https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 10 Apr 2026 01:12:49 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888307 Thu, 20 Jun 2019 13:41:15 +0000 mamabolt 2888307@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mine are 3 and 7 and I took them regularly last summer at 2 and 6. But our pool has a small mid depth pool (2-3 ft) which is great for the early elementary set so I don’t have as much worry when my older is in there with friends. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888287 Thu, 20 Jun 2019 11:54:49 +0000 Mrs. Turtle 2888287@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took my 13 month old and 3.5 year old last week to get the older one in the pool before swim lessons started Monday. I made the rule that we were staying in the kiddie pool, so 3.5 year old could touch in the whole pool. I didn't do floaties, as she's very brave and I don't want her to even more brave/reckless! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888272 Thu, 20 Jun 2019 09:52:35 +0000 MrsSRS 2888272@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've been taking two alone since the second was born. Mine are 4 and 6. We have really firm limits about how far you can go/how far away from mama. Break the limits once, warning, twice, sit and think, third time we leave for the day. The 4 year old wears a puddle jumper. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888270 Thu, 20 Jun 2019 09:35:07 +0000 JCCovi 2888270@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I take my 4 and 5 year old several times a week and I did last year as well. They are in that scary age where they can swim a tiny bit and have the confidence of Michael Phelps. </p> <p>My rules are they both have to be in arms reach at all times and within arms reach of the side. Sometimes the pool gets really crowded and I’m very diligent about stopping people from swimming between us. Kids swim everywhere with no regard for those around them and I’ll physically block them if they try to come between me and one of my kids. I also insist they wear their goggles because they have an easier time grabbing the side or me when they can see properly under water. There are plenty of lifeguards but I would never rely on them. It’s pretty exhausting and we never do free swim for more than an hour. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888260 Thu, 20 Jun 2019 08:44:50 +0000 yerpie110 2888260@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took my then 5yo and 2yo regularly last year to our town pool, and will do so again this year. They are not permitted to wear floaties in the pool, but both my girls are good listeners and not adventurous. They know the rules (stay together, stay in arms length of me, take turns while I hold one at a time) I set and I have no problem with leaving if they break them. Although DD1 is not a fully independent swimmer yet, she is permitted to walk around the shallowest end where she can stand. I usually hold Dd2 the entire time, or take turns holding them. Dd2 mostly likes to jump in to my arms. We take breaks at the little pool or snack bar when I get tired, haha. Our lifeguards are seriously on point and since I'm off for the summer, we generally go when it's off-peak times. The challenge now is that Dd1 likes to hang out with her friends who are much more independent swimmer than she is, but thankfully, she is still too afraid to venture out too far from me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888253 Thu, 20 Jun 2019 08:08:01 +0000 Madison43 2888253@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I take my 3 and 5 yo solo, and did last year too. My 5 yo doesn’t wear a life jacket anymore and my 3 yo is still in a puddle jumper. Basically our rules are: (i) no one goes in the water without me (like one can’t hop in while I’m getting the other ready) ; (ii) we all have to stay together in one part of the pool; and (iii) my oldest cannot go into the deep end. She can stand up if needed in most of the shallow end so that makes things much easier. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888245 Thu, 20 Jun 2019 06:45:28 +0000 pachamama 2888245@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took my three year old and five month old 😬. Three-year-old wears a puddle jumper floatie and is extremely cautious. I hold the baby and am within arms reach of the 3 year old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888244 Thu, 20 Jun 2019 06:24:10 +0000 Becky 2888244@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Totally depends on the kid. I wouldn’t like taking a stage 1 clinger who couldn’t float around on her own for a moment while I helped the other, or if there was one child who wasn’t a good listener and couldn’t be patient in the locker room for example. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888234 Wed, 19 Jun 2019 22:56:33 +0000 helloperidot 2888234@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I take my 4yo and 19mo to our pool weekly, in addition to doing weekly lessons with both of them (group lesson for oldest, Mommy and Me for youngest). Our pool is zero entry and my oldest can touch in about 2/3 of the pool. We only go during a preschool designated time (so only kids under 6) when we aren't at lessons.</p> <p>I also take them to our complex pool but my oldest has to wear her Puddle Jumper. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888219 Wed, 19 Jun 2019 20:48:03 +0000 Foodnerd81 2888219@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: at my pool you have to be 48 inches and able to swim comfortably in the deep end, so neither of my kids are tall enough OR good enough swimmers. But I do agree with the others that it’s fair to set your own rules. </p> <p>But when camps are there it’s the craziest! That’s when I pull my kids out to have lunch honestly, it gets so crazy. They do keep all the campers in one area so I tell my kids we aren’t allowed in that area while the camp is there (not actually a pool rule). Maybe you can ask someone in management what times are less crowded. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888217 Wed, 19 Jun 2019 20:39:21 +0000 bhbee 2888217@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took 3 kids to the pool for the first time today! We are lucky to have a lot of good municipal pools near us, but there’s only one I would try with all 3 - it’s a zero entry so they have to stay where they can touch (about half the pool), and it’s never busy so there is very good lifeguard coverage. I have a strict pool rule that if there isn’t good listening about the safety rules I set then we leave. It still felt stressful since I had to hold the baby the whole time (she won’t do the float they can sit in) - but if I saw anything troubling I could have easily called the lifeguard. It doesn’t really work on their skills that much since they can touch, but at least it’s fun! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888216 Wed, 19 Jun 2019 20:38:35 +0000 PinkElephant 2888216@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think the key is to feel VERY comfortable setting whatever rules work for you, regardless of what the pool rules are.</p> <p>I’m pretty confident taking my three kids - almost 7 yo, newly 5 yo, and 2.5 yo to the pool, and the only one who really gives me a hard time is the youngest. Last year I made the bigger girls wear puddle jumpers whenever I had the baby with us; this year they don’t need to but they’re not allowed to go into the deep area when I’ve got the youngest (even though they’ve passed their deep water tests) since my hands and attention are too occupied. So I think it’s perfectly fair to have rules like “when there is a camp here, you wear your puddle jumper (particularly the four year old), or implementing breaks every 30 minutes, or limiting the number of water slide rides so you’re not exhausted. I want my kids to know that water safety is so important, so they need to stick to my rules, or we just won’t go to the pool. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888214 Wed, 19 Jun 2019 20:18:39 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 2888214@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: that's a good idea! I have been trying to time it to get there right when the pool opens but that seems to coincide with day camps also arriving so maybe I need to trend our visits toward the second half of the day. It is only open from 11 to 5 unfortunately! This is the first year I opted to buy the pool pass instead of doing swim lessons at this same pool. In the past year we joined at our YMCA so now we can do year-round swim lessons if we want to. So I thought it would be fun to get the pool pass instead but now I find it completely exhausting! There's also a big of water slide so I end up having to go down that thing like five times every visit as well. Kid has to be over 48 in before he can do it by himself. My nearly seven year old can do it by himself, but the four-year-old can't of course! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888213 Wed, 19 Jun 2019 20:18:04 +0000 Pollywog 2888213@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I regularly bring my 14 month old and 3.5 year old to the pool solo. Especially the baby pool. Both are comfortable with the water and not particularly adventurous. And I'm literally touching them the whole time. I'm a former lifeguard and swim instructor. I'm really familiar with what drowning looks like </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888212 Wed, 19 Jun 2019 20:16:15 +0000 Ajsmommy 2888212@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took mine last year at 4yo and 1 yo a few times. I recently took them to a hotel pool last month at 5yo and 2yo. I feel pretty confident about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888210 Wed, 19 Jun 2019 20:12:55 +0000 FaithFertility 2888210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I take both on my own regularly<br /> 4.5 yrs old and 2.5 both wear floaties<br /> 4.5 is a beginner swimmer and knows if it is just me she can't take them off </p> <p>We are at a community pool in a development and it is never busy </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888209 Wed, 19 Jun 2019 20:10:48 +0000 Foodnerd81 2888209@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: can you practice during very not crowded times (an hour or two before close or immediately on opening?) or with your SO so you can be one on one? I’m lucky I guess that my girls both WANT to wear the floaties. I have to encourage my older one to practice more without it, but it doesn’t take any convincing when I want her to wear it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888208 Wed, 19 Jun 2019 20:06:42 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 2888208@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@rpparker: right now one of my big problems is that my nearly seven year old complains constantly about having to be in a life jacket especially because he runs into his friends at the pool. In truth he needs more time to practice without a life jacket, but it is really hard for me to keep an eye on him without a jacket while also keeping an eye on the four year old who is pretty mobile in the pool as well. And then my four-year-old, who really needs to be in a life jacket, will also complain! I find that after about an hour I have lost my patience with the whole endeavor! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888207 Wed, 19 Jun 2019 20:06:22 +0000 Foodnerd81 2888207@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took my kids last summer, when they were almost 5 and 2.5. Both were wearing floaties though, and I generally only felt anxious when it was really crowded and hard to see them both at once. Of course we always stayed in the same area anyway. Now they are 3.5 and almost 6 and the older one can just about swim without a floatie, so I try to have her practice as much as she can when it isn’t crowded, but if it is crowded I have her wear it still. </p> <p>It’s incredibly exhausting but I do feel like we are very safe. It helps that my little one generally wants to be as close to me as possible at all times. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888206 Wed, 19 Jun 2019 19:58:18 +0000 rpparker 2888206@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I take my 6 month old and almost 4 year old a few times a week. I keep the 4 year old in a life jacket if it’s crowded but otherwise she just swims back and forth to me and the steps while I hold the baby! Would be harder if the baby was mobile! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/at-what-age-are-you-willing-to-take-two-to-the-pool#post-2888203 Wed, 19 Jun 2019 19:54:41 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 2888203@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Following up on Ms. Bee's blog post... At what age are you willing or able to take two kids to the pool solo? My kids are 6 and 1/2 (turning 7 in August) and 4. Both are good swimmers for their age but I still don't prefer to take them to the pool on my own. not sure if it is a safety issue or an anxiety issue or both. I am referring in my case to a public pool with tons of lifeguards! </p>