For a summer job, I am a lifeguard at our local YMCA. It's a good job; miles and miles better than the plumbing job I had a few summers ago. Sitting in a chair? Tons better than crawling underneath houses. But there are things not so fun about the Y. Which is why I'm compiling a list of things I like about the Y and things I well, do not like (read hate). We'll start on a positive note with the things I like. I will admit compiling the list of things I don't like will be much easier.- It's flexible! I can get whatever time off I need.
- 15 minute breaks every hour. I love "relaxing" from the "stresses" of being on stand.
- It's flexible! I can get whatever time off I need.
- New lifeguards not on the schedule. they have to take your shifts if they want any money! I guess that goes along with the job being flexible...
- It's flexible! I can get whatever time off I need.
- The good lifeguards. They're few and far between, but it is much better working there with people you can stand.
- It's flexible! I can get whatever time off I need.
- Slow days. It's just much more fun when no one is swimming.
- It's flexible! I can get whatever time off I need.
- Code Browns! I know it isn't fun for the patrons, but an hour long break for me because a toddler relieved himself in the pool? How can I dislike that?!
And then for the things I don't like so much...
- The rules we enforce. No stopping or going against the current in the lazy river? Ridiculous! I hate trying to explain rules to patrons when they make no sense to me.
- The kids who refuse to follow our ridiculous rules.
- The lifeguards who refuse to follow our ridiculous rules.
- The fact I work most evenings... 3:15 to 9 are not my favorite working hours.
- Deaf children who do not hear me telling them the rules. Funny story... One day at work I was getting particularly frustrated while telling a kid to move with the river's current and had to get down from my stand to whistle and yell at him. Well... He finally turned around to face me only to be informed by him and his friend that he was deaf. I felt awful... and awfully embarrassed.
- The temperature of the pool. In order to prevent hypothermia, we keep the pool area practically broiling. I often break a sweat simply sitting down.
- Lifeguards who are quite irresponsible. Like the one who had to use "going to jail" as a reason for needing sub shifts.
- The boss who criticizes me for how I rotate off stands when other guards get away with using cell phones or iPods on stand. Agh!!!
- Being afraid some kid is dead or dying somewhere and it's gonna be your fault. It's definitely the scariest thing about the job.
- Whitecaps. They're fake drowning victims that we have to go and rescue to test our skill. This is the second scariest thing about the job. I'm glad it's inflicted by our boss.
And so there you go. My lovely summer job at the YMCA. Its upsides definitely outweigh the downsides. Especially that flexibility...
4 comments:
I love going to the Y and seeing you on duty!
When Bridget took the kids to the Y with Ben and I, they just loved seeing you and waving to you!
While Maren and I were waiting to go on the slide the lifeguard up at the top, asked Maren some questions. She asked, "So what is your family doing here today, is there a special reason?" And Maren replied politely, "We are here visiting my cousin that is a lifeguard today." Then Maren was told that she could go down the slide now. So then she started talking to me. She asked if I knew Daniel nelson 'cause he said that he had cousins coming today. Then as I was heading down the slide waiting to plunge into water, I was thinking about what she said. It sounded like she had got the feeling that I was your cousin and not a sister. Fortunately Maren wanted to go down the slide again! So when we got up there, while Maren went down the slide, I told the lifeguard the truth. She was shocked and told me what you said about family coming and thought it was only his cousins. I wanted her to get it straight.
And I just have to say, I am proud to tell people that I am your sister! I love you Daniel!
Those whitecaps sound brutal. I'm glad hospital administrators didn't use faux-patients to test my skills. Yikes.
Then again 15 minute breaks every hour does sound nice. I think I'll implement that system with my kids. After every hour I get to not listen to them for 15 minutes.
My kids loved being able to see their cool uncle, I mean cousin, in action at work.
Well I think i still would like to be a life gaurd I might take the next class when it gets full! Sorry you yelled at a deaf kid I would have felt horiable to so its ok!
mitchell would die to work there but he is stuck picking corn!!!! I have heard of the code brown that is funny!
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