Water Safety

[sunnydays]

I think if it is an above ground pool that is high enough for them not to be able to climb into and you have a ladder that you can remove during the day, then you will be okay. The only concern then is that you are 100% sure that the ladder has been removed each time you take the kids out to play.

I could fence it off, but I don't see the need. Perhaps we will, but I can't imagine a scenario where I would leave toddlers alone in a yard with a pool. The door is also equipped with an alarm so that it rings when opened. Enlighten me, please.

I have three toddler life jackets. I will supply these.

[Sandbox Sally]

The pool will be on the side of my house. We will be playing in the back of my house. I am still unsure on how the children will run over to the pool on their toddler legs without me seeing them. Then again, I'm sure it'd only cost about $100 bucks to stick a fence up. Shrug.

[Bookworm]

I actually have a small above ground pool in my backyard. The only access to it is from my deck and it is gated off. The gate also has a padlock. My dck's are not allowed on my deck unless they are with me walking up the steps to the backdoor. Since I have two small children of my own (who are not allowed on the deck without me either), I have no worries about any child getting into my pool. I am super diligent when I'm outside with the kids, and no one is allowed to go off on their own at any time. I also have no toys near the pool so that climbing into any other way is not even possible. I just teach the kids that the deck is off limits, unless we are entering and exiting the house, and then I'm with them.

[Inspired by Reggio]

I am putting up a 12 ft by 3 ft pool in my yard this summer. I guess the key with that one is no kids under 6 without a life jacket!!! It is going over by my side yard, so it will be out of sight unless you walk around the house. Strangely, I do not feel afraid of having this with the daycare kids. They will either not be allowed near it, or they will have approved floatation devices on.

Make sure you inform your insurance carrier of this and that your home childcare ryder specifically indicates that your property where you operate your business has a pool on it ... some insurance companies will not offer a home childcare ryder if the property has a pool, trampoline or fire pit and others will offer it but your premium will go up due to the increased 'risk' perceived with these backyard items ... if you do not notify your insurance carrier and something happens you could find your policy 'void' as a result

I would also check with your new neighborhoods 'bylaws' around backyard pools - many bylaws require pools that cannot be emptied daily to have a fence and locking gate around them?

[Sandbox Sally]

I would also check with your new neighborhoods 'bylaws' around backyard pools - many bylaws require pools that cannot be emptied daily to have a fence and locking gate around them?

I have. They are allowed. To be clear, our back yard is fenced and has a lock on the gate.

[playfelt]

Since the drowing here in Orleans a couple years back most licensed agencies have banned homes with pools and many won't even allow a kiddie size pool in their homes. Not sure what the insurance industry view is in terms of have they all taken the same stance or not.

I do find it a bit disturbing that even without having the experience of your own kids around the pool that you are just assuming that it won't be an issue for the daycare kids either. One kid climbing on a trike or being boosted by an older kid to peak in or whatever is all it takes. The risk in lieu of a few feet of fencing is not worth it in my view.

[Inspired by Reggio]

I would also check with your new neighborhoods 'bylaws' around backyard pools - many bylaws require pools that cannot be emptied daily to have a fence and locking gate around them?

I have. They are allowed. To be clear, our back yard is fenced and has a lock on the gate.

I know my friends parents got in trouble because they put in a pool in their yard which was already 'fenced and gated' - but turned out they had to have TWO ... because the yard was 'large' and had both the pool and kids equipment for play the pool itself had to be fenced off separate from the rest of the yard even though it was fenced already ... it was an in ground pool though not sure if that was why ... just know some cities have gotten really anal with their pool liability due to the drownings they have had?

I will admit pools and bodies of water and 'children' scare me ... it only takes 20 seconds to drown and you only need a couple inches of water ... so when I think of caring for five children and the number of times a day a child can quickly pop out of my sight even when IN my line of vision as I am scanning them in the backyard cause they are hiding behind a toy or plant or tree and that 'scare' you get until you find them ... adding pooled water to the mix just scares me I'd be having a heart attack everytime those moments arose ... all it takes is for a small distraction of one child scrapping a knee and howling about it and a kid to take advantage of that moment of distraction where you are looking the kid over and cleaning the wound or what not to go check out the cool pool fall in without a sound ... and the fact that the media shares stories like that does not help

[Sandbox Sally]

I have no problem putting fenceboard up along that side of the house. Like I said, it'll probably cost $100 bucks, if that. It wasn't something that I felt necessary until reading the protests here. I am pretty sure that if you are all "disturbed" by my cavalier attitude, it can't be good. I am sure that parents would also pick up on my negligence.

[Inspired by Reggio]

.... I am pretty sure that if you are all "disturbed" by my cavalier attitude, it can't be good. I am sure that parents would also pick up on my negligence.

I think it is more a 'comfort' level than anything .. comfort with the risk you feel prepared to deal with based on the benefit that risk brings to program ... I imagine many providers and parents who do not 'know/trust' my program would freak out that I have a sensory bin with 2000 marbles in it in my playroom that I have allowed children as young as 18 months to explore. However know the child and their capabilities and trust them not to put them in their mouth and to keep the marbles 'in' the bin during their exploration so that other wee ones remain safe in the playroom - the risk of choking on those is still there cause one could get 'missed' however in reality a child can choke on food too and I still feed them in care and the 'learning' in the marbles is unique and valuable ... that said I have a 5 years old who still rarely gets a turn in it not that he would 'mouth' them but because he cannot follow the safety rules set out for it to keep the marbles in the bin so that they do not pose a danger to the others if one got 'missed' and marbles fly everywhere within 2 minutes of him playing he gets so excited ... you have to know your group and their capabilities as well as your own comfort level and lay out for supervision and so forth.

If your insurance is good with it and it meets the bylaws and all your tees are crossed and dotted to cover any liability issues than your business your choice ... the fact it freaks me or others out is irrelevant ... I know lots of providers in rural areas where it is the norm to not only have pools on their property but they do daycare group swimming as part of their summer program - clientele have no issue with it as this is how they grew up as well

[michellesmunchkins]

Where I used to live we had to have 2 fences as well. We had our regular back yard fence and then bylaw made us put an entire fence around the pool with a pad lock at the top gate. This was all on top of the regular 8 foot fences our yard had for an above ground pool. Durham is really really picky and anal about pools and fencing.

We moved a year ago and now have an inground pool. Needless to say my backyard is COMPLETELY off limits. No daycare children allowed out there at all. Scary to think it only takes a second for something to happen. I know that I watch my dck's ALL the time, but they are kids and things happen. For me, its easier to keep that area of the house off limits.