Toddler + infant = Install pool now or wait?

14 years ago

We live in super hot south Texas and are frequent beach and pool goers. We have been researching pool information as both of us grew up with pools in our backyards and have wonderful memories of swimming fun. When we recently announced the news that we were planning for a pool several people have told us that we are crazy to get a pool now and that we should wait until the babies are older. My own mom said, "You may have great memories of swimming and playing at our pool, but I never rested with that pool in our backyard." Obviously if we install a pool we will fence it completely. What would you do? Install now to enjoy more years of pool fun or wait for more enjoyable years of pool fun when the kids would understand pool safety better?

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Comments (7)

fletch58
14 years ago
My kids learned to swim by the time they were 3. A fence and alarm around the pool and you are good to go.
pooldazed
14 years ago
Install Now. My kids were 13, 10 and 7 when our pool was built. I now wish that I had done it years earlier.
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That is for sure sad news. That poor mother. Even if you try to minimize risk's accidents can still happen. I do think swimming lessons are important but they will not save a young child if panic sets in or they get a cramp or are too far out and get tired. Some children also believe they are a more capable swimmer than they actually are. We have an indoor pool that has access doors to the front and back of the house and an access door to the rec room. That rec room door has a sliding lock up high and a child proof door handle on it because I have younger nephews. My kids are not allowed to swim in it without supervision. They are all very good swimmers but my boys also play rough as well. Two are teens and one is a pre-teen. I'm not sure at what point I'd allow them to swim without me present, but it isn't yet. Regardless of the precautions we have in place there is always a chance something devastating could happen. All it takes is for someone to leave the door unlocked and if we had a gathering at our house and an unsupervised child then tragedy could occur. And I do have relatives that don't supervise their children. Both myself and my children have ended up as "babysitters" at family functions. With that said, you cannot keep an eye on your child 24-7 and some kids are can figure out child proofing. My middle son had received a broken arm and I saw it all happen. I went in to change his baby brother, was watching through the patio doors. I saw him on the top of a covered ride on car. I yelled for him to get off it. His older brother that was in the car shook the car and he went tumbling off and broke his arm. I saw the whole thing happen. He also gave himself a ligature mark across his neck when he stood on top of a turtle sand box, grabbed the clothesline down to his height, slipped off the top of the sandbox and onto the clothesline. I was within a few feet of him. Accidents happen all the time and of course we need to do our best as parents to minimize them, but nobody knows the circumstances that lead to this horrific tragedy. The parents may have had safeguards in place and the accident still occurred.
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MongoCT
14 years ago
I lived on a lake when my kids were newborn through age 5.

We then moved and live on another lake, plus I put in a swimming pool when the kids were 7 and 9.

They need to learn boundaries, but you still can't let young toddlers out of your site around accessible water.

We always seemed to be in the water together so it was never a problem for our family.

Is it a concern? sure. Should you run and hide from it? That's up to you and how well disciplined your kids are.
boopsie
14 years ago
I am a grandma of very young grandchildren. We have a fence around our pool and an alarm on the gate going into the pool. Without the alarm, I would never be able to relax while having my grandchilden over. Even though I really don't let them out of my sight, I would still worry. However, with the alarm....I don't! I would definitely get the pool---just have a fence and an alarm! I think you would really enjoy the pool NOW!
unclewigging
14 years ago
Build it now. We built our late last year and have a 2.5 yr old and a 2 month old. The 2.5 year old is already swimming under water and jumping in and we started teaching back in April. Prior to that we exposed him to the pool in the hot tub over the winter. If you will teach, then do it now.

By the way, good instruction video on youtube check out Samantha from Sharks and Minnows swim school. That's what I used and its been great. We are already floating the 2 month old around the pool and he loves it.

Pools can be dangerous so the sooner you teach how to float and get back to the steps/edge the better. I could imagine what we would have done this summer without our pool. We spend all day just about everyday out there whether in the water or not. Good luck
smack00
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for the replies. We have decided to move forward with our plans to build. This heat index of 115 is horrible and a pool sounds like just the ticket.
Niki Friedman
14 years ago
I have a two year old and hopefully will have more little ones down the road. We're building now and are doing an auto-cover. It's great peace-of-mind (in addition to a fence and alarm, which our county requires).

Toddler + infant = Install pool now or wait?

Comments (7)

fletch58

pooldazed

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boopsie

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Toddler + infant = Install pool now or wait?

Comments (7)

fletch58

pooldazed

Related Discussions

MongoCT

boopsie

unclewigging

smack00Original Author

Niki Friedman

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

smack00
Original Author