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Am I being overprotective (aqua socks)?


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Last Friday I went with some friends to a hotel for lunch and swimming afterwards at the hotel pool.

 

I usually put "water shoes" on ds. For reference only:

http://www.amazon.com/Aquatik-Kids-Baby-Toddlers-Water-Shoes/dp/B004PKMX7Y/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1332157653&sr=8-24

 

DS tends to run everywhere (he is famous for falling down every time he runs because he gets so excited he forgets to watch where he is going) and the slippery tiles around the pool make me nervous. However I noticed none of the other children were wearing water shoes. Suddenly I felt I was being overprotective. What do you think?

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Last Friday I went with some friends to a hotel for lunch and swimming afterwards at the hotel pool.

 

I usually put "water shoes" on ds. For reference only:

http://www.amazon.com/Aquatik-Kids-Baby-Toddlers-Water-Shoes/dp/B004PKMX7Y/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1332157653&sr=8-24

 

DS tends to run everywhere (he is famous for falling down every time he runs because he gets so excited he forgets to watch where he is going) and the slippery tiles around the pool make me nervous. However I noticed none of the other children were wearing water shoes. Suddenly I felt I was being overprotective. What do you think?

I've never had my children wear water socks at the pool. Did he fall down? He shouldn't be running around a pool at any rate. I would probably work on that as a 5 year old should be able to have self control in this area if you work with him.

 

However, there is nothing wrong with having him wear water socks and I don't think it will effect him one way or the other. If it makes you relax, go ahead and have him wear them. If he complains, make not wearing them contingent on him not running around the pool.

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At the pool? PP is right--no running. I'd be sure to set that up before, with a consequence, as in, "No running at the pool. You need to walk. If you run, you sit for 5 minutes." Or whatever works for you and your family. Hold his hand if you need to.

 

As far as being overprotective, IDK--usually I see water shoes on kids who swim in the ocean or in a lake, where the bottom is stoney or uneven, not in a nice, smooth pool. But ymmv.

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At the pool? PP is right--no running. I'd be sure to set that up before, with a consequence, as in, "No running at the pool. You need to walk. If you run, you sit for 5 minutes." Or whatever works for you and your family. Hold his hand if you need to.

 

As far as being overprotective, IDK--usually I see water shoes on kids who swim in the ocean or in a lake, where the bottom is stoney or uneven, not in a nice, smooth pool. But ymmv.

 

 

:iagree:My kids used those as babies in the lake or something never at the pool. Running should be addressed in a BIG way that can cause some major issues. What if he runs and knocks over a toddler or something? If he can't walk he can't get up. I have had to leave pools when my children were little because parents letting their kids run.

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What do you think?

 

Just because you're a safe driver doesn't mean you'll never get in an accident.

 

I don't think you are being overprotective. Your ds is 5! My answer might be different if he was twice that age.

 

My ds wore water socks was to prevent his toes from being eaten up by the sides of the pool. He loved to "walk" around the sides of the pool, and his toes would get bloody.

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While I see nothing wrong with water shoes, you really must teach him not to run by a pool.

 

Do you want him to wear the shoes only because he runs, or do you want him to wear them anyway? If it's the former, then I'd have a rule something like 'You will have to put the shoes on if I see you run even one time. And if you run again with the shoes on, you'll have to sit for 5 minutes. If you run a third time, you will be done at the pool'. If you want him to wear the shoes regardless, I'd do something like 'We wear these shoes so we don't slip at the pool. Now, if your run, the first time is a 5 minute time out, the second time is a 10 minute time out, and if you do it a third time, you're done at the pool'. Either way, there'd be a short discussion like I'd ask ds to tell me why he shouldn't run by the pool, I'd explain that the pool has a 'no running' rule, etc. And then I'd fully expect him to run at least one time, LOL. While he was in his five mintue time out, I'd go over why we don't run again, as well as remind him what the consequence is if he runs again. You get the idea.

 

I realize the 'three strikes and you're out' approach is not for everyone. I tend to use it when there's new-to-us situations where I want to teach my boys to obey; like in the situation where we are implementing a new rule. I think it's because as a child, I was often disciplined harshly for something I did 'wrong', without any warning (and frequently without me even having a CLUE that what I did was forbidden). I want my children to see me extend them grace and mercy, while at the same time understanding that Mommy means business, LOL, and they'd better obey. I do not use this approach when they've broken a long-standing rule, however. Like if they decided today to start jumping off the top bunk of their bed, they'd earn themselves an immediate unhappy consequence, since there is no doubt in my mind that they both have a firm understanding of that rule.

 

HTH.

 

ETA: Oh good grief, I went off on a tangent there, didn't I! I didn't even answer your question! No, I don't think you're being overprotective. You are well withing normal; it's not like you're making him float on the pool in a plastic bubble, LOL. While many of us here wouldn't necessarily see a need for water shoes at the pool, you know your son best, and you should do what you find reasonable to keep him safe.

 

And honestly, I'm now kinda thinkin' perhaps Moose should wear his water shoes when we go to a pool. We bought them last fall when we went to Florida to protect against rocks and such, but I can see how they'd be good for him at the pool. He's my clumsy child; takes after his mommy.

Edited by bethanyniez
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We wear aqua socks at rocky/crunchy beaches (or, those with a lot of sea life along the ocean floor) and at rivers/lakes. We don't wear them at pools.

 

I do understand about children getting excited and slipping, though. I have to constantly remind DD. Usually, it doesn't make a real impact until after she's already done it a couple of times. :tongue_smilie:

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I never thought of using them at the pool. Wouldn't that make it harder to swim? And what if the shoe falls off in the pool - who's going down after it?

 

And I agree about no running at the pool. Your son could inspire others to run and someone could get badly hurt.

 

I bought my kids water shoes to walk in streams and such. We have only used them once so far. They did not like them. :glare: They felt awkward in them and may have been less safe overall. Not sure yet whether it was a mistake to buy them.

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I realize this is totally not the point of the post but I was :confused: when you said you went to a local hotel for lunch and swim. Do hotels normally allow that? I have always thought he pool was for registered guests only? At least that is the policy at the hotels where my husband has worked.

 

As far as the aqua socks, I would think it a bit much for a pool but not over the top odd, but I agree that the bigger issue is teaching your DS not to run.

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I don't use them. I teach them never ever to run near a pool though. It is too easy to fall and wack your head. ANd if you have a head injury and fall into the pool yikes. I would use water shoes to prevent foot infections like warts etc if I used them, not as a safety item while he runs on teh pool deck

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I bought water shoes for my first child. She wore them for swimming for about 3 years. I bought them for my second child. He wore them for about 1 year. Then when I had my third child and the olders were 4yo and 2yo, no one wore water shoes again.

 

Would they be helpful? Sure. Are they necessary? Definitely not. Are they one more thing for me to think about, purchase, and store? Yes!

 

My kids wear sandals when they go in streams or lakes.

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My children and I go swimming at the YMCA every Monday evening, and when they are not swimming, I have them put on flip flops. I mainly make them wear them for sanitary reasons, I can't stand the thought of them getting out to go to the bathroom with no shoes on a dirty floor. The floor is slippery even when your walking so any kind of tread on the bottom of some shoes might be a good idea.

 

In the summer we often visit waterparks, and we try to keep our sandals handy then too, but not so much for just right around the pool.

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I realize this is totally not the point of the post but I was :confused: when you said you went to a local hotel for lunch and swim. Do hotels normally allow that? I have always thought he pool was for registered guests only? At least that is the policy at the hotels where my husband has worked.

 

 

Hotels around here let you come and swim for an entrance fee. I think it is around $3/person.

 

DS tends to run everywhere (he is famous for falling down every time he runs because he gets so excited he forgets to watch where he is going) and the slippery tiles around the pool make me nervous. However I noticed none of the other children were wearing water shoes. Suddenly I felt I was being overprotective. What do you think?

 

I think water socks at a hotel pool is fine. Most outdoor pools around here won't let you wear aqua socks. I like the kids to wear them to the beach.

 

Kelly

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Personally I've always thought those things a bit odd. But if you have legitimate reasons for having your kiddo wear them then go for it.

 

PS. Every public pool I've ever been to has a no running rule. Maybe the running needs to be addressed.

 

:iagree: I'm with the others in that the real issue here is the running. Even with the water socks the lifeguards at our old pool would have been all over him. I think you need to work on following pool safety rules.

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I wouldn't think you were odd about wearing the water shoes but I would probably assume you were doing it out of concern for getting warts instead of running. I wouldn't do it because I think it would hamper swimming though.

 

Hotels around here let you come and swim for an entrance fee. I think it is around $3/person.

 

 

I'm going to look into that because that would be such a fun surprise for Little Librarian. She loves to swim but seeing as how we are north of the Mason-Dixon line we don't get to do much of that except in the summer.

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I'm going to look into that because that would be such a fun surprise for Little Librarian. She loves to swim but seeing as how we are north of the Mason-Dixon line we don't get to do much of that except in the summer.

 

Do you have a YMCA or a rec center near you? We have a bunch of indoor pools around us.

 

Tara

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Just because you're a safe driver doesn't mean you'll never get in an accident.

 

I don't think you are being overprotective. Your ds is 5! My answer might be different if he was twice that age.

 

My ds wore water socks was to prevent his toes from being eaten up by the sides of the pool. He loved to "walk" around the sides of the pool, and his toes would get bloody.

I didn't even think about this!

 

I realize this is totally not the point of the post but I was :confused: when you said you went to a local hotel for lunch and swim. Do hotels normally allow that? I have always thought he pool was for registered guests only? At least that is the policy at the hotels where my husband has worked.

I forgot to say we go to Friday brunch. We pay £26 for a buffet and use of the pool.

 

I bought water shoes for my first child. She wore them for swimming for about 3 years. I bought them for my second child. He wore them for about 1 year. Then when I had my third child and the olders were 4yo and 2yo, no one wore water shoes again.

 

Would they be helpful? Sure. Are they necessary? Definitely not. Are they one more thing for me to think about, purchase, and store? Yes!

 

My kids wear sandals when they go in streams or lakes.

I get your point. Yes ds is an only child -I imagine if I had more I would learn to relax a bit.

 

:iagree: I'm with the others in that the real issue here is the running. Even with the water socks the lifeguards at our old pool would have been all over him. I think you need to work on following pool safety rules.
Sorry, I should have said ds doesn't run around the pool- well he hasn't yet. But as he runs everywhere else...especially if he sees someone else doing it he will give chase (maybe he was a cat in another life, IDK).

 

Yes. I completely understand about teaching not to run.He has been afraid of water of his life and he is just now getting comfortable in the water. But yes, I need to teach him about NOT running.

Edited by desertmum
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DS (now 2) and I both wore them at our local outdoor pool last summer. We live in the desert so the cement gets really hot, even with wet feet. I skipped them one time and regretted it! I also have a tendency to stub or scrape my toes at the pool, so I wear them for that reason as well. They also give us better traction in the tiled "6 and under" pool and bathroom. I don't know if I would require them once DS has an opinion, but for now I think they're a good idea for us.

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Do you have a YMCA or a rec center near you? We have a bunch of indoor pools around us.

 

Tara

 

Yes, but they are very expensive - about $15 a person. They're awesome because they have the big slides and splash areas but out of the buget.

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My kids wore water shoes to the splash pad play areas at parks and one of the public pools when they were little (before they really knew how to swim). I'm not even sure we have any that fit anymore.

I would require them only in situations where they will be walking around on hot pavement, rocky areas, or places that the ground just doesn't seem that great for bare feet. I would generally leave it up to them about wearing them at a pool.

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If he doesn't mind them, then I wouldn't even worry about it.

 

He's 5. You can tell him not to run, but he'll forget a lot of times, and if he's going to slip and fall in the time it takes you to remind him not to run, then the socks might be just the thing for now.

(ETA: I hope that comes across clearly. I see that what I wrote could be read with a snarky tone, but I assure you it was not written with one!)

 

If it works for you and for him, then who cares what anyone else is doing?

Edited by LeslieAnneLevine
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My kids only wear water shoes when they're swimming in a pond, but I see other kids wearing them at the pool occasionally and wouldn't think of it as being overprotective.

 

My 6 year old has run on the pooldeck a few times and ended up on his butt. Kids fall, and I wouldn't worry more about him falling on the pool deck, especially if you're around.

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I don't see anything wrong with the water shoes/socks at a pool, especially one you're unfamiliar with. I'd be most concerned with rough/sharp tiles, and would wear the water shoes for that reason. Our YMCA has nice pools, but in the warm water pool, the steps have small tiles and I cut my foot on the edge of one. I was just hanging out in the water with my feet drifting around on the bottom step.

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seems a tad bt overprotecive, but he has to learnto WALK.

 

We only use the water shoes at a lake or creek, where there might be issues with rocks or glass.

Y'know, the way saltwater sandals used to be worn... :-) Miss those pretty white shoes... and I think they smelled better.

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I don't think you're being overprotective. My boys asked to wear their water shoes to swimming lessons last year, but it turned out they didn't allow them. :tongue_smilie: And getting them on wet feet is a nightmare (after the lesson), so we never did THAT again! :) But they wear them when we go to water parks, GWL, etc.

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If he doesn't mind them, then I wouldn't even worry about it.

 

He's 5. You can tell him not to run, but he'll forget a lot of times, and if he's going to slip and fall in the time it takes you to remind him not to run, then the socks might be just the thing for now.

(ETA: I hope that comes across clearly. I see that what I wrote could be read with a snarky tone, but I assure you it was not written with one!)

 

If it works for you and for him, then who cares what anyone else is doing?

DS doesn't have an opinion yet. And no,I didn't detect an 'snarky' tones in your post. :)

 

My kids only wear water shoes when they're swimming in a pond, but I see other kids wearing them at the pool occasionally and wouldn't think of it as being overprotective.

 

My 6 year old has run on the pooldeck a few times and ended up on his butt. Kids fall, and I wouldn't worry more about him falling on the pool deck, especially if you're around.

 

I know, I know. I've registered ds for a full week of swimming lessons. I am hoping he will be more confident around water, and also learn tiles are slippery.:tongue_smilie:

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