Based on the reasoning of what you've stated I have to ask... if the Charter School can be provided by The Villages as a benefit to those who serve The Villages directly or through businesses within The Villages, then what would be the problem with The Villages providing a wading pool at a comparatively insignifant expense, in at least two neighborhood centers (one located strategicly in the northern section and another in the southern section of The Villages) where TV residents would have the option of bringing their little grandchildren without rubber duckey restrictions? Seems to me to be a no brainer win-win idea for both grandparents and users of family pools!
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Skyguy.

I think that those are good ideas, but it isn't gonna happen because this is not a voting form of government.

I haven't ever heard from my grandchildren or anyone else that their kids didn't have a great time at the pools the way they are. If we allowed everyone's good ideas then we would need slides and than...........life guards and.........on and on.

And then our amenity fees would be much more than the $135 that it is now.

We were doing a cart-ride on Easter Sunday and stopped by Fishhawk to just take a look. The day being hot and nice, had alot of families at this pool. The employee that was there chatted with us saying there were approx. 65 people in the pool and around it (it looked quite crowded to me) but 120 is the max and when that number comes up..then people are turned away. IF all the children at this pool had had toys (even one) it could have seemed excessive. Personally I stay away from the family pools when it's this busy. I think even some of the neighborhood pools can be this way as well. I do alot of pool-walking so try to go at a "quieter" time (late in the day or early in the day) to be comfortable. IMO I've seen some very polite families at the pools and I've also observed some who seem to take the pool over without consideration of others. But that can transcend into any activity here in T.V.

I don't have toddler grands...but can see a real need for a real children's pool area. At the family pools it isn't shallow enough for young kids. Maybe a petition should be made to the Morse's to see what could be done re: this.

:agree:

Damm, when I was a kid we had to swim in a crappy lake with a stick for a toy. My heart bleeds for the child that can't have his rubber ducky. Jeezz!

LET IT GO!

:spoken:

I'll "allow" that one to "slide" before we need "life guards" here on TOTV! :duck: :1rotfl:
p.s. my kitties send their regards to your kitties! http://www.alfy.com/Messageboard/AVATAR/cat1.jpg

Gotta agree with Gracie.
Come on, this is a retirement community. My grandkids have enjoyed the pools with the rules in place.
Any grandkids can sacrifice the fact that they cannot ride a big float in the pool. And why would we build wading pools that would not be used all that much. Go to any of the pools on non-holiday dates and count how many people/toddlers are in the pool.

Exactly.

Also, a big problem I've seen over the years in private club pools outside TV is that ANY floating small object, like a squishy ball, tennis ball, rubber duckie, etc. inevitably gets grabbed by boys between ages 5 & 18 who will run across the deck, whipping it like a missile at their buddies in or out of the water, or playing catch while falling/jumping into the water off the pool deck.

I have brothers and grown sons, and have seen for decades that throwing a ball or something like it is some kind of an irresistible, primordial urge to them. (!?!?!?!?@@#????!????!!)

We always went after our kids to stop them from annoying other pool users, but many parents do not.....as if everything their kids do is "cute" or worthy of others' praise.

I also remember taking my toddlers to pools....and separate wading pools...and the older boys would grab noodles and WHIP them on the surface of the water, taking out their aggression or purposely intimidating....or just being immature as they are.

Taking toddlers to a non-wading pool is anything but "fun". Our preschoolers played and played in the portable wading pools we used to set up on the deck or in the back yard. There, we could watch them without dealing with older kids to discipline....which their parents wouldn't tolerate anyway.

After reading these posts, I am glad I only go to a Neighborhood (adult) pool where the youngest person is 30 years old.

No way would I support wading pools. What a waste of money that would be - and like Gracie says (she always is so smart), our amenity fee would certainly increase if we had things like wading pools, lifeguards, etc.

I understand everyone has a different point of view and you can't ever make everyone happy. When my grandchildren are here (both under 2) I have a little wading pool I purchased in Walmart. The little ones love it and I do too, because I have all the convenience of home while they are amused in the pool. The older grandchilren (5, 7 and 9) love the family pool with their noodles. They also love having mommy and daddy paying more attention to them then the little ones. Everyone is happy.

When my children were little, an elderly relative wanted us to come visit her in Sun City, AZ. She never married, had no children and was an only child. She thought a great trip would be a lengthy car ride with two kids under the age of 5 to visit the Grand canyon, Lake Meade, etc. At the time, in Sun City, only a couple of the pools were open to children at all - and then only for a limited time during the day.

I think the Morse family has done a great job with the pools and rules. If children were allowed to live in TV, I would support the wading pool idea...but they aren't. Nothing stops grandparents from blowing up an inflatable pool in their yards for the littlest ones.

Also, in addition to the comments on number of toys, etc, rubber duckies, boats, etc can take on water. That means they can provide a lovely place to grow bacteria and then introduce it into a pool.

If folks think the rules are too restrictive, mention them in your survey next year or start a petition... We have a chuckle here that my daughter who has been out in the work world for quite some time as an adult, must go to the family pool as she is only 29!

k

steps are like wading pools
 

the family pools (at least the ones I've been to) have the same wide shallow steps as the adult pools - makes a great area to sit with the truly little ones. I see no need to build separate wading pools.

And really, no one seems to squawk if kids are playing responsibly with a couple of diving or floating toys. I certainly wouldn't complain unless they were annoying someone - and if they are, there's someone at the desk in the rec center to handle it if needed. I'd probably tell the kids to keep them on the other side of the pool from any little ones on the steps, if they seem to be bothered, but that's about it.

It is pretty unreasonable to expect boys above about age 5 to play with a plastic bucket (unless they're throwing it)!

Ohiogirl,

The rules are there for a reason. We really don't get to pick and choose.

Floating and diving toys are not allowed. If boys over 5 need something else to play with - when they have a whole pool to use - then maybe they shouldn't be at the pool.

k

Since someone asked in a previous post, the children had 3 or 4 small floating toys (no larger than a tennis ball) and we were asked to remove them from the pool. As I understand it, there are no toys allowed except for a plastic bucket. I'm all for rules -- they are part of what makes TV a great place to live for everyone. My only point to the original post was that this particular rule didn't make a lot of sense to me. Some have brought up good points that I hadn't originally considered. I surely wouldn't want my grandchildren to annoy anyone else but I do want them to love visiting me here!

They will, regardless if they do or do not have their floating toys in the pool

Absolutely agree!