Splashing when there is "No Splashing" - Page 2

[MusicianDad]

I would have told her "If you don't want to follow the rules, then don't come to a public pool."

I also would have asked what she would do if I "pushed her" and why my asked that her and her son follow the rules warrents that. Unless it's "I'll get an employee" at which point I would once again point out that her son was the one breaking the rules.

[limabean]

Originally Posted by MusicianDad

I also would have asked what she would do if I "pushed her" and why my asked that her and her son follow the rules warrents that. Unless it's "I'll get an employee" at which point I would once again point out that her son was the one breaking the rules.

I wondered what she meant by that too -- was she threatening violence? Or, as you suggested, threatening to go to an official (in which case, yeah, she's the one who's kid is breaking the rules, so...???). I don't get it.

[lilyka]

gees, makes me glad our pools have life gaurds (even the wading pools) splashing is a pet peeve of mine. obviously water is going to splash but kids intentionally plashing at people is dangerous - people get kicked etc and big splashing wars are just annoying .

as for the mom wow. i don't know what I would have done. if there was not a supervisor or something around I would have just left I guess. but had there been a lifegaurd/pool supervisor I would have gone streight to them asking them to please handle the situation (although our lifrgaurds are pretty hard core and that kid would have likely been asked to stop and if he didn't immediately he would have been asked to leave.)

[confustication]

Hm, I run a local pool this summer (I blame pregnncy insanity for the decision to take THAT on...), and I'd want moms to let one of the employees know so they could address it with the child, and their parent as necessary. I know that in our facility a simple, 'I'm sorry, but you aren't welcome here if you can't follow the rules,' works pretty well. If it doesn't, we have a really big tall scary looking Sheriff a phone call away.

We have 'no splashing' rules, and enforce them within reason. If there are just a couple kids, and it's a simple little spatter here and there, I really don't care, but with a bunch of kids, or even one who isn't big enough or happy with the minimal splashing, it's over. The splashing makes it hard to see everyone in the water, as well as being overwhelming and scary to some really young swimmers. it also tends to tick off parents...

On a 'mom' note, I took my ds to the pool this afternoon (yeah, a day off and I spend free time where I work?) He's 11 months old and really comfortable in the water, but I was pretty open about protecting him from some kids splashing and playing with the waterballs nearby. When one didn't want to listen, the lifeguard on duty pulled him out of the pool for a few minutes. Earlier in the day, they'd kicked out two slightly older boys for tormenting people with the pool noodles. I'd address the concerns (even after the fact) with the people who manage the park so they know to monitor more closely.

[MLinPDX]

Originally Posted by limabean

I wondered what she meant by that too -- was she threatening violence? Or, as you suggested, threatening to go to an official (in which case, yeah, she's the one who's kid is breaking the rules, so...???). I don't get it.

The impression I got was definitely violence. If it had been going to an official, I'd have said 'yes please, lets do it'. Unfortunately when I looked around after the encounter, my 2 year old had disappeared. After I tracked her down, dealt with a giant poopy diaper change related meltdown including accidentally nursing to sleep, etc, I was at the opposite side of the park from the supervisors. The splashing had been going on for quite a while closer to them, and nothing had been done so we ended up leaving soon after.

We returned to the park today, the pool was empty and I didn't see that mom and kid. But I'll keep my eyes open next time the pool is open and try to remember to ask the supervisors ahead of time about what they would do.

One thing I thought of later that I might have said to the mom was "Sorry if I scared your kid". Actually more truthful on my part than "Sorry I spoke to him" but may have provoked her with the implication the her little man was less 'manly'. I always get tongue tied in confrontational situations, but at least I didn't start to cry this time.

-- ML

[One_Girl]

I usually have my dd move away first and if she is followed then I will step in. It sounds like he was trying to join the play in an inappropriate way and I think that he might have stopped if you encouraged your kids to find a way to play with him to, if you had encouraged your kids to splash him because he wanted to play splash (kids often move from goofy games like this to cooperative play very quickly), or if you had loudly told your girls that he was just trying to get negative attention and they should ignore him and go on playing.