Swimming Pool: To Join or Not to Join
Susan Martucci
Hi,
This is my first post to this group. I am a mom with two wonderful
girls - Jennifer (almost 6) and Katherine (4). I have some questions
concerning whether or not to join a community swim club for the summer.
In our community the swimming pools are all private community clubs with
an annual fee for the summer (~$200). In addition to the annual fee,
there is a one time initiation fee of $100. The swimming clubs are open
to the members from about 11 am until 10 pm each day.
We are not sure how often we would go to the pool. The girls love to be
in the water and I would like the opportunity to sign up for swimming
lessons. However, this seems like a very expensive activity unless we
go to the pool 3 or more times each week for the entire summer. The
questions we are having that will affect our decision include:
Do the kids get tired of going to the pool by the end of the summer?
Is the activity worth the price?
How often does one visit the swimming pool?
What are some fun things to do at the pool?
Any feedback or opinions you have concerning this situation would be
appreciated. My email address is jkd...@unix.adept.net. Thanks
Susan
mom to Jennifer and Katherine
TLBCLB
As a psychologist who works with troubled youth I have several comments
that might be of interest to you:
When teens do get into trouble - counseling doesn't really help. As a
result I started an aquatics-based activity program.
I have found that youth who get into aqutics-based sports seem to do
better in a variety of avreas because they have an activity that they can
stay involved in for the rest of their life.
Teens who get into United States Swimming sponsored Age Group Swimming
Programs develop life long friendships and a vehicle for expanding and
enhancing self esteem.
From what I have seen, I don't think that you can pay enough to pay for
the benefits of getting your children involved in an aquatics program at
an early age.
I have an article on the "Needs of Youth" at my website
(http://www.ditell.com/~aspen) that might help you with your decision.
..
Dr. Lee Burnham
Rocky Mountain Center for Human Development
Dedicated to creating material to help parents meet the developmental
needs of children
TLB...@AOL.COM
A Test of the Home Learning Climate available at (fam...@infoback.com)
A description of Parent's Resource book (TOO...@pwgroup.com)
Free Material for Parents at Web Site: http://www.ditell.com/~aspen
Free Web Page at: http://w3.servint.com/cognigen/f/fci.cgi?bu9542867.html
Unknown
Hi Susan,
When I was a child, I loved the local pool. My sisters and
friends and I went just about every chance we got. I took
swimming lessons and eventually gave them. I also joined the
swim team. My sisters, firends and I never got tired of the
pool. Join!!!
==========Susan Martucci, 4/26/96==========
Deborah Conrad
Susan Martucci wrote:
(Hi, Susan . . . welcome to the group!)
>Do the kids get tired of going to the pool by the end of the summer?
Depends . . . do their friends belong to the same pool? What else is
there to do in your area? My son loved the pool when he was your kids'
ages. (Another question is whether *you* will enjoy the pool enough to
take them every day :-)
>
> Is the activity worth the price?
$300 is a *lot* to me, but it depends on your budget. What else
could you do with the $300 besides buy a kiddie pool and let the
kids splash; then spend the other $275 on other activities?
However, if swimming lessons are included in the fee, it may be
worth it. I'm constantly amazed at how many children *don't*
know how to swim . . . an essential life skill IMHO.
>
> How often does one visit the swimming pool?
> When Shane was small and taking swimming lessons, we swam at
least 4 or 5 times a week. As he grew older, the charm of a
"cement pond" waned and now we grab some of his friends and
head out to a lake or river (swimming and fishing share equal
time)
> What are some fun things to do at the pool?Shane loved to have me push him on his float tube. Picture a
mother gently pushing her child to and fro, singing "Motorboat,
Motorboat, go so slow . . . (picking up speed) Motorboat, Motorboat,
go so fast . . . (pushing off from the wall) Motorboat, Motorboat,
STEP ON THE GAS!!!" Bring pennies for diving, beach balls for
water volleyball, race each other from one end of the pool to
another . . . we built some very good memories of lazy days by the
pool.
Have a great summer
Deb Conrad
con...@bus.orst.edu
(can't wait until the pool opens and it stops raining
long enough to swim . . . this *is* Oregon)
Greig Greenwald
>In our community the swimming pools are all private community clubs with
>an annual fee for the summer (~$200). In addition to the annual fee,
>there is a one time initiation fee of $100. The swimming clubs are open
>to the members from about 11 am until 10 pm each day.
We are members of our local YMCA. There is work-out equipment, but we joined
mainly for the pool. We paid a one-time $100 fee and now pay $48 a month
year-round. Given that, $200 for the summer sounds about right. I agree, it
is more expensive than I think it ought to be.
>Do the kids get tired of going to the pool by the end of the summer?
I am sure every kid is different. My 4 year old daughter loves the water. Our
YMCA has both an indoor and an outdoor pool, so we swim year-round. She never
gets tired of it. In the winter we go about once a week. In the summer we can
easily go three times a week. Often we will bring a picnic dinner with us. In
the summer we often bicycle to the pool, since it is only 1 mile away.
>Is the activity worth the price?
It is pricey, but it is indispensible for our family.
>How often does one visit the swimming pool?
>
>What are some fun things to do at the pool?
Our pool as just started allowing "noodles" in the pool. These are long foam
pieces which can be great fun to ride on.
>Any feedback or opinions you have concerning this situation would be
>appreciated.
It is best if your kids friends also join the pool. They can play for hours
together in the water. When we bring dinner, we usually swim, then eat, and
then swim again. And if other families are there that we know, we will combine
our food and have a big pot luck.
--
Regards,
Greig
Ruth m. Karras
Deborah Conrad (con...@bus.orst.edu) wrote:
: Susan Martucci wrote:
: > Is the activity worth the price?
: $300 is a *lot* to me, but it depends on your budget. What else
: could you do with the $300 besides buy a kiddie pool and let the
: kids splash; then spend the other $275 on other activities?
well, compared to pools in this area, $300 sounds incredibly cheap to
me. I'd join in two seconds. My kids love hte pool and we go every nice
day, and it's a half-hour from our house. If yours is closer, I think
they'll enjoy it even more.
--
Ruth Karras
rka...@nimbus.ocis.temple.edu
pwg...@erinet.com
I think this depends on your lifestyle. If the parent(s) enjoy the
pool and it's convenient and fun - it is great. I live in the suburbs
of Dayton, Ohio and $300 is reasonable.
Personally, I love the social aspect of our pool. I have pool friends
and I really look forward to going each year. I realize there are
pay-as-you go pools, but I'm not just going to swim - my pool is in my
community and it is private but not exclusive. You could factor what
you would spend if you went ten times or something and then compare,
but it's not accurate. When you have a membership, you go when you
have less time because you don't feel pressured to make a day of it. A
private pool is a lot more personal, too. If your friends are
neighbors are there, you have a lot more fun that a shifting group of
strangers.
I say go for it!
Martha (mhg...@aol.com)
>--
>Ruth Karras
>rka...@nimbus.ocis.temple.edu
Alison D.
pwg...@erinet.com wrote:
> I think this depends on your lifestyle. If the parent(s) enjoy the
> pool and it's convenient and fun - it is great. I live in the suburbs
> of Dayton, Ohio and $300 is reasonable.
Wow...is this a normal price for most people? I'm just outside of
Austin, TX, and our local pool is free for neighborhood association
members, or $12/year for non-residents! And within Austin, many of the
city pools are always free. (Must be another reason Austin just made
Child magazine's list of top 10 cities to raise kids!)
--Alison D.