Dear Reverend,
My condo complex has a pool that I enjoy using in the summer. There’s a rule that children under 12 are supposed to have adult supervision, but there are often younger kids there with no adult in sight. They are usually well behaved and seem to know how to swim, but I know accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. When I’m the only adult there, I feel like I have to watch them. I know they aren’t my responsibility, but I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I left and something bad happened. How do I keep this from putting a damper on my pool time?
Chloe Reen (woman, 53)
Dear Chloe Reen,
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that hundreds of children under the age of 15 die in pool- or spa-related incidents every year. Thousands more require emergency room treatment. So you have good reason to be worried.
The next time you’re at the pool with unattended children, ask if their parent or guardian knows where they are and if they’ll be joining them soon. You can avoid coming off as a creep if you speak to the kids respectfully and mention that you just want to make sure they’re safe.
To take it a step further, ask one of the kids to go get the adult who’s supposed to be watching them, then express your concerns to that person directly. If you frame the conversation as looking out for the children, I don’t think anyone could fault you.
Another approach would be to get in touch with members of your condo association. Fill them in on what’s been going on and ask them to send a message to all residents reiterating the pool rules. They should also make note of any disciplinary actions that may result from breaking those rules.
You say the kids are well behaved, but if they ever act like fools and put themselves in danger, you should absolutely intervene. If you need assistance, you wouldn’t be in the wrong to call the nonemergency police number. You may want to do it on the sly, but a visit from the fuzz would likely set them straight pretty quick.
But hopefully, the less drastic measures will make your pool time more peaceful.
Good luck and God bless,
The Reverend
This article appears in The Cartoon Issue • 2026.
