at what age do you stop supervising swimming pool? - Page 4

[Viola]

I always supervise if there is only one child in the pool, but if the two of them are in together, I've stopped sitting out there watching.  I leave the back door open so that when the screaming stops, I can rush out to see if they are dead.  My kids are 13 and 8, and they both swim pretty well, but I tell them to watch out for each other.  This is the first year my husband has been OK with them swimming together without me down there.

I'll admit that I sometimes jump in the pool when no one else is there, but I try and let someone know I'm going in.  

[SunRise]

Originally Posted by velochic 

Originally Posted by childsplay

I'm shocked at the number of people who don't think adults should ever swim alone. I've been swimming alone - completely alone - for years, often at night, mostly in lakes. (although more recently in our pool) I used to swim in the ocean when we were anchored in tempting water early in the morning before anyone woke, and I'd go far, to islands and back, etc.....I've never in my life thought of it as dangerous (nor will I) , more like peaceful and sanity saving but not dangerous.

I spent the first 18 years of my life never putting on a seatbelt. I'm really shocked that people think that seatbelts are necessary today. I never needed a seatbelt. I don't need one now. I'm a really safe driver, and I know how to drive really well, so I don't really think of driving as dangerous. Riding in the car, standing between the bucket seats, saved my mother's sanity by not having to deal with a seat belt every single time and having me there to talk to her.

Um, yeah... my argument is equally as plausible as yours. ETA: It's not about the fact that nothing has happened so far, but about what is known to be safe and using common sense about staying safe. Of course, there may be less than optimal circumstance, but all things being equal, it's always prudent to take the safest route.

The swimming buddy system has been around many, many more years then seat belts. It is definitely not a new safety measure.

Swimming with a buddy is a rule in my family. Even w/ lifeguards - I'm much more comfortable and its much more fun for my 9 year old to swim with a friend.  If we go to the pool w/out a friend, then he swims near by, or I watch from the deck or we swim together / close vicinity.

As an adult, hmmm, I guess I havent had the opportunity to swim alone. ha. But, I imagine, if I were on a boat in the sea and I wanted to jump in, I wouldn't wake someone to tell them.

edited to add: my perspective comes from many years of swim lessons&safety and then lifeguard courses and swim instructor training , so I may be overly cautious.

Edited by SunRise - 7/15/12 at 1:37pm

[~cassie]

my kids are 7, 5, and almost 4 and we are always out there with them.  They are all very strong swimmers but I always worry about them drowning each other!  But really, anything can happen, and I just prefer to be right next to them.  Now, I will pick up the yard while I watch them but I stay in the area where I can see them easily.  My grandmother had a pool and she ALWAYS came out with us, even when we were in our 20s.