If the sign says no one under 16... (vent)

[SJ.]

The gym our family goes to has an indoor/outdoor hot tub that has the following rules - no children under age six, children under age 13 must be directly supervised by an adult, no horseplay. Each of these rules are broken just about every time I am there. It is surprising to me the adults who argue with the life guards and act extremely irritated when they are told to follow the rules. What type of message does that send to your children, rules apply to everyone but you? If you have a problem with the rules of an establishment it is best to take your concerns to management but most likely there is a reason for the rules they have in place.

 

Our pools also have a five minute safety check on the hour and it is not due to not having enough lifeguards, trust me they have plenty! I think it is a good policy, it gives a chance for children to check in with their parents, reapply sunscreen, drink water, etc.

[PachiSusan]

Our pools also have a five minute safety check on the hour and it is not due to not having enough lifeguards, trust me they have plenty! I think it is a good policy, it gives a chance for children to check in with their parents, reapply sunscreen, drink water, etc.

 

I agree. The first time I saw it, I didn't like it. Then I started thinking deeper about it and realized that it's a good thing. So many kids get burned so badly when the sunscreen isn't reapplied. It makes them take a break, get a drink, and reset. LOVE IT NOW!

[bolt.]

For us, your "swimming weather" would occur about 4 days per calendar year... Climate matters in lots of interesting ways, eh? This has been a really interesting case study.

 

Do places that warm even have hot tubs? If so, how do people stand them, and what is their percieved value (purely for muscles, so you put up with sweating and feeling boiled alive?)

[PachiSusan]

For us, your "swimming weather" would occur about 4 days per calendar year... Climate matters in lots of interesting ways, eh? This has been a really interesting case study.

 

Do places that warm even have hot tubs? If so, how do people stand them, and what is their percieved value (purely for muscles, so you put up with sweating and feeling boiled alive?)

 

I lived in California my whole life, and Las Vegas the past 6 months. In hot weather places, hot tubs are for socializing, relaxing, partying, and therapeutic. They are rarely for "warming up". Kids like to play in them and parents let them because they are smaller and shallower and I think perceived as "safer".

 

I also have to say on a personal note, I have never liked sitting in a hot tub and baking like a lobster. I hate being hot and I detest sharing a warm soup of bacteria with others I dont' know.

[PeacefulChaos]

I lived in California my whole life, and Las Vegas the past 6 months. In hot weather places, hot tubs are for socializing, relaxing, partying, and therapeutic. They are rarely for "warming up". Kids like to play in them and parents let them because they are smaller and shallower and I think perceived as "safer".

 

I also have to say on a personal note, I have never liked sitting in a hot tub and baking like a lobster. I hate being hot and I detest sharing a warm soup of bacteria with others I dont' know.

:iagree:

I've lived in the midwest and coastal Atlantic regions - we don't use them for warming up, either. I personally don't use them. I guess I did when we were at GWL last time because my back was hurting, but aside from that I can't remember the last time I got into a hot tub. Just not my cuppa, as, like the PP, I'm not really a fan of just sitting in the hot tub. :p

The reason I love summer is because I LOVE to swim and be in the water. But I don't love the idea of hot water on a hot summer day. :) That's one of the best parts of it - on a hot day, you can get in the pool and either stay in it or get out after awhile and still not get hot again for a bit. Sigh... one of the best feelings EVER, cooling off in and out of the water on a hot day! :)

[Garga]

I jumped from post 51 to here. Did anyone ever get around to defining what a "hot tub" is?

 

The only hot tubs I've seen at public pools have been the ones in hotels. They are HOT. I can handle them for about 5 minutes and my skin is red and I feel like I can't breathe from the heat. You can fit maybe 8 adults around the sides.

 

It sounds like the people bemused by this thread have some sort of lovely warm pool next to the regular swimming pools. They sound like they're not HOT, but are warm. I would love, love, love something like that! And of course, kids could be in those.

 

But a genuine hot tub would be dangerous to small children. I feel that they're dangerous to me! The temperature is extreme.

[RemsMom]

Most of the time when I have encountered a hot tub the water is not very hot (this is at hotels). DD11 likes to go in and she is never beet red when she emerges.

 

I do have the rule that hot tubs are only for sitting, not for swimming and her face and head must be above the water at all times. I have read too many horror stories of children drowning in hot tubs because their hair got caught in the filter.

[LaughingCat]

I consider a warming dip before moving to a cold change room to be a lovely shiver-stopper that helps my children enjoy the whole swim experience more. You might consider trying it (provided the rules of your facility allow it).

 

Around here the lovely shiver stopper would be called "a hot shower" - and it has secondary benefit in that it washes all the chemicals off the skin too.

[Aelwydd]

 

 

I don't see why this is two issues. Why else would someone mind if people followed the stated rule of no kids in hot tubs, unless they prefer no kids in the hot tubs they're using? I have argued for hot tubs free of kids in this thread, doesn't mean I think it should ALWAYS be that way or that it's terrible to have kids in hot tubs. Just that if you choose a pool that has an adults only area, that should be respected.

 

 

Well, since I mentioned that all the pools around here that have hot tubs, and the ones in the hotels we've visited that have hot tubs, did not have any age-related rule, the responses have not been--"Oh, that's ok then, you haven't broken any rules." The posts have all fixated on whether children should be in the hot tub for health related reasons, or are busy disputing whether personal comfort is a valid reason for kids to participate.

 

In short, it doesn't seem like it's about the particular rule being broken in OP's case, as a general consensus that children shouldn't be allowed into hot tubs. I see the two as separate issues because I can agree with the OP that the rule should not be violated; but I disagree with the second premise as a general rule.

 

FTR, I like going from the cooler pool to the hot tub and back again for two reasons: the contrast in temperatures is enjoyable and even sensuous; the second reason is that going from hot to cold and back again induces a higher metabolic rate so I burn more calories. My son likes going back and forth because he just likes the contrast.

 

I live in a state that gets very hot in summer. The pools around here that have hot tubs are usually either in recreation centers or apartment communities. I don't worry too much about 10 minutes of 104 degree heat in a hot tub when the day temperatures can go to 110. In another two weeks, our community outdoor pool is going to average temps of 90 degree or warmer. Heck, the first 5 minutes after getting into your hot car until the A/C kicks in is deadlier, IMO. Temps inside a car can and do reach 120 degrees and above.

 

We also have a sauna in our clubhouse. Believe or not, there are no rules excluding children from that either, and I consider that a far greater health risk than a hot tub--especially and outdoor hot tub.

 

My point is, if the argument is about observing the rules of a given establishment--I agree, and I instruct my child to heed them. When we are in a public park, we do not bring or sneak in alcohol. When we walk our dog, we make sure to pick up his poop and we always keep him on a leash. In the 18+ years I've been driving, I have never received even ONE ticket for speeding, running a red light, etc. The point is, I don't make a habit of flouting rules, and I don't model that kind of behavior for ds.

 

However, I'm not going to agree with others that it is "best" or "preferable" for my ds not to enjoy the occasional respite in a hot tub, when he's not breaking any rules, just because it is their personal preference. If that's what they like, that's fine. But I don't feel I should need to defend ds' very good behavior and participation in a hot tub. Who cares why he likes to go from a cold pool to a hot tub? He likes it, and he's not disobeying the rules, and he's not kicking, splashing, or acting anything but relaxed and calm when he does go in.