Langdon Park Recreation Center — Attraction in Washington

I am beyond upset and frustrated. My children came to the pool today with me ages 3 and 5 and enjoyed playing in the splash Park until they decided to get into the pool with me. I was directly supervising both children as they jumped from the side of the pool toward me.

Because my son, 3 years old, failed to touch his feet to the water first when he was jumping into the pool, because his arms were outstretched toward me, the lifeguard, Mr Jones, flagged that he was diving into the pool. I explained to him that he was not diving headfirst into the pool but rather he was jumping toward me. He argued that that was still considered diving to him and we needed to follow the pool rules or leave. It is at minimum frustrating that the lifeguard does not understand the definition of a dive : head first.

I had a conversation with my son trying to explain him how his feet needed to touch the water first as he was entering the pool. At 3 years old describing any very particular way of orienting his body can be challenging. After a few attempts and feeling as though he was jumping feet first into the pool but still outstretching his arms toward me the lifeguard stormed over to me and my young children yelling at me that we failed to follow the rules of the pool and didn't want to hear anything I had to say in explanation. When he finally let me speak I tried to explain that my son is 3 years old and was doing his best. He said that I was still failing to follow the safety protocol and that we needed to leave the pool immediately.

This is where I become immensely frustrated and disappointed. My daughter began to cry as she felt scared the man was yelling at me. My son felt disappointed in himself for resulting in us having to leave the pool even though he was doing his best to abide by these guidelines and was coming nowhere near jumping headfirst into the pool.

I don't know why this young man is on a power trip but it's unacceptable to the community at large and my family in particular. I understand rules and safety guidelines exist to keep everyone safe and it is 100% necessary to enforce them when they are not being followed. Understanding the rules someone is trying to enforce should be the first step in enforcing them however.

I hope Mr Jones learns the definition of diving, his superiors give him an education in public relations and maybe he learns a little bit about the developmental ability of young children that he's tasked with...

Nicely maintained and great open space. The park and recreation center are located across the street from one another so there can be so traffic in the area. The park is a nice size and has newer recreational stations to play on. The only downside to the playground is the sliding board is the reflective metal that gets really hot in the sun. The park is situated directly in the sun. There are few trees to provide shade for the playground. There are basketball courts and a skate area. Good for younger and...

This is the best pool for family and kids in DC. It's professionally maintained and very diverse. I feel safe with my kids around with places to sit down that are shaded and gated splash fountains water for the kids. It is five minutes from Costco so consider it if you're going to Costco on your way also the pool is divided with dedicated place for the kids and another one for adults or bigger kids. It is located on the north east off southb...