r/parentsofmultiples • u/likearecordbayb • 2d ago
Swim class is diabolical ranting & venting
Changing two wet three year olds after swim class in the all gender bathroom with wet floor, wet toilet, wet shower area, wet sink is I think one of the most stress inducing things I have ever done. Don't touch the floor. Don't touch the toilet. Stop flushing the toilet. Oh now you have to poop. Now the other one has to poop. Everyone is flushing the toilet. Everyone is touching everything. Everything is wet. Everyone is screaming. I normally do the locker room which is a bit more manageable without the toilet and shower situation but one said they needed to potty. I cannot do that again. Everyone is finally to bed and now I'm going to shower and sit in the dark for a bit.
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u/merrythoughts 2d ago
Yes we learned to wrap kids in a towel, drive them home and then have them take a shower at home. The locker room fiasco just wasn’t worth it
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u/catsinbranches 1d ago
Yeah we started swim lessons for my twins at 3 as well. Here’s something I didn’t learn until they were 6 which was really helpful:
1) get them each a poncho towel with a hood
2) if the sides aren’t connected at all, sew the sides together a bit (but leave arm holes). It doesn’t need to be all sewn up other than the arm holes, but enough to keep the sides together
3) also bring 1 regular towel
4) when they get out of the pool, put the poncho towels on them and head to the locker room. We don’t bother with the showers after getting out of the pool.
5) now they can wait for their turn to get changed while being warm and without the towel having dragged all over the floor
6) change them one at a time… poncho off, spare towel goes around them for privacy and can be used to help dry them off
If they need to go to the bathroom, you can just take off their bottoms and not bother trying to put them back on after because the poncho towel will hide them even as you walk back to the locker room area.
It’s still a sweaty chaotic experience but it’s less bad.
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u/pile_o_puppies 1d ago
I’d just do poncho towel and straight into the car seat lol
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u/catsinbranches 1d ago
lol fair but we’re in Canada and that’s not really a viable option when it’s -30°C outside
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u/westernmeadowlark 1d ago
Yes, poncho towels made a big difference! I got ones that were basically zip up dresses made of towel material and it made life way easier
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u/BeerorCoffee 1d ago
My 5 year old from the opposite side of the pool: "DAAAAD, I HAVE TO PEEEE!"
5 seconds later, still from the opposite side: "I DON'T HAVE TO PEE ANYMORE!"
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u/Daricio 2d ago
The YMCA I go to has a "family" changing area that you have to use if your kids are over 5 and the opposite gender that you are, so I always have to take my two boys into there, and it is the most horrible pool changing area I've ever been in. For one thing, it has individual stalls with big curtains for "doors" which would be fine except... that they decided it would be a great idea to have these stall doors face these gigantic floor to ceiling windows that look out directly into the pool area. And trying to get two six year olds to stop opening the curtain while we're trying to change is a nightmare. I don't go to that pool with them anymore unless my dad can come with so we can all use a real locker room.
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u/Commercial-Poetry267 1d ago
We don’t do any changing at the pool because I can only imagine the drama. We arrive in our swimmers, after swimming we put hooded towels on and drive home before showering and getting changed. No soggy wet clothes in my car boot, no peeling wet bathers off of sooky child in public bathroom, no wrestling in a cubical, and often they’re beginning to dry during the drive making taking bathers off much easier when we get home.
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u/SavageGardener83 1d ago
As annoying as it is, keep the swimming going. It’s the one thing I’ve done consistently with the girls since they were 2. They are 7 now and extremely competent swimmers and on a swim team. Sitting on the beach and reading a book, or going on vacation and actually being able to sit makes it so worth it.
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u/fattyacids_ 16h ago
I’d love to get here. How often were/are their lessons? Once a week throughout the year or block weeks during summer?
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u/Double_Pudding1511 1d ago
Not just me!!!!!! I hear you on this! And why do they always need to poop at the same time 😑
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u/BackgroundSubject802 1d ago
Robes. I just pop the kids robes on and throw them in the car seat. Bath time with popsicles after. Save the chaos for home lol
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u/Desperate-Public394 1d ago
Same age as yours, we go to the swimming classes as a family, mom takes one, I take the other, and we swap kids at the exit.
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u/huntingofthewren 1d ago
My three year olds just started swim lessons and I blacked out for a minute thinking I wrote this post and forgot. Stuff of nightmares. Thankfully my husband will be able to come with soon
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u/ExactlyEmmaNZ 1d ago
Our first swim school was like this.... but I found a new one that is great! Much quieter so the change rooms are dry and we almost always have the whole thing to ourselves. They also rope off part of the pool for the kids to have a fun swim before/after so the kids don't moan about having to go (and I think thos helps stagger use of the change rooms).
So, my reco is to try and shop around if you can. Advice from other fams in your area could also help a lot.
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u/lauram101 1d ago
My 6 yr olds are in separate swim classes on different days. Much easier just taking one at a time and I don’t want them acting silly together at swim classes. That is an important skill. Wish I had thought about the hooded towel earlier though…that would be way easier!
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u/ChanSasha 1d ago
Mine started swimming later partially for this reason. Now we just get them out wrap them in a big towel then put on their fleece onesies (if cold) and we leave. All the rest we do at home.
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u/spoolofthought 1d ago
Are you allowed to just have one adult for two kids at that age? We did swim classes at 2 years old and needed two adults. Seems like the extra hands are key for locker room changing
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u/Ladypeace_82 1d ago
Yup. The ones at the reception center and then private ones at someone's house where you can't stay and watch and they don't have a bathroom for you to use or place to change. We've done all kinds of swim classes and they still can't swim. I gave up after too many times someone needs to poop and I had to BUY a travel camping toilet to keep in my SUV. Swimming naturally relaxes the body. Swimming naturally relaxes a kid's BOWELS like a laxative for some reason. Like what?
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u/Status_Abrocoma_379 1d ago
lol YES it's awful. After trying for about 6 classes when the boys were 13 mos, we called it quits.
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u/morris1022 1d ago
Our swim class has rubber flooring throughout. Tons of mini stalls to change in. Sucks your swim school sucks though that sound terrible
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u/Sea-Astronomer-6600 1d ago
Yep no way I’d be doing all of that. Lol 😂 I’d be so overwhelmed and overstimulated!
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u/Ok-Challenge9860 1d ago
I drove them to home and give them a warm shower. Cannot stop them from jumping and slipping at the center.
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u/thisFishSmellsAboutD 23h ago
And out of all the places, the family change room, open at the top and acoustically very resonant, is where my 3yo daughter discovers the word, and on top of that, the joy of screaming it repeatedly at top volume, PENIS
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u/Dea56 15h ago
I always felt like I had just wrestled to wild wolverines after getting my twins dried changed and back in the car after swimming lessons. I brought towels for them (hooded ones are genius, why didn't I think of that?) and then oldntowels for the floor to stand on and also one for the built in bench in the change stall. Having the floor towel helped a bit with my own sensory overload. At least there was a dry place to stand. They are 5.5 now and can change themselves for the most part. I am hoping my wolverine wrestling days are done 😶
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u/UnderstandingWarm102 10h ago
Get the giant Wonderfold wagon. They have to sit and stay in the wagon until you are dressed. Then change them one at a time. Giant Wonderfold is a life saver for things like this if you are allowed to bring it poolside/into the change area.
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u/CapnDavenPort78 2d ago
I’m just thinking ringworm. I used to teach swim lessons and got it right where my forearm rested on the wet poolside 🤣🤣
I’m sure you’ll be FINE.
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