I would venture to say your hubby has a point. (Sorry!) As a parent, you just do the best you can to protect your children from all the dangers around them. You install safety gates because you have to have stairs, you put in outlet covers because you need electical outlets, you strap them in their car seats because you have to go the grocery store! Having a pool is no different. You utilize the necessary safety equipment and watch over them when they around the pool area, and you teach them the proper way to behave when near the water. No running, no diving in the shallow end, don't go in without supervision, etc. You have to have "pool rules" just like you would have other rules for playing outside. (Don't go out of the yard, dont talk to strangers, etc) Trust in your parental instincts to do right by your children, and dont deprive them the fun of their own pool!

your husband is right, anything can happen anytime. its good that you are a bit nervous though. you will not let your guard down. my kids are grown with only one 17 year old son left at home. i still worry about him. after all, he could get into a serious auto accident on his way to or from football practice or school, or homecoming... it could go on and on or I could just lock him up in his room and never let him out. Really, i'm not making fun of the situation, believe me i am so overprotective. its just that i have learned to ease up a bit. i still worry like crazy. i actually installed a GPS on his truck so that i can put my mind at ease when i get worried because he's a little late. go nuts with alarms or whatever you have to do to get your home as safe as possible. but let them have fun. i was one of those mothers who used a harness on my son too when we traveled through airports, disney world, etc.. he never minded. they will get away so fast in large crowds. i also had one of the kind that was more of a velcro bracelet on his wrist with the 'leash'. i didn't get so many 'looks' from people with that one as with the harness type.

thanks for your responses. i know i cant protect them from everything, its probably just my pregnancy hormones mixed with the story i just read online... i knew that many of you parents had probably faced the same questions/concerns when putting in your pools, i really appreciate your input!!

yes, it probably is those preggo harmones working here. but still, i'd lay my money down that you are an awesome mom! you children are lucky to have you.

Congrats on the new addition.......the baby.....oh and the pool too.....but more for the baby!

So so tradgic and happens too often.Here in Florida the
TV news show this horrible and very sad story constandly.
You must be very vigeal,keep and maintain all the fences,
locks,alarms,and safe guards.Watch your kids like a hawk!

We have no children,but I worry about our nieghbors children sneaking in our pool!I keep the gates locked with
key.

Now with that said,allthough our pools are locked down
(the inspectors see to that,alarm on door from house to
pool,even no kids live here)what about the big deep lake we
live on? The houses surround it,they have access areas to
it,they even have a pier the the kids dive,swim and fish
off.It constandly has unsupervised kids hanging out there?
In fact theres is open water all aroung us!
Take the safe guards and pray,that all you can do.Soon your
babies will be teens and swim like fish....
JR.....

I personally could not have a pool until my children were of an age where I could trust them around a pool. This was/is mere laziness on my part, we live in an area where my kids can and do play outside alone safely, so the addition of a pool would have meant I HAD to be outside every time they were. This simply isn't how I choose to live, I want an outdoor area that my kids can come and go from freely and safely. So for me personally I didn't even consider a pool until my youngest was a strong competent swimmer.

However, all the OP are correct, with the right safeguards you'll be fine, and all kids are at risk from something or other. I'll be putting my teen behind a wheel (legally) soon, so the dangers never stop, and all you can do is guide and educate, safeguard and pray!

The one thing you can not due is just what you said "at a party, when the family is all outside and pre-occupied" You can never be pre-occupied. That is when it will happen.

Hear hear to all the above. This is a constant conversation/heated dicussion around our home as my step daughter and her husband almost never visit and refuse to even let us babysit their children because we installed a pool yet my step son and his wife come down all the time and spend weekends with us watching their young ones jump in and have fun. Both families live out of town, it's very interesting to see how the opinions differ.
At some point we step back and realize that we have done all that we can and they are in God's hands the rest of the way...

We have a 2 year old son as well (and two little dogs) and we decided to do a rectangle with an auto cover for this reason. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing that the pool was open, even with fences, locks, alarms, etc.

We also have tons of kids in the neighborhood and I know they're going to come by all day/night long wanting to swim. If the cover's on, they're out of luck (but safe!!).

On the plus side, they might learn to swim at a younger age than they would if you didn't have a pool, making them safer around water everywhere. A lot of people teach their kids to swim when they're babies.

Here are few things to keep in mind;
1-Accidents can occur at any age. Don't ever let you guard down.
2-Take several physical steps to prevent accidents:
- Fence the pool with self locking gates.
- Alarm any door leading to the yard.
- Install a pool alarm.
- Install a safety float(s) pool side.
Consider an automatic pool cover.

3-Take several personal steps:
- Take a CPR coarse.
- Always bring a phone with you poolside.
Lock the pool gates when you are not using it.
There ae braclet alarms you can get for the children.
- During a party, if you are swimming hire a lifeguard. We found several collage age students who are certified in our area. (This doesn't excuse the parents from watching their kids - just adds another layer of safety).
Teach your children to swim as soon as possible.
Try and prepare yourself for situtions that will take your attention away from the pool. (i.e. the baby need a diaper change - make sure the toddler is out of the pool and in your site).

I think the biggest mistake people make is thinking that since they have done all or some of the above they are safe. You are not! The best you can do is prepare your pool and yourself. I agree with your husband that you can never avoid all dangers. The fact that you are worrying about it now shows that you will be the type of parent that won't assume the kids are safe, you'll make sure they are.

Agree with most - and what I think is the biggest problem is pool parties where adults drink and bbq, kids get crazy in pool (diving, splashes, waves, etc) and some little one who can't swim slips to the bottom of the deep end while no one notices. My rule - if you don't have a sober adult eyeball on the kid - you don't get into my back yard.

Don't worry about the ages, and teach them to swim/float as soon as they are able. Like the lake house post - I have seen pools with fences, padlocks, alarms, and auto covers all on a lot next to an open lake. Defies all logic.

Enjoy the pool and the baby!

And give your kids swimming lesons. 2 1/2 y.o. is not too young to get started

I just posted a similar question! I have a 2 year old and a new baby due in August and I am having the same worries. I am an RN at a local children's hospital and we recently received water safety tips as there have been almost 50 near drownings so far this summer (we do not live in a huge city either!). According to the ER nurses, the most common scenario occurs when the family is having a get together and there are a lot of people by the pool and everyone assumes someone else is watching the children. Something to keep in mind is that children do not drown like in the movies (waving arms, yelling help), rather they sink. Therefore a tragedy can occur when people are close by but not actively watching. I think one of the previous posters ideas of hiring a lifeguard for parties is great.