Summers are all about soaking up the sun, splashing in the pool, and dodging mosquitos the size of small birds. But nothing stirs up neighborhood gossip faster than a brand-new pool. Suddenly, your backyard turns into the hottest spot in town – literally. Add a few kids with cannonball dreams and parents who are mysteriously “too busy” to supervise, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

One Reddit dad found himself in this exact situation after laying down a pretty straightforward rule: “No parent, no pool.” Sounds reasonable, right? Well, not everyone thinks so.

More info: Reddit

If there’s one thing harder than cleaning pool filters, it’s keeping your chill when unsupervised kids try to take over your backyard oasis

Image credits: pressfoto / Freepik (not the actual photo)

One dad declared a “no parent, no pool” rule when his new splash oasis attracted the attention of the neighborhood kids

Image credits: cookie_studio / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The dad and his family were trying to enjoy their newly installed pool when the neighbor’s kid asked if he could use it, but without a parent’s supervision

Image credits: Racool_studio / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The family’s backyard is still under construction, which is pretty dangerous, especially for kids

Image credits: anonymous

“I’m not running a daycare all summer”: the dad doesn’t want to have to watch someone else’s kids, so he enforces a “no parent, no pool” rule

Our OP (original poster), just installed a brand-new pool, but his family’s backyard was more a construction site than a tropical oasis. Dirt? Check. Stones? Everywhere. A fully finished fence? Not quite. It was a long and dreaded process, but cooling off in a fresh pool on hot summer days would be worth it.

Apparently, the neighbor’s kid was also tempted by the newly installed cooling oasis. He spotted the pool from across the street and decided to try his luck. Bold move, but it paid off. He asked politely if he could join in on the fun, and the OP, trying to be a good neighbor, said yes. With one condition, though – only if his mom would go over to supervise him.

Fair enough. But instead of a parent, the kid returned with swim trunks, a towel, and a casual, “Yeah, she’s not coming.” Surprisingly, the OP’s wife gave her blessing and let him in anyway. But the dad was not having it. He put his foot down and told his wife he would have a chat with the kid’s folks – no parents, no pool. Period.

The OP was not looking to be the neighborhood lifeguard all summer. He didn’t want kids showing up uninvited every time his family decided to take a dip. Plus, let’s be real: nothing ruins poolside relaxation faster than worrying about someone else’s kid while you’re just trying to float in peace.

His wife, however, thought they could handle it case by case. Her solution was to just tell the kid they were going inside next time. But the dad wanted clear boundaries before things turned into a full-on summer camp situation.

While some folks say that good fences make good neighbors, sometimes, it’s less about the fence and more about setting the rules, without turning the whole block into a telenovela. Setting boundaries without conflict, or guilt, is an art, but it’s not impossible – just be firm, friendly, and clear.

Think of it as drafting a poolside “terms and conditions.” In this case, the OP could start by having a casual chat with the kid’s mom, emphasizing that the rule isn’t about being unfriendly but about ensuring everyone’s safety.

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Image credits: kanchanap / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Besides, there’s also a liability issue here, and nothing ruins a summer vibe faster than the thought of a legal headache. The harsh reality is, if something goes wrong in your pool, yard or anywhere on your property, even if it’s not your fault, you could still be held responsible. That’s premises liability and it’s real, folks!

Pool owners are generally held to a high standard of care, especially with kids involved. This means having strict rules isn’t just a preference but a necessity. Installing safety features like fences, alarms, or covers can help, but the best defense is ensuring clear, enforceable guidelines.

And before you jump down the OP’s throat for not having a fence, just know he was still working on it. That was the last thing on the long list of things to do in the yard. So, in his case, the “no parent, no pool” rule isn’t just smart, it’s practically a legal life raft. Without supervision, the OP could be on the hook for accidents, and let’s face it, nobody wants to spend their hard-earned pool budget on lawyer fees instead of floaties.

What are your thoughts on this story? Let us know in the comments below!

Some folks sided with the dad, saying that his rule is very reasonable, while others said he is the jerk for filling up the pool before having the fence ready

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