Pool Rules & Summer Rules

Okay, I am having some issues with pool and front door rules. We have a little pool and a bigger 3 1/2 ft deep pool. They can't get in the pool unless I put the ladder in, so I am not to worried about that, but I am going to make a list of things to make it easier for them to remember...

So far I have...

Never get in pool w/out asking (that's either of the pools)
Always got to the bathroom first (saves from wet floor and slipping on wood floor)
Hang up towels when done
Hang up swimsuits when done

any others.

Also I live in the city and I have a fenced in yard so they can go outside in the BACK w/o asking, but I have a couple that keep going out the front door into the driveway any idea's to help combat that, I had timeouts this afternoon and big talks about strangers could take you if I am not there... What sould my summer rules be other than No going outside w/o asking.

Thanks

do you mean that they are not capable of getting in the pool unless the ladders up? or they know that they're not suposed to? honestly either way with a pool and kids that young i would put chains on the doors and probably even those little alarm things that make noise when the door opens so that you hear if they try to go out, pools are just so dangerous and i would hate to hear that one of them walked out when you were going to the bathroom and pushed something up to the pool and fell in. i've read way to many stories of kids sneaking out and drowning.

my pool rules: (if there is a pool outside with water in it)
RULE #1
if mommy is not outside, then nobody is outside
end of rules

its just not worth the risk to me

ok and after looking at your siggy and rereading, i take it you have inhome daycare? not that any one kid is more important but if you have other peoples kids in your care then you need to be that much more careful. how many kids do you watch and how old are they?

I only have 2, added to my 2. P is 6 and S is 3. They can't get in the pool unless the ladder is there. They are never "unattended" When they are outside I am usually out there with them, especially since the pool was put up, Or I can hear them from where I am at, usually the kitchen which is the slider to the backyard. They are never unattended in the pool, if I have to go inside for whatever reason they have to come out of the pool until I come back. I even limit how often they can come in and out of the pool, otherwise they are in for 2 minutes then out and repeat and I don't want anyone getting hurt on the ladder. Tuesdays I will be watching my Nephews and niece, ages 13, 11 and 8. I am not to worried about them, I just want their stuff picked up...

ok, please dont think that i was trying to imply that you werent watching them, i know sometimes tone is hard to understand on a board i've just read so many stories of kids drowning so i just wanted to be sure you'rs were safe, the last one i read was a mom had her i think 3yo and 16mo in the tub and she had to pee and the baby drowned while she was peeing, its just so scary.
ok so we know you're right there with them, maybe add to the list, for them to make sure that they get whatever towels and pool toys before they get in to help limit the in and out. other than that yours look good, maybe just remember the sunscreen b/c that sun is so dangerous and to have plenty of water so they dont get dehydrated, i think those are two things that a lot of people forget at the begining of the summer
yeah with the big kids the only think you probably have to worry about is the in and out, maybe you could say if they get in in out X times in X minutes that they cant get back in for X amount of time or something like that.
for them going out the front i still think a chain is a good idea, they're about $3 at WM and pretty easy to install if you have a drill. we had to put one on our front door b/c all we have is a twist lock (no deadbolt) and DS figured out how to unlock it already. cant have him running out and tumbling down the stairs. hope some of that helps

I have another rule. Never cry for help in the pool unless you mean it!

My girlfriend was a lifeguard when we were in high school. I used to hang out there daily. It was a residential community, so she was the only lifeguard there. There was this kid about 13 screaming for help in the pool. He was just messing around thinking he was being funny. She junped in the pool to help him, not knowing he was messing around and at the same time a little kid about 3 was running around the pool and fell into the deep end. Don't ask me why his mother wasn't watching him. If my girlfriend hadn't reacted as quickly as she did, that little boy could have drowned. It scared the crap out of me and it's been a rule ever since with my kids. Never cry wolf!

Amy