Taking the kids to the pool? Not my favorite activity. In fact, I dread it. Yes, I know summer is supposed to be filled with sunshine, flip-flops, and that unmistakable scent of sunscreen. But if you’ve ever witnessed a parent struggling with toddlers at a pool, you understand that the effort it demands far outweighs any joy that might come from it.
While other mothers rave about long summer days at the pool or even the beach—what do they know that I don’t? Honestly, I can’t help but think, “I’m sorry, but the pool experience is just not for me.”
Last week, I lost my sanity for a brief moment and thought a trip to the pool would kick off our summer fun. The pool opens at 11 a.m., which meant we had to start prepping at 10. First, it was time for the sunscreen ritual. This involves chasing down your little ones, stripping them down, and applying that slippery white lotion to protect their fragile skin from the blazing sun. Experts recommend doing this at least 30 minutes before sun exposure, but good luck with that! My kids despise this process, turning it into a slippery wrestling match.
Of course, I’m already dressed in my stylish postpartum pool attire and coated in SPF 50, but with a back I can’t reach, I’m destined to burn—anything for the kids, right? And then there’s the need to pack snacks and drinks to prolong our stay beyond the usual 45 minutes. Something healthy and mess-free, like organic carrot sticks and hummus, goes into my lightweight cooler, because I’m the sole adult in this endeavor.
Finally, we arrive at the pool. I wrestle with car seats, grab the diaper bag, a slow-moving toddler, and our cooler, trekking across the scorching asphalt toward the pool. I hand over our passes to the teenage gatekeeper, who quizzes me on the number and type of swim diapers I’ve brought—can we talk about the swim diaper dilemma? They are supposed to contain accidents while allowing your child to swim, yet every parent knows they fail after just one tiny pee.
Once we settle in at the pool, we quickly find that only one lounge chair is available. We squeeze in, unload our gear, and I go through the whole sunscreen process again, blessing the kids to jump into the water. But wait—five minutes later, the whistle blows for adult swim! At 11 a.m. on a Tuesday, really? The only adults present are moms with non-swimming toddlers, all stuck in their saggy one-pieces, rolling our eyes at each other until the break is over.
Fast forward to noon, and it’s time for a snack and a potty break. Getting a swim diaper off my 3-year-old is an exercise in patience, and just as I think we’re in the clear, my 18-month-old makes a face that spells disaster. Now, I have to navigate the tiny pool bathroom with both kids, a diaper bag, and a lot of chaos, all while trying to keep my curious 3-year-old from touching everything in sight. The humidity in that bathroom? It rivals the Amazon rainforest.
After two exhausting hours, I’m ready to call it quits. While a mom with older kids might just throw towels at them and head back to the car, I have to change both kids out of their wet swimsuits, leaving myself to deal with my own discomfort. I’ll just have to cope with a wet seat in the car.
Fifteen minutes later, we’re home, and the kids are asleep in the car. I lug them back to their beds and collapse on the couch, my hair a tangled mess and my back feeling like a lobster. I pray for long naps and drift off myself, dreaming of simpler summer days.
So if you happen to invite me and my little ones to the pool, please don’t take it personally when I decline. We’ll stick to playing in the sprinkler for the rest of the summer. If you’re interested in more about home insemination, check out this excellent resource on pregnancy and home insemination: Healthline. For those looking into self insemination options, Make A Mom is a great authority on the topic, and you can find more insights in our other blog post here.
Summary
The pool experience can be overwhelming for parents, especially those with toddlers. From the sunscreen struggle to managing swim diapers and navigating chaotic bathroom trips, the effort often outweighs the enjoyment. If you’re considering inviting someone with young children to the pool, be prepared for a potential decline as they opt for simpler summer fun.