Snap set pools and pool safety at home

One of the coolest things Pyper got for Christmas was a small pool (living in the Southern Hemisphere does have its advantages) and this was the type of pool that you don't have to pump up but the sides stay up with the strength of the water pushing it out. Apparently they are called snap set pools? So when Pyper was having one of her 17 month old tantrums we would take her to the pool and let her play by hitting the water. She just loves the water (like most children?)

On the whole the pool is great - the only thing to be careful of, is that if you push one of the walls from the outside it will simply fall in and the water will gush out. Apart from that the pool is relatively sturdy and works very well and it was very cheap also (or so I am told).
Compared to inflatable pools it's really great - no more having to pump the damn things up or wait for them to deflate.

A few things to bear in mind when it comes to pools and children:

* NEVER leave children unattended in or near a pool - they can drown in a few inches of water
* respect the pool and the water inside it (if you don't you might have your own "Titanic" special effects set on your deck)
* use waterproof sunscreen for outdoor pools
* get children used to wearing goggles to protect their eyes (especially if the water contains chlorine)

And a tip for the image conscious dad - wear a swimming cap to protect your hair from chlorine (and to keep it dry so you don't have to blow-dry after a lunch break swim session).

You're all set!

-Scott

PS: Some details of the pool we used:

Brand: "Intex" (Made in China)
Size: 122cm x 25cm [4ft x 10inch]
Capacity: 237 litres [63 gallons]
Material: Rigid heavy duty PVC side wall with sturdy permanently attached PVC bottom