Quote:
While liability may and probably does play a role in those policies, it is primarily a safety issue. Contrary to popular belief, enforced 10 minute breaks at swimming pools, rules concerning floaties, and no running aren't things thought up by bored lifeguards whose sole preoccupation is the prevention of fun, but have a solid foundation in common sense.
See now I can see this as being feasible, if parents were overconfident enough to leave their children without close supervision. But what about parents like myself, who are
right there within half an arms reach of their child? If it is safety that they are concerned about, wouldnt the parent being there cancel out the potential danger?
If the situation had been different, and I had allowed my kid to go off swimming on his own with the floaties, and I was told not to, that I could completely understand and very much respect. But instead, I was forced to choose between my own concerns as a mother with safety ( which included me being in the water next to my son along with a floatation device) or to take the device off and let him swim without them. At the same time that this was going on, there were a lot of little kids ny sons age and younger who were in the water *without any adult nearby*! I guess my thought is which is the more dangerous? Why bother arguing with a parent who is with their child and not deal with the parents who let their kids go off on their own with nothing?
And as well, it was not just the water wings that are banned. The way they worded it to me, *no* floatation devices of any kind are allowed. I assume this includes those bathing suits that have built in floatation devices and life jackets since they never once said "but XYZ are allowed so long as you are with your kid".
Either way it just seems to me as if they were making a bigger issue over something when there are much bigger concerns when swimming with children, such as being close to your child in the water.
On a side note, this was actually a blessing in disguise. I found a pool right down the street that is watched over by two lifeguards, who have no issues with floatation devices and even have some to lend out if a child needs them. The rules state children have to stay in the 2 ft shallow end (which is actually very big so the kids can really play around without getting crowded) unless accompanied by an adult and can not go past 4 ft. The water was very clean, the pool area itself well kept, and I think we found ourselves a new place to stay cool. Good thing too, because today the heat index is supposed to reach into the 100's.