[Mudder]

During the past few weeks I have visited many family and country club with visiting friends and family. It seems to me there are some inconsistancies from pool to pool. One day it's ok for kids to jump into pools, the next day the monitor says no jumping. I can see no teenagers doing cannon ball jumps but what about a 3 year old jumping into Grandpa's arms? At a country club pool women are allowed to wear a floatbelt around their waist but a two year old was not allowed to wear a swim ring around his waist. I totally get the no throwing of objects in the pool but what about dropping things for little kids to go under and get? One day it was ok, the next day it wasn't. Hard to explain to kids. One country club not allowed to bring a small cooler, next day at another one we saw lots of coolers.
This one takes the cake as far as I'm concerned - three little kids were in the 3 foot deep water, trying to "swim', kicking and splashing having a wonderful time. The mothers were approached and told to keep the kids from splashing because these women were walking in the pool and didn't want to get their hair wet !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hello, you're in a family pool walking in three feet of water and want others to be sure your hair stays dry????? Why come to a family pool to walk, we have sport pools for walking and no little kids there. It is difficult to try to keep kids from splashing in a pool and even harder to dodge people who are walking in the swallow end in a family pool. One couple told us they love to come to family pools to hear and see the sounds of kids having fun ! Wish everyone who goes to family pools felt the same way.
I use the sport pools for lap swimming several times a week, there are usually a few walkers doing their thing in the envirnoment where they should be. It's better and safer for all.
Thanks for listening to my rant for the summer.

[Ohiogirl]

IMO, the rules for family pools need to be relaxed. Family pools everywhere else allow diving for objects, playing with water toys in baby pools (or shallow steps like we have in TV), jumping in, etc. Kids LOVE to dive for things, and there are many items made for that (sinking rings, Spiderman figurine, etc).

If it gets out of hand, certainly a monitor should step up, but the rules need to be relaxed (i.e., changed).

[NJblue]

We live very close to a family pool so it is the most convenient to walk to. I like the atmosphere of kids having a great time while visiting G&G. I think that is what Villages life is all about. I would certainly not be in favor of rules that would inhibit it - unless it was a safety issue - a real one, like running around the pool area, not an imaginary, "might, potentially could happen" variety.

[Badminton]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl

IMO, the rules for family pools need to be relaxed. Family pools everywhere else allow diving for objects, playing with water toys in baby pools (or shallow steps like we have in TV), jumping in, etc. Kids LOVE to dive for things, and there are many items made for that (sinking rings, Spiderman figurine, etc).

If it gets out of hand, certainly a monitor should step up, but the rules need to be relaxed (i.e., changed).

Monitor?
Are all the pools in the Villages staffed with Lifeguards?

[Ohiogirl]

Monitors - depending on the location, appears either the desk person or an alternate person (Villages part-time employees, usually) of the rec center either comes around to check for id's, rules infractions, etc.

Appeared to me during busy times (March and april - typical spring break times) that there might have been an extra employee around. Also - some of the pool entrances are closer to the front door/desk area of the rec center where the family pools are located.

I'm not sure about this - just my observation from using 3 of the family pools on Canal (Bacall, Canal St. and Truman)