Mad As Hell

I took the boys swimming today and I am mad as hell! My kids were great, the Y sucked! I decided to take Alex in the pool with us today because we got there late and I didn’t want to leave him in the daycare when they bring the bigger kids over. I figured no big deal. So, Jake swims, Lucas and Nik wear float belts, and I hold Alex. One of the lifeguards said something to me when I took them to the deep end to use the slide. I said we come every week and the director has seen us at the slide with the kids in the float belts. Besides, they hadn’t had the slide up in weeks. So they slide and we head back to the shallow end. They switch lifeguards and now the young guy says something to me. He tells me that I’m not supposed to be in the water with all four kids since 3 of them can’t swim. However, he’ll let it go because there are only 10 minutes left. The director comes out and I ask him if there is a rule that says I can’t swim with my kids. He says that I can only have 2 non-swimmers with me.

Me: But I have 4 kids.

Him: You can take turns and leave two in the daycare.

Me: But this is family swim, and this is my family.

Him: Insurance reasons only let 2 non-swimmers per adult. You can bring another adult or leave two kids in the daycare.

Me: So I can’t swim with my family during FAMILY SWIM

Him: Besides you have all boys and they are in a high risk category. Most drownings are boys.

I’m so pissed I can hardly breathe. Family swim is at 10 in the morning. Like any father is off work to go to family swim at 10 in the morning. As I’m leaving I tell him that I pay my dues too. He doesn’t hear me, so when I go back for my towels, I’m crying and I repeat myself. I hear the old fat ladies talking about me with him. I repeat, I PAY MY DUES TOO! As we leave the Y, the lifeguard is at the front desk talking with one of the other employees about me too. Great! Not only are we already a spectacle, but now we are also a spectacle. I’m pissed!!! The only other family swim time is from 7-8 on Wed night. How many two year olds are up past 8? Any normal ones should be in bed. Did I mention I’m mad as hell? So, I can’t take all four of them swimming until Lucas can swim. That’s just great, if you could actually get into swimming lessons. It’s impossible there. Then he has to pass the swimming test. That’s to swim the length of the pool on his own. It took Jake until he was over 6. That’s another year and a half that I can’t swim with my own children. Did I mention I’m mad as hell? I understand the insurance BS, but come on, these are my own kids. I’m responsible for them. What the hell happened to personal responsibility? Maybe they should have a smaller wading pool if they are going to make these rules. Maybe they could have a waiver. Maybe they should leave us the hell alone since the boys were doing just fine and I was watching all of them. Anyway, I’m going to pissed for a while.