Rules for going to the pool?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

I think you may have made some wrong assumptions here. My DD's rule that she's not allowed to stand at the steps is the rule HE gave her. It's not one I gave both of them. She's not yet 2. I'm not sure why you asked how old he is, but mid-twenties.

[Anonymous]

I'm a nanny to two kids: 9 months and 2 years. We have a shared pool in the backyard. I am not a strong swimmer. However, the two year old isn't allowed in the pool without water wings, and the baby has a water ring that she sits in.

There is no way I would let the two year old in with out the wings "no water wings, no swimming" and no way I would leave him in the water/ unattended. We spend our swim time in the toddler pool and on the steps of the big pool, not in the deep end.

[Anonymous]

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.

You need to get your attitude and self centeredness in check. Vehicle accidents and drownings are the two predominant causes for child injury and death. These are not subjects to beat around the bush, just assume your nanny will know the right rules, and avoid saying anything for fear you hired an obnoxious PITA like some of the PPs who will have her insecurities stepped on by having rules. Geez PP you sound like a bratty teenager not a professional nanny.

A good nanny will be fine with a straightforward talk on water safety and rules. There are plenty of parents and nannies who don't know that they have to be in the water with non-swimmers. There are plenty of parents and nannies that do not know what a drowning child looks like. There are plenty of parents and nannies that think that nothing could happen when they turn away for just a few seconds to answer a text or email quickly.

There are plenty of parents who don't realize how easy it is for even an older child who is a good swimmer to drown as well. In fact many people think if a child can swim that they are safe. Older kids get into trouble because they tire themselves out or from rough housing like jumping off the edge in the shallow side or running along the deck/side. Lifeguards are pretty good at enforcing these rules but you should have a talk with your nanny so she understands these as well. They aren't just about good behavior. Kids can easily crack their heads open. Crowded pools are particularly dangerous for younger swimmers and older kids. People, including lifeguards, can miss seeing a child at the bottom if its crowded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

You need to get your attitude and self centeredness in check. Vehicle accidents and drownings are the two predominant causes for child injury and death. These are not subjects to beat around the bush, just assume your nanny will know the right rules, and avoid saying anything for fear you hired an obnoxious PITA like some of the PPs who will have her insecurities stepped on by having rules. Geez PP you sound like a bratty teenager not a professional nanny.

A good nanny will be fine with a straightforward talk on water safety and rules. There are plenty of parents and nannies who don't know that they have to be in the water with non-swimmers. There are plenty of parents and nannies that do not know what a drowning child looks like. There are plenty of parents and nannies that think that nothing could happen when they turn away for just a few seconds to answer a text or email quickly.

There are plenty of parents who don't realize how easy it is for even an older child who is a good swimmer to drown as well. In fact many people think if a child can swim that they are safe. Older kids get into trouble because they tire themselves out or from rough housing like jumping off the edge in the shallow side or running along the deck/side. Lifeguards are pretty good at enforcing these rules but you should have a talk with your nanny so she understands these as well. They aren't just about good behavior. Kids can easily crack their heads open. Crowded pools are particularly dangerous for younger swimmers and older kids. People, including lifeguards, can miss seeing a child at the bottom if its crowded.

[phone]

I'm a nanny who posted earlier about showing the nanny the video PSA about what drowning looks like and I agree completely with this. I don't have specific rules enforced by the parents I work for, but we did have a talk before I ever took the kids swimming about water safety and expectations and I was not offended. A good employer can frame what seem like obvious requests in a way that doesn't infantilize the nanny while still ensuring that she, the MB, feels confident her kids will be safe at the pool. As their mom (or dad), it's her JOB to be explicit about her safety expectations. Good nannies know this and are not bothered by it.

[Anonymous]

I used to nanny for a family I met when I was a swim team coach/lifeguard at their country club. When I became their nanny, the parents trusted me completely and didn't give me any rules. My own rules were

1. 6 year old could be in the shallow end alone, but could not cross the barrier to the deep end unless I was with her. She had passed the deep end test at both pools but I didn't want her in there without me.
2. 8 year old was allowed to be in the deep end without me but she knew I was keeping a close eye on her. She also understood that the first time I saw her do something dangerous (jump too close to a kid, play a game where she pushed someone out of the water, etc) we left the pool immediately. If she did something like splash someone or something similar, she got one warning and had to sit out for 20 min. She did it again and we would leave. We had to leave the pool twice in a summer.


Thankfully the kids wanted to play with me, so I was in the water 90% of the time playing anyways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a nanny to two kids: 9 months and 2 years. We have a shared pool in the backyard. I am not a strong swimmer. However, the two year old isn't allowed in the pool without water wings, and the baby has a water ring that she sits in.

There is no way I would let the two year old in with out the wings "no water wings, no swimming" and no way I would leave him in the water/ unattended. We spend our swim time in the toddler pool and on the steps of the big pool, not in the deep end.

This is very dangerous, and is the reason many pools don't allow water wings and other floatation devices. A child should never be in the water if you are relying on a mechanical device. There should be an adult that can ultimately ensure their safety, and they should not have a false sense of security from the device. The baby could wind up suspended upside down in the water ring. The toddler could go under with the wings holding his arms up.

[Anonymous]

Nannies with more than one child ought not be taking risks in pools.

[Anonymous]

I nanny for a 3 year old and a 5 year old. I am very strict with rules in and around the water (pool or beach) and we spend a lot of time swimming! I am very comfortable in the water and MB knows that. She trusts my judgement in keeping her children safe in any environment. I think swimming should be an intricate park of EVERY child's life. Learning to swim is a life saving activity. I think bring the children I nanny for to the pool and ocean is an important part of my job, not an unnecessary risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a nanny to two kids: 9 months and 2 years. We have a shared pool in the backyard. I am not a strong swimmer. However, the two year old isn't allowed in the pool without water wings, and the baby has a water ring that she sits in.

There is no way I would let the two year old in with out the wings "no water wings, no swimming" and no way I would leave him in the water/ unattended. We spend our swim time in the toddler pool and on the steps of the big pool, not in the deep end.

This is very dangerous, and is the reason many pools don't allow water wings and other floatation devices. A child should never be in the water if you are relying on a mechanical device. There should be an adult that can ultimately ensure their safety, and they should not have a false sense of security from the device. The baby could wind up suspended upside down in the water ring. The toddler could go under with the wings holding his arms up.

I'm also not a fan of water wings, and my 20 month old does not get any floatation devices attached to her body. I want her to learn to rely on her body to keep her afloat.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the PP who mentions the water wings/flotation devices not being a good idea. My nephew flipped over when he was a baby in one of those. It was just for a split second when my SIL was watching her 4 year old swim to the side of the pool. He ended up in the hospital for 2 weeks because he inhaled water and then got a lung infection. Also, my mom loves to tell the story of how when I was 2.5 I decided I wanted to swim. I took off my water wings and jumped into the pool yelling "I swim!" Thankfully there was someone in the pool who caught me as I jumped in. Had he not, I would have sunk to the bottom. It really does give people and children a fake sense of safety when they use these types of devices.

[Anonymous]

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

+2