Even though I got certified to be a lifeguard three weeks ago, I haven’t been on the stand yet. I did begin more training this week though. Each week a lifeguard must do an “in service” which is an hour long refresher course on the skills you learned when you were certified. I loved this hour long training. The chance to meet more guards that you may or may not not have an opportunity to meet on the job helps build community. The “in service” training is more like a test review than a pop quiz so the stress is not there.
Today I began training to teach swim lessons. I am so excited to teach children and adults to love the water as much as I do. While swimming may seem like a skill of privilege, many places, like Austin have public pools. It’s important for children to learn to swim. I would love to teach adults to swim too. There is nothing embarrassing about not learning to swim as a child. Some people may not have had the opportunity and some parents had other priorities for their children. Everyone should know how to swim.
My son was in the pool when he was 8 months old. My neighbor was his “manny” while my husband and I worked. He took my son to the YMCA with the other mommies and my blessing. I think they both had fun. My son played in the water with supervision until we were able to enroll him in swim lessons when he was 4 or 5. This time around, he hated it. At an indoor pool, loud with the echoes of excited childish screams, my son was frightened. As an only child, this decibel of noise was foreign to him. He cried and cried. I had to peel him off of me to hand him off to the swim teacher. The other parents stared at me, some with understanding, other with judgement. I felt like I was torturing him by making him take the lessons. He made it through, without scarring him for life. I would like to help other children have a better experience than he did. As a mother, I think I understand how to listen and problem solve to provide a more positive experience.
Training today made me realize how much I love teaching and how I enjoy being around younger people. Most of the other lifeguards are high school or college age. They make me smile as I listen to their conversations and watch them handle certain situations. Adults in training. They are kind and welcoming of the older lady in the class. As we were chatting in the pool during training, I discovered that one young man in my group is friends with my son. His response was so enthusiastic when I told him who my son was that I know it was genuine. He then told others who graduated with my son who I was. Suddenly I felt like everyone’s mother or crazy auntie. An air of familiarity developed, a bond.
As we went over the skills for teaching kids how to dive, we discovered there was a teacher in training who had some fear of diving. We worked together to help her overcome her fear. It didn’t happen this time but she did a good kneeling dive from the side so that is a start. As for me, it felt so good to dive but it felt even better to hear the instructor praise my diving ability. As the oldster in the class, I can’t help but feel self conscious so a small compliment goes a long way.
Tomorrow I begin my first lifeguard shift. I’m excited even though the temps are going to be in the triple digits. Hoping for an uneventful day so I can see what the routine is and get to know the other guards. As I pick up dropped shifts, that means I rotate pools so there isn’t always the same staff at each pool. My wish is that my first shift as a 58 year old lifeguard is as fulfilling as the training has been for me to get to this point.
Nell Carroll Photography 