Many parents seem to see participating in swimming as a "right". Children come to our pool all the time and want to be caught going off the board. They don't know how to swim, but at other pools they are allowed to jump off the board as long as someone catches them and assists them to the side.
Other children show up at our pool wearing flotation devices and believe that they should be allowed to wear them and have full use of all areas of the pool.
Five and six year old children are dropped off at the pool for open swim for hours at a time unsupervised by parents or other caregivers.
Apparently some parents believe that everyone has the same right to use the pool regardless of swimming ability. I disagree.
Parents and children don't seem to feel this same sense of entitlement for other activities. There seems to be more of a sense of age and ability appropriateness. Parents don't give bikes to children who can't walk yet. Bowling parties aren't planned for children who can't pick up a bowling ball. Three-year-olds don't often take thirty of their friends and go to a baseball game for a birthday party. Groups of kindergarteners don't often get dropped off at the movies or the mall and get picked up by their parents at the door two hours later.
However, swimmers who can't swim independently and who can't stand up in our 4' pool are routinely dropped off at the pool for private pool parties and open swim. Since we started our swim test rule over a year ago, these swimmers are not allowed to participate in swimming activities at our pool parties. I know that we've kept them safe, but I feel bad for those kids.
Children should be allowed to participate in swimming parties when they know how to swim independently. I don't think there is a more fun or an easier way to host a birthday party than a pool party at the Theisen Pool. However, it's not fun if you can't swim. It's not safe if you can't swim. Parents, it's okay to say "no." Learn to swim first and then host or attend a pool party.
When planning a pool party, please include only those that you are confident can pass our swimming test. If you have non-swimmers among the people you want to invite, plan something else so everyone can be safe. I know that everyone planning a party is doing so for the enjoyment of their guests and wouldn't want anyone to be uncomfortable, unsafe, or feel left out. We have invitation inserts available to print from our pool rental page informing all of your guests about our swim test rules.
Recently, we had four parties in one weekend, and I had to go into the water twice during the swim tests to retrieve young "swimmers." It wasn't fun for me or for the swimmers. I believe that these two swimmers would have had much more fun doing something else to celebrate their friends' birthdays. There were several swimmers at the parties that could just barely pass the 15' swim test. These swimmers spent most of the party watching their friends have fun. Again, I think another choice of venue might have been more appropriate.
The Theisen Pool is a public place, whether attending a private party or open swim. Please do not drop off children at the pool that you would not drop off at other public places alone. If you would not drop off your five-year-old at the mall to meet up with friends for a few hours, do not drop them off at the swimming pool without supervision. Our lifeguards will keep them safe while they are in the water, but our hallways, spectator areas, and locker rooms are not supervised. Neither do we keep children from leaving the pool area. Pool patrons are free to come and go at will.
Again, pool parties are great! The swimming pool is a wonderful place for children to hang out. We welcome "pool rats" hanging out at the Theisen Pool on Saturday afternoons. I'm asking that parents please consider the age, maturity, and swimming ability of your children when choosing water-related activities.
If you have any questions about pool party safety at our pool or in your own backyard pool, feel free to contact me at the pool office.
Jeanie Neal, aquatics@brownell.edu, 402.556.1205
We swim for good times: fast times when we compete and fun times every time we get in the pool together. You can too! Face-Up First Swimming is also the home of the popular online course, Water Safety Education for Parents and Caregivers. My name is Jeanie Neal and I developed Face-Up First swimming and put together the online course.
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