I am trying to figure out if I'm strange or if it's just that there are some parents out there who don't care what happens to their kids in someone elses swimming pool!!!!!

My eldest met a little neighbourhood boy yesterday and he came over to play today.  They

I'm not the type of person that lets the kids go swimming without knowing whether they are capable or not.  I mean I know my kids limitations but I don't know other peoples.  So I did the right thing (exactly what I would expect someones elses parent to do where my kids were concerned).  I called the parents.  He was being looked after by his uncle.  So I introduced myself and made sure he knew where his charge was and asked the very normal question can the boy swim, is he competent?    "Yeah he's fine" I was told so I confirmed "Ok so he can swim?" "yeah"!!

Well guess what  NO HE COULDN'T!!!!!  He got into trouble and pushed my friends little boy under water (he's only just learn't to swim himself!!!) I had to get my girl to pull him to the side of the pool.   Our pool isn't a very big one at all practically a lap pool.    Not very wide and not very long and certainly not deep.

I was furious at the uncle for leading me to believe that this child was competent at swimming.  I do not believe that anyone should put any parent in that sort of situation.    Frankly I think it was irrisponsible of the uncle.    Now the boy kept telling me he could swim so I asked him to show me how he swam,  of course he sunk!!!!   He showed spurts of being able to do it.   But as far as I am concerned if you can't swim you aint in my pool!!!!!! 

Personally I would never put another parent in that situation.  

I guess what I'm trying to say is that when someone new comes over to play with your kids and you have a swimming pool, don't take the "YEAH THEY CAN SWIM!!!!" line get them to bring a swimming aid of their own or make them bring a parent.   I guess you kill two birds with one stone then.    You ensure that you are not resposible for a non swimmer if thats what they turn out to be, and you get to meet the other parent and visa versa.

Not sure if you really class this as advise but I just had to share this astounding piece of information with you.  I'm still flabergasted.  He now knows that if he wants to come swimming again he has to bring an aid or his parent.

Too many children die from drowning and it's not worth the heartache for the parents or for the person whos pool the child was in!!!!!!!!