Safety First- Then FUN!!!

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post.  All opinions expressed are my own. 

The kids have started their summer of fun at Day Camp in the Park!  Although I miss them terribly during the day (well, I’m getting a lot of organizing done at home), they come home happy and healthy and tired.  One of the things that I love is that the kids get to swim at least two times a day.  Once at instructional swim, and the other at free swim.  They are also exposed to things that not all camps can provide, like swimming in an ACTUAL LAKE.  I think everyone should.  During these swim times they alternate between the pool and the lake, and free swim presents itself with a choice for campers.  I have to tell you, if you’ve seen the blow up floats in the lake I feel like its a NO BRAINER.  It’s Lake EVERY TIME, just to climb and jump and play!  Well, once you pass the deep water test that is.  

Once campers have proven themselves to be mostly proficient at swim, they can have a chance to pass the deep water test, because well, you can’t have blow up float fun until they know you are going to be safe.  At newly 8 (A) is ready to give it a try.  He wants to swim out in the open lake near the fun, but needs to get past that test.  I was NOT worried in the least because he has been learning to swim with the Condors for 3 years, in fact, this year he was promoted and began swimming with the pre-team.

There was one issue.  Someone told (A) who is a worrier, that there are barracudas in the water.  He told us Wednesday night.  He wanted to take and pass the test but didn’t want to go in the open lake because he was scared.  After trying to convince us that he could pass it but in the pool we had to figure something out.  Andrew to the rescue.

Andrew is the head lifeguard at DCITP.  He’s a professional in every way, and on top of that he’s nice, and a big tough burly guy.  The type of guy that the kids really look up to.  Instead of acting like (A) was wasting his time, or being impatient, he understood his fear, and really stepped it up.  He went WAY above and beyond.  He worked through the fear slowly, at a pace that (A) could handle, and ultimately got him into the lake, and passing his deep water simulation.

At no time did Andrew try to force (A) into the water, or guilt him or anything.  He simply would do something like say, well what if we dipped our feet in?  What if we got on the first rung of the ladder?  Maybe lets take a dunk together?

All the while he occupied my little man with conversation, competition and encouragement convincing him that the water was barracuda free.  He spent nearly an HOUR getting there.  Not only did he have him get in slowly at his own pace, but he got in the water WITH HIM to prove that all was OK.  Know who else was there?  Another one of his counselors AND a JC.  All cheering him on.

After swimming several laps and treading water for a decent amount of time, Andrew informed (A) that he had just completed all the necessary parts of the deep water test with one exception.  While swimming his first lap, he stopped at the ladders along the way (that’s when he was acclimating him to the water, the next laps were without stopping, which is the requirement).  For the REAL test he would have to do the laps without stopping at the ladders.  BUT, Andrew made sure to remind (A) several times that he could do it, because he had just done it.  In fact, as he was swimming Andrew and (A)’s counselors were complementing how well he swam (thank you CONDORS).

(A) didn’t want to get out of the Lake (go figure) when it was time and was asking when he could take the actual test.  The idea of the afternoon swim was thrown around but Andrew let him know that he could not be in the water with him at that time because he would have other groups that he needed to keep eyes on. That’s when Andrew really shocked me.  He offered to come down with (A) during his FREE PERIOD tomorrow to give the test and be in the water with him.  (A) was so super excited by the offer and accepted.

(A) was psyched the day of the test.  He asked if he could first go into the crib and get used to the water and they obliged.  He was one of several campers to be testing at this time (no more than 2 went at a time). 

When it was his turn his counselor Jessie went in with him just to make him comfortable.  I am so happy and proud to report that he nailed it!!!

The whole time I was so super nervous (he wasn’t).  Andrew was so happy for him that he even let him catch a ride in on the teeter totter.  He came home from camp yesterday and told me that he already went to the lake for free swim to play on the blow up water park, and that his next project is getting up the nerve to climb the giant iceburg. :o)

The kids are loving camp so much that I offered to pick them up half day today for that build a bear lunacy and they declined.  THAT SAYS IT ALL.  We love Day Camp in the Park.

If you are interested in checking out DCITP please visit their website : http://daycampinthepark.com/ their facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/Day-Camp-In-The-Park- email:dcitp1979@gmail.com or call: 845-638-2515