Swimming pools - are the rules about aqua nappies unfair?

Question

At my local pool all children under the age of four must wear aqua nappies.

I can understand the reasoning for children who have only just been potty trained and are likely to have accidents, but it seems unfair on children who were toilet trained a while ago.

We have a 3 1/2 year old son who has been pottry trained since he was 2 and hasn't had any accidents since he was 2 1/2 but he still has to have a nappy put on before he goes swimming.

It may only be a pull up but it's still a nappy.

Do you think it's unfair?

Do / did you have any children who are annoyed by this?

Answer 1

Well if your 3 1/2 year old is annoyed by wearing the pull-ups I recon that's because they have picked up your own anxieties.

Most children don't start potty training until they are around 3 and they can have little accidents for a long time after. Children get so tied up it what there doing that they sometimes forget about going to the loo.

So I think that it is fair for the swimming pool to have an age cut off point, just so that everyone is aware and there are no exceptions.

Would you like to be swimming with your child and a big chocolate Browne floats by!! ....lol.

Answer 2

Even when kids are well potty-trained out of the water something about being in the water confuses their sense of when they need to go. Children who have just gone to the bathroom often jump in the pool and then jump right out saying they have to go again. On the flip side, children who are in the pool for a long time don't always notice that they need to go.

It is probably unlikely that a child of 3 1/2 who's been potty-trained for over a year will have an accident, but it's not unheard of. From the lifeguard's standpoint (who have to clean accidents up), better safe than sorry.

When I teach lessons, I don't have a rule about age and whether or not they still need a diaper. However, I know most of my younger swimmers (under age 4 1/2) do wear some form of swim diaper to the pool. I am grateful to the parents in case something does happen.

Answer 3

I don't think it's accidents they're probably worried about.  Kids often think that because they're swimming it's okay to pee in the pool, and not on accident.

I can see where it might be a pain if your child puts up a fight about it, but if you can somehow make it a normal part of the swimming routine, it might go over better.  Though, when you're irritated by something your child will pick up on that, so it depends on your attitude about it too.  :)

Answer 4

Being a swim teacher for 12 years a lifeguard for 5 and competitive swimmer since i was 6 i have seen it all

Its probably due to children pooping in the pool - especially if its runny Yuch this causes the swimming pool to close, empty the pool and clean it. Causes lots of money to do that and lose money from their customers.

Would be just a precautionary measure