You’ve saved and sacrificed for it and now you have just had your very own pool installed. Congratulations! In more ways than one, owning a pool is like winning the lottery. Upside: You have a beautiful oasis in your backyard to you can go enjoy. Downside: Relatives, neighbors, “friends” from high school and distant cousins are coming out of the woodwork to swim in your pool.
So where do you start when it comes to rules?
Talk to your family about how you intend to use your pool. Make sure everyone is on the same page as to whether the pool is open to everyone that asks or if it’s for family and close friends only. It might be best to keep your pool circle small to begin with and expand as you feel comfortable.
Also, work together as a family to determine and understand what the specific rules of the pool are so as others start to use the pool, everyone can explain them as new people begin to visit. Guests must mind their manners and respect the rules.
Safety is a major concern when owning a pool. Be sure you are well informed about the liability that you assume as the homeowner. It is important that you are fully aware and you should not hesitate or feel bad about telling people to stop acting recklessly if you are ultimately responsible, which includes asking/telling people to leave the pool area.
While having this new pool is a dream come true, ultimately there may be times you will have to law down the law (aka your rules). It is important to prepare yourself with these conversations with a focus on safety first!
Happy swimming!!!