pointed to the lifeguard in the chair. “And Mr. Griggs, our lifeguard today, is going to keep a close eye on you. He’s going to blow his whistle if you start playing.”
Eyes wide, they settled on their boards and started their laps. He faced Katie and Tim. “Let’s take these off for a few minutes and see what you can do.”
They got their vests off and he walked them out to the water until they were about chest deep. “I bet you’ve been in water this deep before without a life jacket.”
He got nods from them and Tim’s arm went up. “I go deeper than this!”
“All right. Today, we’re going to stay about this level so I know what you can do and you’ll stay safe.” He pointed to the nearest wall. “I want you to swim to that wall and back to me, the best you can, without touching the bottom. You think you can do that?”
“Yeah!” Tim yelled and went off. Katie offered a smile and started for the wall.
Jason moved alongside them as they swam in zigzagging lines. “Careful not to run into each other. If you get tired, you can put your feet down. Swim as much as you can though. I want to see you swim from that wall to the other side.”
Busy swimming, only little grunts and heavy breaths escaped them. It took a little longer than he would have expected, but their tiny arms and legs finally got them across. “Good job!”
He high-fived Tim. Katie ducked her head and a big grin split her face. He held his hand up and she returned his five. He clapped for them as he backed to their starting spot. “All right. Let’s see you come back to me now. Try not to touch the bottom.”
Heads barely peeking out of the water, they slowly made their way to him. He clapped and high-fived them once more and sent them to their parents to get life vests back on. He got two more kids and started over. By the time the fifth group had taken their turns back and forth, the hour was nearly up, and he took a few moments to cover floating.
“When you get tired of swimming, who knows what you’re supposed to do?”
“Get out of the pool,” three of them yelled at once.
“That’s right. But what happens if you get tired before you get to the side?”
“Your mommy or daddy gets you out.”
He smiled. “That’s true too, but there’s something else you can do.” He leaned back in the water, relaxed and floated to the top. “You can float. It’s like lying on the couch for a few minutes. See, I’m not swimming. Floating lets me rest and be safe in the water.” He stood. “There’s just one thing that’s important with floating. You have to be still. Who thinks they can do this?”
Over half flipped to their backs instantly. He went around and helped the last three turn over and confirmed that their life jackets would hold them up. “Now we have about three minutes left. If you can stay still and float for three whole minutes, you can get a prize out of the treasure box.”
As the minutes passed, he walked around each of them and made constant reminders to be still, no splashing and no kicking. The seconds ticked off, and when there were ten left, he counted them down for the kids. He hit zero and got shouts and screams. He sent them to their parents to get the jackets off while he fetched the prizes.
The box contained pencils, candy, bounce balls and other small toys. Each kid grabbed something and ran off. Katie stood last and peered into the box. With the other kids distracted while telling their parents what they’d gotten, he leaned closer to Katie. “Can you keep a secret?”
Her eyes widened and she nodded.
“Why don’t you pick two? One for you and one for Kent. Do you know what he would like?”
Immediately, she picked up a roll of candy. “This is his favorite.”
“And for you?”
After digging through the box like all the other kids for several moments, she came out with a black bouncy ball. “This one.”
“Perfect.” He shut the box and stood and found Beth waiting behind
Eyes wide, they settled on their boards and started their laps. He faced Katie and Tim. “Let’s take these off for a few minutes and see what you can do.”
They got their vests off and he walked them out to the water until they were about chest deep. “I bet you’ve been in water this deep before without a life jacket.”
He got nods from them and Tim’s arm went up. “I go deeper than this!”
“All right. Today, we’re going to stay about this level so I know what you can do and you’ll stay safe.” He pointed to the nearest wall. “I want you to swim to that wall and back to me, the best you can, without touching the bottom. You think you can do that?”
“Yeah!” Tim yelled and went off. Katie offered a smile and started for the wall.
Jason moved alongside them as they swam in zigzagging lines. “Careful not to run into each other. If you get tired, you can put your feet down. Swim as much as you can though. I want to see you swim from that wall to the other side.”
Busy swimming, only little grunts and heavy breaths escaped them. It took a little longer than he would have expected, but their tiny arms and legs finally got them across. “Good job!”
He high-fived Tim. Katie ducked her head and a big grin split her face. He held his hand up and she returned his five. He clapped for them as he backed to their starting spot. “All right. Let’s see you come back to me now. Try not to touch the bottom.”
Heads barely peeking out of the water, they slowly made their way to him. He clapped and high-fived them once more and sent them to their parents to get life vests back on. He got two more kids and started over. By the time the fifth group had taken their turns back and forth, the hour was nearly up, and he took a few moments to cover floating.
“When you get tired of swimming, who knows what you’re supposed to do?”
“Get out of the pool,” three of them yelled at once.
“That’s right. But what happens if you get tired before you get to the side?”
“Your mommy or daddy gets you out.”
He smiled. “That’s true too, but there’s something else you can do.” He leaned back in the water, relaxed and floated to the top. “You can float. It’s like lying on the couch for a few minutes. See, I’m not swimming. Floating lets me rest and be safe in the water.” He stood. “There’s just one thing that’s important with floating. You have to be still. Who thinks they can do this?”
Over half flipped to their backs instantly. He went around and helped the last three turn over and confirmed that their life jackets would hold them up. “Now we have about three minutes left. If you can stay still and float for three whole minutes, you can get a prize out of the treasure box.”
As the minutes passed, he walked around each of them and made constant reminders to be still, no splashing and no kicking. The seconds ticked off, and when there were ten left, he counted them down for the kids. He hit zero and got shouts and screams. He sent them to their parents to get the jackets off while he fetched the prizes.
The box contained pencils, candy, bounce balls and other small toys. Each kid grabbed something and ran off. Katie stood last and peered into the box. With the other kids distracted while telling their parents what they’d gotten, he leaned closer to Katie. “Can you keep a secret?”
Her eyes widened and she nodded.
“Why don’t you pick two? One for you and one for Kent. Do you know what he would like?”
Immediately, she picked up a roll of candy. “This is his favorite.”
“And for you?”
After digging through the box like all the other kids for several moments, she came out with a black bouncy ball. “This one.”
“Perfect.” He shut the box and stood and found Beth waiting behind
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