So We Got a Kiddie Pool...

I would say sorry, no one is allowed in the pool unless their mom or dad is with them. Go home come back with mom or dad. Chances are they dont come back or if they do they dont stay long. I would never let my daughter just jump in someone else pool without asking them myself, and really, I wouldnt let her go unless she was invited unless is was a really close friend. People are so rude. You could also just say, Im sorry we are not having company right now, we can call you to play another day.

Yikes! I think the legal term for what you have is an "attractive nuisance". This means that it is natural and expected for people to come onto your property without your permission and play in your pool. If you don't take precautions to mitigate the attractive nuisance (like a fence), then you are liable for any and all injuries that occur in your pool. (Same thing goes for trampolines and swing sets.)

Since it is 30" deep, I am assuming that you do not drain this pool on a daily basis. My worst nightmare would be to wake up in the morning and see a body floating in the pool because some kid decided to sneak into the yard and use the pool.

Sorry to hear that the neighborhood kids have no manners and are invading your space. By all means, tell these kids that this pool is for only for your kids, because you cannot take responsibility for any uninvited kid who may get injured in your pool. And I think Mickey's idea of putting up a sign to keep others out is a good one. Don't worry about being a meanie. They have no shame.

I found the same thing happened when we had ours in our yard. You will be legally liable if anyone gets in this pool and gets hurt. You might go ahead and call your home owners insurance and find out the legalities of it to be sure.

I think if you do not have an enclosed yard then you are technically not keeping a hazard safely. Something along those lines. If someones child climbs in, even when their mom and dad are supposed to be watching them, the mom and dad can sue you personally for a lot, and if their child gets hurt or worse you can add more zero's to the end of that number...

Find out for sure then either put up a cheap fence, just around the pool area or take it down.

You can buy chicken wire at any home supply store and those poles you sink in the ground. It doesn't have to be any sort of cyclone fence or anything. Even cattle panels can wire together and make a fence that is high enough that just any little kid can't climb over.

Check out the cheapest way to fence it in then decide.

I find it odd that kids think it's okay to come & go to & from your property without your knowledge or permission.

Letting kids that aren't your own use a pool in your yard is a big liability. Not to mention, it's not the community pool. I'm kind of surprised that more kids in your neighborhood don't have kiddie pools, honestly.

I would talk to a lawyer, and the parents of the kids. I think their parents need to present if they want to use your pool. You definitely need to secure your yard and set more boundaries.

The same thing happend when we bought a trampoline for our daughtger. Neighbor kids, and strangers started to show up and I had to get rid of them. Ended up typing up a paper that was sort of a "release of liability and permission slip". It said no one is allowed to use the trampoline (pool) without asking, and given permission from us first, and parents signature. Parents MUST be present at the time the children where there, and I wanted phone numbers and names of each parent with addresses and Dr information. I said if a child was there without permission and was hurt, I would call 911 first and then inform any parent who wasnt present. They would be responsible for any and all costs for ambulance and hospital visit. I would bill them for any damage to my yard house or trampoline. They were not to bring food or pets, and would not be fed, or able to use the bathroom. It sure made a lot of kids go home and never appear again! Of course we had some friends who were allowed to come over and jump, but only a few, and after a while it wasnt a big deal to them. I dont know if any of what I typed held any legal weight, but it sure worked to clear out the riff raff. You might try that too. Type it up, leaving spaces for names and numbers, and make it all official sounding and make about 50 copies. Send one wth every kid you see and smile when you tell them they have to bring it back to you, AT THE FRONT DOOR, signed and WITH A PARENT. Make sure theres a gate, or board, or whatever to stop access to the yard, with a big KEEP OUT sign. Let your family enjoy the pool.

"Fences make the best neighbors" do you have one? It is a big expense, but in the long run-maybe it would reduce your liability and cut back on uninvited children.

You may wish to check with your town ordinances and see how deeo requires permit and fence and with insurance. You may find that you were required to get a permit. If that doesn't help you then let each child who shows that they are required to have a parent with them to be in Tge pool and send them on their way. most parents won't take time out to come to supervise. Or if you dont want to go that route tell them perhaps another day this is family time.

Apparently you don't have a fenced in yard.

I would tell the kids that they cannot play in the pool until you've spoken to their mother. Then I would tell mom that you are not going to be responsible and are NOT going to sit out there and watch them. Tell her she needs to sign something saying that she acknowledges that the pool is not supervised and that she assumes any risk on behalf of her child. Then set up hours that the kids can come ASK if they can swim. Any child who doesn't ASK first, cannot swim and if they get caught in the pool, they will not be allowed to even ASK for one week.

You're just going to have to set up rules or put up some sort of a fence. I know I would have a VERY hard time keeping my GD out of your pool if it were accessible!

Ugh. I think it's hard to be tactful about this sort of thing. I do think however that if you continue shooing them away for the next week or so they'll get the idea. And, if you let them stay, they'll just keep coming in droves! ;)

I do kind of like the idea of a sign. Put it sort of in the side yard so that parents might see it and help discourage their kids from just coming over. It might help?

I would totally be annoyed too, especially if the kids coming over were a lot younger or older than my kids, uh, hello? You're not a business! Good luck, I certainly don't envy your situation!

Ok, I'm not a lawyer, but my brother is. It's been awhile since we had this conversation, but you might want to check and see if you have already opened yourself open to liability. Honestly, a 30" pool doesn't seem like a big deal at all, but the fact that it cost $100 makes me think I don't really know what 30" looks like. I would seriously consider fencing in your yard. I think you'll find that to be a very good thing long-term.

I agree that you need to do something to secure it in some way so that you are not liable for any accidents that may happen when you aren't home (or you aren't out there).
The way I would (and have) handled neighborhood kids is to tell them that if they want to swim right now (not a carte blanche "it's ok anytime as long as ..."), then they need to have their parent supervising them. They need to get their mom or dad to come over and watch them. That usually ended it right there. Mom/Dad don't typically want to do that.

Good luck.

I would be so irked.

I can't believe how RUDE some people and kids are.

And yes, it is a liability.
AND, what if, kids come over, when you are NOT home.... and go into your property and into your pool and they go who knows where else in your yard and premises?

Can't believe parents let their kids do that.

You are not a "meanie."

What a home invasion.

And you either put up a fence, (but kids can climb over it), or you put signs all over your yard (but that will probably be ignored), or you get rid of the pool.
Unfortunate, for your kids.

And yes, until this is solved... YOU do have to be out there with your kids, constantly to supervise.

As you've found, having a pool, even a small one, is a responsibility. Ours is hidden in the back yard, lol.

Put up a sign saying, "Pool users must be invited ONLY." This way the kids who read and their parents will see it. If a child is told "No friends" and they climb in anyway make sure they know they are never to come back to use the pool. Don't lie and say the kids have to come in, speak the truth, "My kids aren't allowed to have friends over."

Not sure how old your kids are, but maybe you should be out there when they're using the pool. It would surely limit the pool crashers. And, can kids get to it when you are not there, just walk in your yard? Because if so, you ARE liable if someone gets into it and something happens, whether you are there or not. Check and see if your home insurance has you covered, sadly, things do happen.

I'd get rid of it and start taking my kids to a community pool if I were in your shoes.

I would put up some kind of fence.
Go down to the nearest hardware store & buy pre-made chain link fence
kind of stuff or wood & fence just around that pool.
Put a lock on the gate.
Then add a sign like Please Do Not Enter Pool or something.
This can at least try to cover yourself legally or insurance-wise.
Then tell the kids that you will invite them when you can. You are busy, just going in, having lunch, going somewhere (even if you're not) etc.
I'd rather be safe and have peace of mind than have kids coming over univited all the time & be your responsibility to supervise.

I think the perfect answer if to start charging $3 for pool privileges! Put a sign up that says "unless you have been personally invited to swim in this pool by Sam or Sue (aka your kids) then you must pay $3 to swim". Done if they still come swim, you go collect and in the next year or two you'll have enough to upgrade to a bigger pool. You may also need to post a sign in your development saying that you are not responsible for any bad behavior or accidents that occur in your pool. it is a swim at your own risk! good luck!

When we had a pool, we had rules. And, you need some, as you can see. :) These are some of the rules: The child had to be invited by one of my children. Someone's kids can come if one of the parents comes with them the first time they are there and stay with them while they are swimming the first time. I instruct them on other pool rules with the parent present and enforce them immediately while the parents are watching. If you don't follow the rules, you sit out for 5 minutes. If you don't follow them three times in one day, you go home. The other rules were about respecting other children and not pulling pranks on them, and helping ones who seem to be in trouble and not putting things in the pool that don't belong there (including bathroom). We had a rule about having only a certain number of children in the pool at any given time, and one about hours. Before 10am and after 6pm, the pool was for family use only. Also, if I had to leave for any reason, everyone had to be inside the house (not just out of the pool) or go home. Make a poster and enforce the rules to a "T". No exceptions. Good luck!

Tell the kids that it's your pool so you makes the rules. You should only invite one kid over and it should be one that is close to your child not one you barely know. You should suggest to some of the other parents that they should also get a pool because their kid loves yours so much.