Summers are all about soaking up the sun, splashing in the pool, and dodging mosquitos the size of small birds. But nothing stirs upneighborhoodgossip 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: “Noparent, no pool.” Sounds reasonable, right? Well, not everyone thinks so.

More info:Reddit

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Child in orange float enjoying solo time in pool.

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

Kids playing alone in a pool, with one jumping in and others swimming under a clear blue sky.

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

Man in a black shirt, gazing thoughtfully out of a window.

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-newpool, 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.

Fair enough. But instead of a parent, thekidreturned 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.

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 boundarieswithout conflict, or guilt, is an art, but it’s not impossible – just be firm, friendly, and clear.

Safety sign by a pool edge with “Do Not Jump,” highlighting safety concerns.

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’spremises liabilityand 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 afence, 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 foraccidents, and let’s face it, nobody wants to spend their hard-earned pool budget on lawyer fees instead of floaties.

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

Text screenshot about kids using a private pool without permission.

Comment discussing pool safety rules for children without parental supervision.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing privacy and safety concerns about kids alone at the pool.

Comment highlighting liability of kids alone in pools.

Text from online forum discussing liability and safety concerns of kids alone by the pool.

Comment regarding pool safety and the absence of a fence.

Text exchange discussing pool safety and the lack of fencing, related to kids-alone-pool concerns.

Text critique about unsupervised kids in a pool, emphasizing safety and the responsibility of monitoring compliance.

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