The Fun is Gone or Back to Being responsible

Yesterday was the first day the swimming pool was open for rec swim since November when the young girl almost died. There were a lot of changes. A few made my kids (and me) not so happy.

I was glad to see them really watching the door and making everyone sign in and out - it's a good thing to know who is here and who's not. And they actually checked ID's. What a concept!

I was also glad to see the lifeguards spread out and in the high chairs watching the water. You would think that was a given, but no. Hopefully, it will be from now on. They also closed the pool for a 10-15 minute break every hour. We've done this at other military pools - they just kick everyone out of the pool (some pools only would kick out the kids, but here everyone was asked out). It just time for everyone to take a break and for parents to make sure they know where their children are, and for the lifeguards to have a break and be able to switch places.

The biggest change was that they were making kids take swim test. They had to swim half the pool, tread for one minute, then swim back to the start. If they pasted, then they would wear a green arm band and be able to have free rein at the pool. If they have a red band, then they had to be within an arm's reach of a parent.

Yeah - an arm's reach. That would be the part my kids had a hard time with.

Why? You ask. You could only take the swim test and wear a green band if you were 11 years or older. Which two of my kids are not.

And that meant my days of lounging on the lounge chairs talking with my friends or listening to my music or reading are over. I now have to be a responsible parent and actually pay attention to my kids at the pool instead of working on my tan.

What the lifeguards and the manager of the pool don't know is that my kids are better swimmers that I am. They would be saving me - not me saving them.