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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: June 17 2014 at 9:12am | IP Logged
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We impulsively joined a pool this summer when the cost of regular lessons approached the cost of membership. I have never been a pool mom and never wanted to be one at all, but here I am. Any wisdom to share or strategies you have employed in making a summer schedule work around this? Clothing, snacks, chore routine?
One thing that I tried that seems effective for our brood is using a heavy duty utility tub on wheels for our floaties, toys, and towels instead of a bunch of beach bags. Then i just have a small bag for the baby's things and a picnic basket for snacks and water bottles.
Another something I could use insight on is if there is any way to get exercise out of this deal for myself. Yesterday was our first day, and this is obviously not a relaxing thing for me. The 10 month old doesn't like the water (he doesn't even like baths and definitely not giant, cold baths), and the toddler loves the baby pool, so I have to watch the baby play in the shade or nurse him while I keep an eye on the big pool and the toddler in the baby pool. I had thought, "maybe this will be a good opportunity for me to get more active," but, this doesn't seem to be the reality.  I stand a lot in one place, and I have so much less freedom to read or do anything I normally do while nursing except watch children and maybe snap a few action shots on my phone to text to Dh. I'm hot and can't get more than my feet wet, yk?
I don't mean to be a Debby Downer. I am still hoping not being home all day and the motivation of a pool trip could be an opprtuinty to practice habits of keeping the house tidier.
Gotta run and get ready for this morning's trek, but I would love to know what other moms with little ones have done to make this as painless as possible. 
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: June 17 2014 at 9:28am | IP Logged
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I don't spend huge amounts of time at the pool. Once my kids are good swimmers, we live close enough that they can walk to the pool themselves. And all my kids L.O.V.E. the water. I'm more concerned with making sure they don't drown themselves than anything. So these are the rules I have for my kids that help me when I take everyone to the pool.
1) you have to be somewhat of a swimmer to go into the big pool at all.
2) you have to stay where you can touch, until you can swim 50m without stopping... any stroke. (my kids are on swim team, this happens anywhere from age 6 to 9)
That's pretty much it for rules. Once the kids can swim 50m, I'm really comfortable with them being anywhere in the big pool and only check on them, it's not like I'm needing to watch them much.
I think your boys are probably old enough that either before they get into the pool or after you get them out, they should be able to watch the little ones NOT in the water and give you time to swim a few laps.. or maybe even in the middle.. everyone comes to have snacks and the boys watch the little ones and you get to swim and then they get to go back into the pool.
Also, if you get a quick dip into the water to be wet, you'd stay cooler, perhaps your oldest would come over periodically so you could at least cool down. Only takes a couple of minutes so he wouldn't be missing much time.
Would your little one be ok if you wore him in some sort of carrier? then you could wear the baby and wade with the toddler.. and that would reduce your stress.. and increase the work you're doing just standing around
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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pumpkinmom
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| Posted: June 17 2014 at 10:33am | IP Logged
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Maybe find another mom to go with and help each other out. Or maybe take a teenage girl with you to be a helper. She might "work" for the cost of getting into the pool and a snack. If the parents work this would be a free ride to the pool too.
We finally broke down and got a pool pass this year. Mine are old enough and swim well enough that I can feel safe with not paying much attention or even leaving them for awhile if I feel like the crowd is safe. I noticed that some girls (12 & 13) where there with a mom and they were taking turns helping her with her two little ones (ages 1 & 2). My oldest said the girls would take 20 minutes shifts so that they could play with friends and not be babysitting the whole time.
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Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
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SeaStar
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| Posted: June 17 2014 at 12:43pm | IP Logged
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When my two were little, going to the pool in the early AM was the best time for us... we were the openers, for sure  .
Everyone was usually in a good mood after breakfast, the pool was much less crowded (often we had it to ourselves), and then everyone was tired in the afternoon and could nap. We would only stay for an hour- sometimes longer if it was a "good" day.
For my peace of mind, mine wore floatie vests until they were proficient swimmers- and even beyond that until they outgrew them. No, it did not prevent them from learning to swim, as I had worried. They are excellent swimmers (without ever having taken a formal class). But I am just one mom, and it only takes a second for a kid to slip off a step into the water and panic. So the vests gave me peace of mind, plus they gave the kids more confidence in the water.
Going in the morning also prevented this dreaded scenario:
You come home in the late afternoon. You are wet. Kids are hungry. Older kids dash off to the warm shower or put on dry clothes. Mom is still walking around in the A/C with her damp suit on trying to hang up towels, put down her bag, etc. But even though mom is cold, wet and tired, every eye is on her with one question: When is dinner?  (shudder).
Sometimes I had my mom go with me to the pool to help out. She was the voice of reason when ds went through a spell of not wanting to get his face wet. She said not to give up, keep taking him to the pool every day, even just for ten minutes so he could get used to the water. It worked beautifully. With everyone happy in the water, I could run in place or bounce up and down while holding a baby to get some exercise.
Now my kids are older and want to swim for extended periods. We have shifted to swimming after dinner. Again, the pool is much less crowded and I don't have to fool with sun screen. Going in the afternoon, my kids were getting burned on their faces even when I applied sunscreen every 30-45 minutes. I have tried many, many brands, and the sun is just too intense here to be safe. They know that to swim after dinner all chores have to be done and the house picked up.
I never attempted after dinner swimming when my kids were younger- I was always so tired by the end of the day I could not even imagine trying it. If I could go back in time, though, I would give it another shot. At least dh would have been home to help me, and maybe I could have swum a few laps.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: June 17 2014 at 12:45pm | IP Logged
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Thanks ladies! Much to my relief, the baby was much more receptive to the water today. I was able to go in with a light rebozo along in the big pool with the toddler in his puddle jumper, and it was very nice, especially since it is warmer today. The summer isn't looking quite so bleak. ;-)
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: June 17 2014 at 1:01pm | IP Logged
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The morning sounds ideal, but the swim team has the pool then and lessons are at 11:00. We have so far been coming for lessons at 11:00 and eating lunch and spending the early afternoon. Most brutal time for sun, though the noon hour is the least crowded. I am hoping for evening lessons next week and maybe Dh can join us after work. I am thinking we will only do the two weeks of formal lessons, so maybe taking dinner to the pool with Dad will be a better bet. We are three miles from the pool, so while close, when we are here, we are here.
The nice thing yesterday was having them all fall asleep in the van on the way home. I left the doors to the van open and got a good half hour of silence if not a nap myself. We have also taken breaks for water and reapplying sunscreen and got some good read aloud time in.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: June 17 2014 at 1:10pm | IP Logged
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Yes watch the crowds and try and go at different times to start.. I've found that the late afternoon time works best for us. The pool is open 1-4:45.. if we go between 3 and 3:30, we get a bit of shade at the baby pool and the lifeguards tell my kids to get out of the pool when it's time to go.
Sure dinner time is a problem BUT it's still so warm no one really minds dinner being a bit late.. we don't have a/c so I don't get cold even if I'm still in my suit.
Also, my kids are on swim team so that they're used to doing their rinse off at the pool when we're there.. so mom is the one that comes home and gets a quick rinse in the shower.. and if I've planned dinner well.. prepped it that morning or whatever.. I can easily be cooking dinner within 30 minutes of getting home.
Also we have a clothes line and bigs helps littles get stuff hung up. Again, we have that ingrained from swim team where they swim every single day anyway.
Oh but again.. because others need to get home to have dinner earlier than we do, and because it's getting near the end of the swim time.. and those who get there early are leaving.. we have a lot of pool room at that time.
It's really too cold for the small kids except on the warmest days to go to the evening swim times.. the older kids will go but the little guys get too cold.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: June 17 2014 at 3:09pm | IP Logged
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Wow, it really seems one has to strategize carefully around the individual pool policies. Our pool is open from noon until 8 or 9:00 depending on the day of e week and month, and honestly, it is warm enough here for evening swims to be refreshing. We like sandwiches and salads enough, I think I could plan for dinner at the pool with dh if on,y they could just sleep the rest of the night in the van since they would surely go to sleep on the way home.
I think I am just at that awkward stage where it is a lot of work however you slice it. Baby (two naps a day) and toddler but my older kids are not old enough to be left at the pool by themselves. The napping means the kids either get 45 minutes at the pool or 3 hours if that makes any sense.
This has been sitting here a while in process as I changed myself and the baby, folded laundry, etc... before posting, and I have to say I am very proud of my oldest. He has unloaded the van and hung the wet things to dry both yesterday and today as soon as he wakes up. I haven't been unloading myself for fesr of waking everyone still snoozing. I don't know if Dad had a tallk with him about the respnsibility of coopersting and helping with the expense and sacrifice of getting them to the pool, but whatever his motivation, I will take it. They have all been quite good at helping get everything together to leave. I think I just need to get the house in better recovery after our company last week and big FHC shindig.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: June 17 2014 at 3:25pm | IP Logged
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Ugh....I feel for you, Lindsay. You're totally NOT CRAZY for being annoyed and frustrated with this. It's a situation I was in ONCE, and then never again! Just so you know....it's not just you. Many young kids, toddler, nursing baby, hot sun, by self....for hours on end...BLAH! I'd rather be drawn and quartered....
I'm no help in brainstorming how to get through this summer. But, in case you reconsider for next year....
We use our "swimming lesson money" for a smaller above-ground-pool, slack line, balance beam, etc. (insert fun outdoor play stuff) during different years.
And, time-wise....making an effort to go on a few weekend hikes and excursions WITH DADDY throughout the summer and fall! If we were poolside all week, there is NO WAY I would do anything like this on the weekends. I would have no energy or patience left after a week-poolside.
And, if you feel like you "must get the kids to learn to swim" for various reasons, there are other ways to do this besides traditional "swimming lessons." That could be another thread....
OK...back to others who have more input and ideas who actually stick with the summer-pool-side-with-many-kids-including-toddlers-and-nursi ng-babies program.
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Suzanne in ID
Wife to Pete
Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: June 17 2014 at 3:37pm | IP Logged
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Are there any teenagers there that could play with your littles for 30 min, so you could go exercise---walk, jog, lap swim, do they have weights there? Use thera-bands, do sit ups, etc.
$5/day x 5 = $25 / week to get some exercise in. Hmmm....$100/month for a lame gym membership, essentially.
I would def. be doing some stretching and ab-work though, in between a nursing and launching for the screaming toddler. Even while you're standing and watching, put baby in Ergo and do some squats, calf-raises and hip-flexor-stretches. You can also tighten your core and do kegals.
Paul: Hey, honey, how was your day?
You: Oh, fine, I got 100 kegals and about 200 calf raises in at the pool today!
Paul: Good for you! I know you've really been wanting to build up those calf muscles for YEARS and now you FINALLY have that opportunity. I'm so glad we got that pool-membership! Totally worth it!
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Suzanne in ID
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Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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MelissaClaire
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| Posted: June 17 2014 at 4:53pm | IP Logged
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My crew is 12, 10, 8, 6, nearly 5, 3, and 7 months. Honestly, I really try to go in the evening when my husband is there also. We're all so fair skinned that we burn so easily that it's best that we go when the sum isn't so hot. (There's never any shade over our pool.)
It's also very good motivation for having a house picked up. Often I'll leave a but earlier and get dinner ready (if we haven't packed it to bring with us.)
The oldest 3 stick together to play in the larger pool together and the 6, 4, and 3 year old stay in a roped off area that goes up to 2.5 feet and the 4 and 3 year olds wear "puddle jumper" brand floatie vests (unless they are in the baby pool.)
I haven't taken everyone by myself this season with a new baby, but my guess is if I'm not in the water my 12 year old will be there in the pool next to them. Our pool has a rule that unless you've passed the swimming test you need to be within arm's reach of a responsible swimmer.
We have 2 large blue ikea bags. One carries all the towels we need (rolled up to conserve space) and a change of clothes for everyone. The other has all the , goggle, toys, etc.
I think it's key to establish a routine for getting there are getting home. My kids are responsible for packing the pool bags and getting them to van, then into the pool and then back home. They're also responsible for hanging up their wet stuff. My favorite pool toys are small buckets and paint brushes, and a small teapot. My youngest 2 often tire of the pool before the older ones, but they are content to sit on the deck of the pool and paint forever. The teapot will also work to keep the 3 year old in the pool longer just pouring.
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Mimip
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| Posted: June 17 2014 at 10:22pm | IP Logged
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After reading this thread my thankfulness journal will have one entry tonight: Thank you God I have a beautiful in ground pool in my backyard!
For me the hardest part of going to the pool is opening the blinds so I can see the kids from inside the house! Lessons happen right after they turn one for learning to float and then continue in stroke school.
Thanks for reminding me what a huge blessing I have in my backyard. I will not forget to be thankful that my kids are in the pool daily from April to October!
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In Christ,
Mimi
Wife of 16 years to Tom, Mom of DD'00, DD'02, '04(in heaven) DS'05, DS'08 and DS '12
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: June 18 2014 at 4:49am | IP Logged
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Mimi, I am scared at the thought of having a pool at my house, but if I lived in Florida, I would reconsider! Here, unless it is unseasonably warm, our swim season is pretty much Memorial Day to Labor Day. The baby will turn one this summer. Hooefully by that point he will be comfortable enough with the water I can work on him a bit with floating. 
Suzanne This year is definitely an experiment.
Now that the baby will tolerate the water, I wonder if I can plan to go in right away with him in the sling before it gets crowded and tow the toddler back and forth for a while. Walking in water is probably pretty good exercise, especially if I concentrate on keeping my tummy tucked and such.
Imagining the summer with a baby that screamed every time I tried to put his toes in was pretty depressing. Power walking in the water is much less so. There isn't anywhere to walk around, and I don't think I would have the courage to exercise with an audience of moms and teenagers sunning in their bikinis  , but I can tow my toddler back and forth (in my rash guard ) without feeling awkward. 
Speaking of rash guards, we all wear them. My boys prefer having a shirt in general, but I feel like it offers much better protection from the sun than sunscreen or even plain tees, but I was surprised that no one else uses them.  I have to admit, it was a different crowd today during the noon hour, and I have to wonder if those poor little ones from the kiddie pool yesterday didn't get too much sun The little girls were all in scant one or two pieces and the boys shirtless. I don't recall their parents being concientious about sunscreen reapplication, and no one but my toddler was wearing a hat. Even with dilligent sunscreen on the face, mine were looking sun-kissed, and yesterday, I totally missed that my three year old's shirt was rising and pants were sagging giving him a good little stripe along his back. It is light enough, I don't think it will hurt him today, but still, that mid-day sun is brutal!
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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organiclilac
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| Posted: June 18 2014 at 9:19am | IP Logged
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A big YES to rash guards! I don't know how people go without them! Also, I have found that some sunscreens last much longer in the water than others. We are using Banana Boat's Natural Reflect sunscreen, and I've been happy with its staying power in the water. It is mineral-based, instead of a chemical sunscreen, and I think that helps.
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Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: June 19 2014 at 8:06am | IP Logged
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Starting to think I need a hot spot and a laptop so I can do my homeschool planning at the pool. Oh and one of those file carts on wheels like lawyers use. Of course, then I also need to bring the toy seat thingy from the porch for the baby. Maybe the jumperoo would hang from the pavilion? By the time I'm done moving everything we own to the pool, we might as well spend the entire day there. Starting to understand why people like having pools at their house, lol. If you give a mouse a cookie...
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 19 2014 at 10:16am | IP Logged
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CrunchyMom wrote:
| Starting to understand why people like having pools at their house, lol. |
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Exactly!! That's what we did! We saved the money we would have spent on lessons/pool membership and we bought our own pool. And we found it was a huge relief! I was a little nervous with littles and the pool at first, so we compromised by doing an above ground large pool (ours is 18' diameter and 4 ½ feet deep) so we could just get a feel for setting habits, pool-in-the-backyard-behavior, and we could take it down and store it at the end of the season. It's been a HUGE success!!
We've taught all our younger kids to swim in this pool, and it has lasted several years for us!! Is it a potential danger to have a pool in the backyard? Yes. But so are several other things we have - it just necessitates a new set of rules for the kids, and also a new awareness for Mom, as well as early pool/swimming lessons for littles as Mimi suggested.
HUGE benefits, Lindsay! Just for you to consider for next year!! The kids get in SOOOO much more swimming time - and we can swim any time of day we like! As our boys have gotten older, we've been thankful that we don't have to worry about swim suit choices at the neighborhood pool that would be a distraction for them and a constant need for them to guard their eyes - you know what I mean? At the home pool, you can set up towel zones, pool chores, etc. - all of your little pool systems go into reasonable, workable chores that are all at your home rather than schlepping mountains of stuff to the pool. I sit outside with my laptop, or my iPad and do a little planning or reading while I watch the kids...and when the baby is napping and a big kids can be inside to listen for the napping baby (or I just bring a monitor out now that she's older) *I* can get in and swim laps or exercise in the pool without having to worry about keeping up with anyone! Every season I purchase one *splurge* floatie and then one of MY favorite things to do is get in the pool with the kids and then I ask the kids to get on the *narration* floatie and narrate their reading for the day on the floatie. It's actually become a favorite time!!
We've enjoyed our little above ground so much, and our kids are getting much bigger, that we're now considering an in-ground pool. 
Anyway....know this doesn't help you brainstorm for this year...but maybe a few things to talk over with Paul for next year?
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: June 19 2014 at 11:52am | IP Logged
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Some of the decisions are also based on the kids.. my kids are BOTH climbers AND have no fear (not even caution) about water.. I would be a nervous wreck with a pool at my house because it would take extreme measures to keep the kids out of the water.. including the non-swimmers.. a wading pool is all I can handle
But just wait until all the kids are bigger .. I might just go with it then. Although being less than a mile from the public pool and having kids on swim team we'd still be there too.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: A Summer Spent Poolside
