London Pools Campaign: ISRM

lazy parenting leaves kids wading

webteam — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 18:13:19 GMT

We too can rant on Mondays.

Twice this weekend in different pools dear reader we have stood on a poolside listening to idle, smug, selfish fathers justifying to pool staff why they were better than anyone else at the pool and need not enjoy playing with or even supervise their young, non-swimming, children.

One was swimming lengths (poorly) off on his own in another part of the pool while his two very young sons were, vainly, trying to attract his attention and get him to play with them and take part in what they were doing. In the end they got out and sat shivering and waiting for him. The other was brazenly arguing with lifeguards that there was no need for him to get off his backside on the poolside and get in the water with his recently rescued child as, 'getting into trouble and out of your depth and sorting it out was how you learned to swim' and, "it's your job to look after them and if you can't do it then get some more staff".

When people are campaigning to make things better for responsible parents taking their children to pools it does no one any good for these ridiculous and selfish attitudes to persist. In view of such behaviour it is not hard to see how blanket admission policies are implemented.

Why is it always men who adopt these attitudes and who think it is acceptable to rely on lifeguards and other families to entertain and even rescue their children. Although, in our experience, it is always men not all dads at pools behave like this ... but a hell of a lot of them do. What these people don't seem to appreciate is that young people love water but they especially love being in it with a person they love and admire and who can teach, inspire and challenge them and make a trip to a pool screamingly good fun. That situation between parent and child does not last long so make the best of it while you can.

Vintage ISRM pool safety poster

webteam — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 20:13:14 GMT

Well we have certainly noticed an increase in 'petting' in pools since this poster was updated!

"The iconic “will patrons kindly refrain from” poster is etched on the memories of generations of swimmers, listing a multitude of offences which the all-powerful lifeguards would clamp down on with a piercing whistle and a pointed finger.
After repeated requests from the public, ISRM is making this vintage poster available for purchase for the first time in almost 20 years. This special edition of the poster is printed A2 (42 x 60 cm) in size on high quality art paper and finished with a gloss UV varnish for added effect.
Priced at just £9.50 inclusive of VAT (+ £3 P&P), this is an opportunity to own a classic symbol of an era which has long passed."

(Via ISRM Publications: .)

ISRM publishes new child admission guidance

webteam — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 18:07:32 GMT

"The Institute of Sport and Recreation Management (ISRM) in the UK has reviewed its guidance on child admission policies, following ongoing concerns from campaign groups on the difficulties of taking children swimming. Speaking at the Power of Sport conference, the ISRM’s acting head of operations, Linda Bishop-Bailey, said that while the fundamentals of the guidelines had not changed, the new document moved away from the concept of a ‘standard pool’.." [LINK]

(Via swimmer.tv ISRM publishes new child admission guidance: .)