessary. Especially in OPs case where the child is only 2, they will be in the shallow end where nanny can stand.

The family had a pool in the backyard so no lifeguard. We also traveled quite a bit, but often stayed in their vacation homes so again no lifeguard. So in this particular case the family did need to be absolutely sure that everyone in charge of the kids (especially the younger ones) had strong swimming skills.

[Anonymous]

Another example of how each situation is so different.