The Worst Pool in America

The boys and I decided to go swimming. Since the ocean is a bit frigid here, we chose the heated indoor public swimming pool, complete with water slide. It was about the same size as Mörby badet, our local pool in Sweden, just a lot warmer. As they boys began their swim, we noticed a lot more differences...

Benjamin and Christopher went straight for the water slide (about the same size as the one at Mörby). But Christopher was only two inches above the height limit, so the lifeguard made him prove his swimming ability before she would let him up the stairs. Benjamin pointed out that Christopher could just about touch bottom at the end of the slide, but to no avail. Christopher did show his stuff, but before he was able to try the slide, he got told off by another lifeguard for running. He came to me in tears because he swore he wasn't running and was so upset that he got told off.

But then he got told off again - this time for hanging on the rope in the kids' pool...

And then the he got told off again - for using kickboards (in the childrens' pool) incorrectly. Apparently kick boards are only for kicking. No kicking, no board. Even though Christopher was using one behind his head, one beneath his feet, to practice floating on his back. As the lifeguard tried to explain to him that kickboards are only for kicking, (What? What? Christopher kept saying, in typical Christopher fashion), I commented that there sure were a lot of rules. "We don't want anyone to get hurt," she said. Yep, all those kickboard accidents avoided...

And then the boys used the kickboards incorrectly again - each boy had two like airplane wings, legs kicking, but clearly not up to code. So two of the lifeguards took the kickboards away. No more allowed in the childrens' pool.

I counted - 9 active lifeguards here, max 2 at Mörby badet. Some nice, some with far too little to do. Needless to say, we won't be back.