Heidi,
We built our 8 ft. deep end pool 2 years ago, have 3 boys -13, 11, and 8 - and here's what I've found.

Boys - my boys, their friends, their cousins, my husband, etc. - love to dive, flip, and do other tricks that can stop my heart!

Girls, on the other hand, like to splash in the shallow end, giggle and try not to get their hair wet!

Both boys and girls enjoy playing Sharks and Minnows and Stars in the deep end. And I'm glad we have a fairly sizable shallow end - it allows the kids to play basketball - we have a floating, blow-up hoop, that I think we bought in a dollar store. The kids have also created a game with dive sticks that they really seem to enjoy.

For us, having a deep end was never not an option - it really does give us peace of mind. Just my $.02...

Good luck with your build. It's an exciting time, albeit a little stressful.

Laurie

I think some fo the guys I hung out with when I was young would have tried diving into a 4' pool (in fact they did try into those old galvanized "tub" pools, which was what 3' in depth.

So while a volleyball court would be fun, I believe teenage boys will be diving regardless of what rules you lay out. Every kid is different, so it comes down to a risk management decision: shallow pool with large play area having more safety risk, or less play area less risk of the stupidity that comes from "boys will be boys" logic.

Actually, if I think back to my teen years, dim & dark tho' they may be, I believe us boys were even more inclined to do stupid things if a couple of cute girls were around.

Glad you made the decision! I agree with Laurie! Boys will be boys and children will be children. Safe to have 8 feet! I do enjoy it occasionally also.

I had the same dilemma. All it took was to see our neightbor's teen boy jump off their diving board with a girl on his shoulders (parents on vacation, much?) and my decision was made: Deeeeeeeep enddddddddd!

I agree with lbridges that boys are more inclined to do stupid things if cute girls are around.

Disclaimer: *MY* soon-to-be teen boy will not be stupid. (If I repeat that 100 times will it be so?)

Quote: "Disclaimer: *MY* soon-to-be teen boy will not be stupid. (If I repeat that 100 times will it be so?)"

Of course it will (see below for disclaimer).

I have four kids, three of them boys, and the baby boy is 22 and a senior at the Univ of Florida. So I speak from experience.

Promised Disclaimer: Length of time for avoiding stupid actions may vary slightly with age, but shows a high correlation with the quantity of similarly aged onlookers. Studies show their ability to hold back stupidity will, for average mid-teen boys, last approximately 3/4 of a second. For "good boys who listen to their mother", the time has been seen to rise to almost a full second in some rare cases. Unless a REALLY cute girl is there to witness. In which case, and for every boy studied thus far, the retention time falls to such a short interval scientists aren't able to accurately measure the value.

"In which case, and for every boy studied thus far, the retention time falls to such a short interval scientists aren't able to accurately measure the value."

Bahahahahahaha. That was awesome, l.b.

It's like the Black Hole of Stupidity.

Love it! yes, I agree with all. You'll be safer with the 8'. Good luck with your decision!!

I agree that you will have more peace of mind going with an 8' depth. We have a 6' and still find it difficult to play volleyball. We actually use 3 1/2' to 5' range when playing volleyball, and although we have only had a pool completed about one month, I can see where an 8' pool would have been the better choice (DH has already exhibited his diving skills). So I guess boys will be boys even when they are men! LOL!!