This past summer we decided to put in a swimming pool. We’re stretching a bit financially to put the pool in right now. The financially wise decision would have been to save up for a few years or just not put in a pool at all. However, we decided to stretch our finances a bit and go ahead with the pool.
Our rationale for moving ahead with the pool went something like this.
Why Do Anything At All?
I want my house to the house that my kids and their friends want to hang out in. If my kids bring their friends to my house I can meet their friends and stay more involved in their lives. If they go over to their friends’ houses instead, I’m out of the loop. Given the choice between those two options, as my kids get older I want my kids bringing their friends over here, and that means my house needs to be the most fun option available to them.
We already have a foosball table and a Nintendo switch, the pool is underway, and soon I hope to be able to finish the basement into a combined exercise and hangout space (foosball, video games, TV/movies, board games, etc).
I want my house to be the most fun option available to my kids and their friends when looking for a place to hang out.
Why a Pool?
Pools are expensive, both to install and to maintain. They also take a lot of work. So why a pool?
The answer to that question is pretty simple. What would be better than a pool? My kids love to swim. Most of them have been on swim teams (or are currently on swim teams) and on a hot summer day they can spend hours upon hours in the pool. Based on where we live and how we like to spend our time as a family, a pool is the obvious choice and it’s hard to even think of a close second-best choice.
Pools have the added benefit of being useful for overall fitness. While the pool would be tough to swim laps in, with a simple swim leash I’ll be able to use the pool to get in a good workout without having to go anywhere.
Why Now?
Kids grow up fast. My oldest son turned 15 about a month ago. If I save up for a few years before putting in the pool he’ll be grown and gone before the pool is done. I’d rather stretch my finances a bit now and give him at least a couple years’ use of the pool while he’s home to enjoy it.
Opening Spring 2022
Work started on our pool back in the late summer of 2021. The pool is basically done at this point and will be ready to go into service the moment it warms up this spring. I have a lot of work to do between now and then: landscaping, finishing the fence, learning how to use the salt system, etc.
Yahoo a pool! You wont regret it. The fun part will be getting the kids to help maintain things. They get to learn chemistry and other fun things.