Great Ideas for Your Home

Swimming pools offer a gathering place for the entire family Parents are always looking for ways to keep their kids - especially the teen-agers - closer to home and for ways to be involved in their children's lives. Enter the pool. "Parents love what pools do for their family," says Jason Lott, owner of Paradise Pools & Construction. "Parents like when their children bring their friends over to the house, and nothing gets teenagers to bring their friends over more than a pool." Building a pool can be a nice alternative to traveling with family, as well. "Since September 11th, fewer families seem to be excited about the hassle of traveling anywhere," Lott says. "We're seeing families that would rather spend money on a pool - which lasts forever - instead of a European vacation that lasts two weeks."