Am I Overprotective? Swimming Party...

Nope not to overprotective! You can NEVER be to careful with kids around water! Even strong swimmers can have accidents.

I don't think you're being overprotective at this age. You don't know how many kids, the size/type of pool or how supervision will be.

Call the mom to let her know you want to stay though. If she isn't expecting you it might be awkward for her, which isn't a good way to start a new friendship.

My older daughter was in middle school before I did drop offs for pool parties at private homes. Most parents were grateful for an extra set of eyes.

hm. that's right at the borderline for me. another year or two and i'd be okay with it, but a 7 year old is not quite there. i'd accept the invitation, take a deep breath, and go with him. it IS a good opportunity to meet new people. i know that can be uncomfortable, but for your sake and your son's, plaster on the smile and go. it might just surprise you and be fun!
:) khairete
S.

No, you are not being overprotective and the mom will probably appreciate it.

I had a swim party for my 7 year old this summer, and I really appreciated the parents who stayed to help keep an eye on the kids (it was a public pool with lifeguards, but still). There were only 1 or 2 parents who just dropped off, all the rest stayed without my mentioning it one way or the other on the invitation. Contrast this with the year before, same group of kids but a year younger - the party was at my house and ALL the parents dropped off. So I think most parents are like you, and see a swim party a little differently than a regular birthday party.

Just let the mom know when you RSVP, so that if she's planning food, she can make sure she has enough.

No, you are not being over-protective. Drowning is forever.
Numbers are much lower in pools than the general stats show, but the child of a dear friend of mine drowned in a pool... it happens.

http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/water-safety...

I'd go, especially for a swimming party. Regardless of how strong a swimmer is, it's still a party with a lot of stuff going on. And you'll have the opportunity to meet new people. You may already know at least one person there, so that makes it a little easier. And the secret to mingling is listening and looking interested :) Participate in conversation when it feels comfortable. Otherwise, the old nod/smile/non-committal word works fine unless it's a direct question.

hugs :)

They actually may be happy to have you stay because that's two more eyes to watch the kids in the pool. Call and ask about it.

I always say follow your mom heart and brain. YOU know your child the best.

You could also call and ask the mom if she would like for you to stay and help watch the kids in the pool. Or ask as you drop off your son.

The many moms I know would be happy to have a few parents stay and help keep an eye on a bunch of kids.

And others have it covered. They are so organized and capable, I just naturally feel like they can handle a situation as well or better than me. They have made arraignments to make sure the party will be managed with plenty of helpers.

I would drop off. Too many parents around can have an opposite effect.
I would ask the host. She may have designated a few mothers to watch kids. If too many mothers are there, they most likely would get involved in conversation when they should be watching kids.

You should stay if makes you more comfortable. Having said that, my dd had a swim party in 2nd grade and none of the parents stayed. Not a problem...we had other adults from the family there and my sister got in the pool with the kids, there are also lifeguards. Most of the kids stayed in the shallow water to play with balls, rings, etc.

I would NEVER drop off at a house where I don't know the parents and my child has not been before. Add a pool and I would DEFINATELY stay. A four year old just drowned at a pool party locally and there were lots of kids in the pool and lots of parents standing around. The issue is that people think drowning looks like on TV with lots of arm flailing and screaming for help. 10% of accidental drownings happen within 25 yards or less of people who could have helped. PS: around here I also ask if they have guns in the home and how they are kept. We live in a rural area and many are hunters and all of them so far (luckily) keep the guns in a gun safe and the bullets in a separate location.
http://lifehacker.com/5578943/recognize-the-real-signs-of...

Ooh, this is a hard one, but you know, he's still pretty young, I'd probably stay too (and I almost never stayed past the age of six!)
When it comes to pool parties you just never know.
I am ALWAYS more comfortable if there is a lifeguard there, because that is their job.
But when you have a group of parents, there can be so much chatting (and sometimes drinking) that often MORE is a bad thing, like you said. It's not good when no one is REALLY watching the kids.
Can you ask questions when you RSVP, like how many kids, will it be at their house or swim club, do they mind if you just hang out, etc? Try to be friendly without being all accusing or obnoxious.

When I don't know the people, I am very leary of just leaving...pool party or not. Others have said they'd be ok with a lifeguard there but realistically most aren't hiring a lifeguard. Even if they did, no one is going to watch your child like you would.

I would not leave him at a pool party with people you don't know. Now, if you get there and see there is adequat supervision and are comfortable, that's another story. I always go w/ my mommy instinct.

Nope... I would stay as well. You don't know who will be watching, if they know what to look for and what the depth of the pool is. Will they think to tell the kids where the drop off is to the deep area where they aren't able to stand is...? Will they make sure that no one is diving in the shallow part? People can have the best intentions, but they get used to their own kids knowing the precautions and sometimes get too comfortable with kids in the pool.

My daughter graduated from her swim school and is a very strong swimmer. This summer we were at a swim party and she got tangled in some sort of line when she was under water. I had to pull her out because she couldn't get her arm free and panicked.

My son is also a good swimmer, but a very active kiddo. He doesn't always realize his limits of being too tired and get out when he needs to. I have pulled him out of the water and had him sit for a break when I've seen that he's too tired to be safe in the water.

You aren't over protective.

Are the parents actually invited? My son was invited to a pool party at about age six and I was just about thrown out. It was at a park district water park. I left for maybe twenty minutes then hung around anyway. Hmm, that probably tells you how I feel about it. I always figured one day I'd drop them off, too. In the meantime didn't you have something else to do that day? But seriously if you are invited just go and smile a lot.

I think its very smart of you, but you may want to psych yourself up for making a lot of small talk and have some conversation rehearsals to practice, I have found myself in some very akward situations when I planned to stay and others didn't and I ended up talking to someone's grandma for 2 hrs or sitting awkwardly. n ot saying you shouldn't stay but just wanting to be prepared for what you might find.

I would go in and meet the parents and then decide at that point if I felt I needed to stay or if I should go.

I don't drop my kids off at parties. I don't know anyone that does this actually. I can't imagine doing that to be truthful. Their my responsibility not theirs.

If people truly get pissed off when someone else tells "their" kid to do or to not do something then how in the world do they allow them to go to another person's home without staying with them....I hear that all the time..."no one better tell my kid what to do" but then they're the first ones to drop their kids off anywhere. Their kids are usually the ones that are terrors too.

I always expect the parents to stay, I've only had one time when the parent of a child didn't stay at a birthday party. It was awkward because that child felt all alone. Every other parent was there.

No! You're not being over-protective! What I usually did in these situations, was go in when I drop off my child, find the parent(s) and talk to them about what will be going on. THEN, depending on his/her answers, choose your plan of action!! Trust your gut!! If you feel the children won't be watched well enough, stick around. If you're comfortable that they take pool safety very seriously, and they'll be watched, then I would leave. If I saw ANY hint of alcohol, my child would be leaving with me!!

Additionally, if I did leave, I usually came back a little early to watch the party. But then, I love to see my kids having fun so that was always my excuse.

Good luck!!

I would've have stayed too. You didn't know the parents or other kids attending. accidents happen.Kids get crazy and some parents do no watch the kids or control situations.
Glad it was a success!!!

Oh I would be staying with my child! Not in the water with him, but lounging poolside for sure! I don't think that is being overprotective at all!
A.

I would stay for a swim party and watch my child. Any age. Even 10, etc.

A regular party I'd drop-off at age 5, even if I don't know them.

We went to a pool party and nobody was watching a toddler sib, and lifeguard pulled him put.

for swimming party, unless they have hired a life guard, you stay. If anything you stay for a bit to see how things are going and IF you feel comfortable you leave. For swimming you only leave at the age you feel comfortable leaving. Play would you rather in this situation with yourself and find what you are ok with.

I think it would be more odd not to stay at a swim party!