eddie007

Would you expect parents of non swimming 10 years olds to at least WARN the adults of the house they send them round to in their bathers with their towels that their darlings cant swim????

Rather than find out by osmosis...

Ok... So we ALWAYS have an adult out there when we have visiting kids...

Ours may be strong swimmers.. Others arent, and accidents happen... They are children and need supervision....

But this is the first ozzie kid I've met that not only doesnt swim, but also doesnt understand basic wat safety!!! Not going out of depth if you cant swim, finding out which is the deep end before going in??? Not running... Not jumping in without KNOWing you can touch the bottom????

So I'm goung to pretend to read a book on the sun lounger whilst keeping an eagle eye on them....

artep

Jeez really? You'd think any parent with half a brain would at least ensure their kid had basic water safety awareness like you said...but tbh I find it hard to imagine this day & age that parents wouldn't teach or have someone else teach their child to swim

...and to send them round to yours with their bathers & NOT tell you they can't swim??? WTF? I'd be having a few words when they pick their little darlings up

eddie007

When they pick them up??? LOL... Rocked up this morning at 10... Have just left... Mumbles is walking them home...

How come I'm the LAST person to find out we're baby sitting for the day??

And in future, if mumbles asks his friends round they HAVE to know... They touch my quilting stuff/sewing machines and they are liable to DIE

Think these particular ones are aware of this now....

Pennines49

Throw him in the deep end, make him swim ..lololol

eddie007

He jumped in the deep end mate... Mumbles dived in and dragged him to the side, before I even got through the gate....

Gibbo

Why didn't you send him straight home? Remember that happened to me years ago. Son number 3 came in with one of his mates, they were around 9 and could swim. The mate had brought along 3 much younger siblings with him. I asked if his mother was coming to look after them- ofcourse the reply was no. I sent him home with the message that she was welcome to come over and supervise the littlies otherwise they could not stay as I was not prepare to accept the responsibility.

eddie007

Suppose if mumbles found it easy making friends I might have.. But in truth he doesnt.. And TBH it wasnt a hardship really... Sitting on a sun lounger next to the pool for most of the day

And this was a kid only a year younger than him.... So it wasnt a case of supervising littlies...

Just a shock that a 10 year old australian couldnt swim... And I found out only AFTER he had got into the pool....

I dont believe he'll ever NOT tell people he doesnt swim yet (please note.. i use the phrase doesnt swim yet, not.. Cant swim... Dont want the kid thinking its something he wont be able to do)... You know how scared adults get a bit shouty and assertive when they're scared... ??? He did well to get back in to the pool after I'd finished about how he could have drowned...

They ended up having a lot of fun even if he was confined to "in his depth." Made it easier for him by marking out a line he wasnt allowed past... Told him we'd move the line for him either when he grows taller or learns to swim.. Andnthat when he DOES learn to swim we'll bake a cake to celebrate...

Mum has been in touch.. and is booking in for lessons... I've said The kid is welcome anytime so long as he knows the pool rules... NO ADULT NO SWIMMING... And to always let the person in charge know ....

She also knows about the cake when he's swimming!!!

Dorothy

I like this. Thankfully our kids are teens now and it's not cool to bring their friends around to our place, but it's a really great response.

commonwealth

swimming is a basic Australian skill unless you're of Asian descent.

Lorna at Vicenza

Do kids in Australia get swimming lessons with school?

Despite the fact that Italy is pretty much surrounded by sea, has dozens of lakes, pools and big open-air summer pools, loads of kids and adults here cannot swim.
There are no lessons through school so the onus is on the parents to teach their kids or pay for rather expensive lessons at the local pool.

eddie007

Yes... Certainly at the school he is at..... And lessons at the local outdoor pool are a lot cheaper than the cost of just one trip from here to Princess Margaret Hospital to visit your child in intensive care....

Gibbo

You're lucky! When my boys were in their teens we had hordes of teen age boys here all the time. Used to cost me a fortune in food! Must admit tho' I enjoyed having them.

eddie007

I love having the kids mates round.. Almost without exception they are lovely kids... Not afraid to chat to you, but not gobby....

An empty fridge is the price you pay for having teenagers...

An empty Beer fridge would, however, be an entirely different matter