Kids Pooled Their Money to Buy a Backyard Pool—Only for One Mom to Claim It as Private Property and Ban the Crew
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When neighborhood kids work together to earn money and buy something big like a swimming pool, it is important to remember that the pool belongs to all the kids.
What would you do if your brother and his friends bought a pool and set it up in his friend’s yard, but then the friend’s parents wouldn’t let the other kids go swimming, claiming it is a liability issue?
That is what happened in this story, so he helped his brother buy a hot tub, and now all the kids are coming to their house to swim rather than the neighbors. The parents of the neighbor kid are upset that nobody wants to go there anymore, including their own son.
Read through the full story below and see if you think he did the right thing.
AITAH for buying a hot tub after my brother’s friends kept refusing to allow him or anyone else in their pool that my brother helped to buy?
My brother Pete (14) and his friends, C and J (both 14), got the idea in the middle of June to buy a pool for the rough summer we usually have because the local community pool is being shut down.
These kids were very motivated.
When Pete or his friends couldn’t convince anyone to buy it for them, they got motivated to work for it. Pete mowed lawns and did other yard work around the county, and the other two did their own work, and after a few weeks, they pooled their money together and were able to buy a cheap above-ground pool.
Me and C and J’s parents were really impressed and thought they deserved it after working so hard for it. We all agreed to set the pool up in C’s backyard because their backyard is the biggest.
Well, this isn’t fair.
They filled it up and did all the work for it, and the first weekend it was available, Pete and his friends all hung out in the pool.
The problem is, that was the ONLY time Pete or J has been in the pool. C, apparently, is allowed to go in whenever, but nobody else.
His parents have been asked multiple times, and they’re always shot down.
Maybe the parents are worried about liability?
One time, Pete ended up sneaking into the pool while I was at work, and when C’s dad found him out there, he came out and yelled at him. C was in the water too, according to Pete.
He and J were obviously confused, so when I went to talk with C’s parents about Pete sneaking into the pool, I asked why they weren’t allowed in at all.
If they were worried about liability, they shouldn’t have put the pool up in their yard.
C’s dad kept harping on the fact that Pete went in without permission, which I understand, but what I don’t understand is why whenever they are asked to come over and swim, they’re never allowed to.
They both explained it’s a ‘liability’ reason, meaning if anything were to happen to anyone in their pool, like if someone drowned, they don’t want to be responsible and it’s easier to just not allow anyone but their son in the water. But these are TEENAGERS, not toddlers, and they all know how to swim.
This is really unfortunate.
At the end of the conversation, C’s dad was like, “The pool is on my property, and we used our water to fill it up, so we decide what to do with it.”
I raised my voice a little bit by reminding them that they didn’t buy that pool, it belongs to their son, my brother and J. I understand that it’s on their property, but it’s unfair to gatekeep it from the people who helped to buy it.
They wouldn’t answer that and threatened that Pete wouldn’t be allowed at their house at all if they were asked again, which Pete would hate to hear since he loves their house, so I left it at that.
None of this is the kid’s fault.
Pete was mad, to say the least, and loved to rant to anyone who listened while gaming with his friends about the situation. He asked if they could really do that and we should call the cops, but I told him let’s not go that far yet, even though I agreed those people basically stole from him.
But he and C have been friends for nearly 10 years and they do EVERYTHING together, so I’d hate to see them be separated over something petty like this.
Having a hot tub would be nice.
So, I came up with another idea and I went shopping online and found an inflatable hot tub for about the same amount of money they spent on the pool.
It might’ve been just as petty, and I dipped a bit into my savings, but I bought it. Could I have bought the pool myself? Maybe, but at the same time, Pete wanted it bad and I got other things to worry about, and he’s learning to work for what he wants.
Great, now all the kids have somewhere to swim.
And a hot tub’s good for my back. Pete’s been in the hot tub nearly every day since it’s been set up. His friends are welcome inside it too, my only rule is they gotta shower (at their own houses) before or after they get in it. It’s big enough for like 5 people.
J and C have been over a lot to go in the hot tub, and their parents have noticed. J’s dad is totally okay with it and thinks that what C’s parents are doing was wrong too, but he agrees that they still get their reward for all their work with the hot tub.
That is just too bad that those parents aren’t happy.
C’s parents, on the other hand, aren’t too happy. C told me himself that he prefers to be in the hot tub, with his friends, rather than swimming alone in his pool, and his parents don’t understand that.
I haven’t spoken to them directly about this, but C has heard rants from his mom about how everyone thinks they’re some kind of child-hating monsters for not allowing anyone in their pool (that they didn’t buy).
C’s parents seem very immature.
It hasn’t helped that Pete still loves to rant about it too, and he knows a lot of neighborhood kids who also come to dip in the hot tub.
I do see C’s mom at the store sometimes, but she doesn’t make eye contact with me anymore. I know it was petty.
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AITAH?
Honestly, it wasn’t even petty. He found a way to get his brother what he wanted without hurting anyone. It was a kind and generous move.
Read on to see what the people in the comments have to say.
Demanding his money back would be a reasonable thing to do.
No need to do anything at this point. Let the kids enjoy the hot tub.
Yeah, this is basically what happened.
This would just escalate things.
If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a college student who decides to send his university a counter-bill after they try to get him to pay “inconvenience fees.”
These are really the only two fair options.
The neighbors should refund the kids that money. Of course, you don’t want to push things to far and ruin the friendship or cause a lot of drama in the neighborhood.
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