Anonymous
Post 03/12/2025 09:54     Subject: How do you make summer swim with RTO?
Anonymous wrote:I don't think we'll be able to do summer swim for this reason. It's one of many reasons that my kids are really upset and sad about (couldn't get a puppy and also couldn't do the neat summer camps because they didn't have long enough hours. They're stuck in the boring daycare camps with the babies).

Our main problem with summer swim is that the hours are unpredictable. They won't tell me until June what time the practices are and then my kids often won't have similar times at all. If I don't know what to expect, how can I plan for it? I don't even know what time the afternoon practices will be.


email the team rep and ask? they know when practice will be and I can't imagine most pools change from year to year. All pools will be dealing with this RTO and working with it.

our pool and most we know just started sending out our meet schedule and practices are on the website now.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2025 09:54     Subject: How do you make summer swim with RTO?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We've always hired a sitter for the summer instead of doing camps so our kids can do swim team.


There are plenty of teens who don't have summer jobs and would jump at the chance to be a summer sitter.


Disagree. I've done this and it hasn't worked out now for 3 summers with 3 different nannies. Last years was the worst. Despite paying $25 an hour, she kept threatening to quit on us nonstop because she wasn't making enough money. I think maybe they have unrealistic expectations and it was a pretty easy gig with two well behaved girls.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2025 09:52     Subject: How do you make summer swim with RTO?
I don't think we'll be able to do summer swim for this reason. It's one of many reasons that my kids are really upset and sad about (couldn't get a puppy and also couldn't do the neat summer camps because they didn't have long enough hours. They're stuck in the boring daycare camps with the babies).

Our main problem with summer swim is that the hours are unpredictable. They won't tell me until June what time the practices are and then my kids often won't have similar times at all. If I don't know what to expect, how can I plan for it? I don't even know what time the afternoon practices will be.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2025 09:47     Subject: How do you make summer swim with RTO?
Anonymous wrote:We've always hired a sitter for the summer instead of doing camps so our kids can do swim team.


There are plenty of teens who don't have summer jobs and would jump at the chance to be a summer sitter.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2025 09:01     Subject: How do you make summer swim with RTO?
Hire a college student to drive them.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2025 09:01     Subject: Re:How do you make summer swim with RTO?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If you think making it to practice is difficult when working in the office, try figuring out how to volunteer for all the summer swim-related activities! And here you thought the parents who never volunteered were just lazy freeloaders.

Are you trying to provoke a summer swim volunteer thread in March?!


It’s a new DCUM record 😂
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2025 08:19     Subject: Re:How do you make summer swim with RTO?
another alternative to "summer nanny" is "hire a teacher your kids may love." we had three great summers with our children's first grade teacher....she was young and looking for a consistent gig and was older, responsible and actually kept them very busy during the day - found county things, camps, free stuff, library book club (which gives out a coupon book with activities/free things and that became an adventure of its own).
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2025 20:41     Subject: Re:How do you make summer swim with RTO?
We used to hire a college student to watch our kids over the summer for this reason. She would take them to swim practice and swim team events that were often during the day. It was cheaper than doing camps and we didn’t have to do drop offs/pick ups since she just came to the house.
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2025 18:33     Subject: How do you make summer swim with RTO?
Anonymous wrote:Lots of people don't do swim team because it is not conducive to working parents. We hired a nanny for years during the summer so kids could do swim team.


I couldn't do it while working pre-Covid. My office was on Capitol Hill and my pool was in McLean, and summer was my busiest time at work. I knew people who would leave their kids all day at the pool with a babysitter, but mine never wanted to do that.
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2025 17:54     Subject: How do you make summer swim with RTO?
Carpooling and pairing up with other parents to watch kids or get them to daycare is a popular one at our summer club.
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2025 16:51     Subject: Re:How do you make summer swim with RTO?
Anonymous wrote:If you think making it to practice is difficult when working in the office, try figuring out how to volunteer for all the summer swim-related activities! And here you thought the parents who never volunteered were just lazy freeloaders.

Are you trying to provoke a summer swim volunteer thread in March?!
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2025 16:50     Subject: Re:How do you make summer swim with RTO?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If you think making it to practice is difficult when working in the office, try figuring out how to volunteer for all the summer swim-related activities! And here you thought the parents who never volunteered were just lazy freeloaders.


Huh?
I volunteer a lot with summer swim team (team rep) and work full-time in the office with a 30-45 min commute. No excuse not to volunteer.


Exactly. Saturday meets still need tons of volunteers. Weekday B meets you surely can be a timer for the second half. Can’t make it at all? Offer to bring water bottles for the volunteers. Offer to help plan the banquet. Offer to create signup geniuses. Lots of things you can do.
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2025 16:47     Subject: Re:How do you make summer swim with RTO?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If you think making it to practice is difficult when working in the office, try figuring out how to volunteer for all the summer swim-related activities! And here you thought the parents who never volunteered were just lazy freeloaders.


Omg that is so true. Getting home in time for afternoon B meets was a pain, let alone the pep rally and whatever else.


then maybe don't sign your kids up?
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2025 16:28     Subject: Re:How do you make summer swim with RTO?
Anonymous wrote:If you think making it to practice is difficult when working in the office, try figuring out how to volunteer for all the summer swim-related activities! And here you thought the parents who never volunteered were just lazy freeloaders.


Huh?
I volunteer a lot with summer swim team (team rep) and work full-time in the office with a 30-45 min commute. No excuse not to volunteer.
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2025 16:26     Subject: How do you make summer swim with RTO?
Older parent - summer nanny/teen babysitter is the only way we got it to work. Good luck!