During the summer, kids love few things more than going to the pool and swimming. It’s a lot of fun for them, but also a sneaky way of encouraging physical activity.
It’s incredibly important for kids to stay active, so anything they enjoy doing makes your job simpler. That said, the pool must be respected and this means understanding what to and what not to do.
If you have an upcoming vacation or plan to take the kids to the pool, then you’ll need to be sure you’re up to date with proper pool etiquette.
Visiting the pool comes with responsibility, especially as a parent, so you’ll need to embrace it to avoid common swimming pool injuries and preserve the experience of other swimmers.
We’ll outline a few great pool etiquette tips below to help you keep your children safe!
Seek Family-Friendly Swimming Pools
You should start by seeking family-friendly swimming pools only.
Swimming pools are not all the same, especially if you’re looking for pools in hotels. Some are designed primarily for adults while others are far more welcoming to children.
Adult-oriented pools are likely to feature alcohol and loud music while family pools will be booze-free and the noise will come from playing children.
Considering this, you’ll want to find a pool where other kids will be. This information is often available through an online search and will guarantee that you visit a pool with the right setting.
Alternatively, you can set up personal swimming pools if you have a backyard. Inflatable pools are a blast even if they don’t seem impressive. They still allow your kids to splash around and cool down in the sun.
When you pick a family-friendly pool, it directly contributes to your child having a smooth experience and it also means you won’t be disturbing other pool-goers. As a result, it’s an essential component of good pool etiquette.
Prioritize Watching Your Children
When you’re relaxing by the pool, you must prioritize watching your children over anything else.
Even if there’s a lifeguard on duty, their job is to watch the water as a whole and not your child specifically. This means that they can’t devote all of their attention to ensuring your child is never in danger. On the other hand, you can.
You likely don’t allow your kids to visit the pool without supervision because it’s dangerous. This is reasonable, but what’s the difference between not being there and not paying attention to them?
In both situations, you might not have time to react and save them should something awful happen. Water accidents can happen very quickly and harmless playing can easily lead to swallowed water, choking, and drowning.
Someone else might jump in and save your child, but part of pool etiquette is not relying on others to care for the safety of your kids. Everyone who is there has someone to watch for, whether it’s themselves or their children.
With this in mind, your only focus should be on your kids while at the pool. Resist the temptation to scroll through your phone or take a nap because it leaves your children vulnerable.
Respect Other Swimmers
Another important point is to respect other swimmers and pool-goers at all times.
At the pool, everyone deserves to have a good time. Unfortunately, this may not always happen when some swimmers behave inappropriately. Between unwarranted splashing, excessive noise, or getting in the space of others, a lot can be frustrating and uncool in the water.
Respecting other swimmers is a key part of pool etiquette because it’s the right thing to do. You wouldn’t want other swimmers to disturb your kids, so they must know to be respectful of other swimmers as well.
In particular, your children should understand that they shouldn’t run around the pool, scream, splash other swimmers, swim near other swimmers, urinate in the pool, or spit in the pool.
When your kids do their part to behave, it helps contribute toward the greater goal of keeping the pool enjoyable, safe, and clean for others.
Avoid Leaving a Mess
Your family must also be careful to avoid leaving a mess.
This is another component of respecting other pool-goers. Pools are public spaces, meaning that they aren’t yours to do with as you please.
You can certainly relax and make the most of your time at the pool, but remember that everyone else also has that privilege. This means that you must leave it in an acceptable condition for the next person that comes along.
Better yet, consider leaving it in a better state than you arrived in. Picking up a few pieces of trash takes no time and helps make the pool a cleaner place for all.
At the very least, leave the pool in the same condition that it was in when you arrived. Make sure your kids know to not leave any trash in or around the pool and to collect all of their pool toys before leaving.
It’s simple to make a mess, but just as easy to pick it up. Leaving the pool in a good state is a key part of proper pool etiquette.
Closing Thoughts
When you visit the pool this summer, make sure you and your kids understand what good pool etiquette entails. This is good behavior that showcases basic decency, which makes the pool fun and safe for everyone else.
Pool etiquette is important because neglecting it will ruin the experience for other people. You should seek family-friendly pools, prioritize watching your children, respect other swimmers, and avoid leaving a mess for good pool etiquette.
The pool will always be a great place for your kids, but only if they are safe and considerate of others. Remember this and have them practice good pool etiquette with you!
