Laying out while kids swim

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a former lifeguard and now MB, I would not be okay with this. I've worked with many well-meaning lifeguards over the years who had trouble staying focused on the pool, especially during an all-day shift in the heat. Even the best of them occasionally have to stop watching the pool as a whole in order to address inappropriate behavior or help someone in trouble, either in the water or on deck with a first aid issue. That creates a vulnerability, especially for a child as young as six, which is precisely why most pools do not allow children under the age of 10 or 12 to be on site without adult supervision.

If you were my nanny, I would expect you to be sitting on the edge of the pool, in a chair or otherwise, and watching/supervising my kids closely rather than looking up from your tanning session once in a while to "keep an eye on them." The lifeguard is there to prevent and intervene in emergencies; he or she is not in a position to fully supervise an entire pool full of kids. [/quote

Seriously?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a MB and totally would NOT be fine with it. You get paid to keep both eyes on the kids, not work on your tan.

Why not ask your MB what she thinks?

Well, she's not at the pool to get a tan, she is there with the kids, and she is keeping both eyes on the kids the whole time. It's not like sitting in the sun means she can't use her eyes for something else. I would be more worried about exposing yourself to so much time in the sun intentionally (make sure you are putting sunscreen back on again after your time in the water).

[Anonymous]

So now a nanny must be in the water or sitting at the edge of the pool even if the kids are there all day every day. Yeah remember that thread.

[Anonymous]

Way to not do your job OP. I'm a nanny and If I were a MB. I would not be okay with this. You're not getting paid to work on your tan by laying out. You're paid to WATCH the girls. Whether you get in or not. Why not ask your MB if you should layout while the girls are swimming. I'm sure you would not have asked if you felt comfortable with the decision.

[Anonymous]

As a former lifeguard and now MB, I would not be okay with this. I've worked with many well-meaning lifeguards over the years who had trouble staying focused on the pool, especially during an all-day shift in the heat. Even the best of them occasionally have to stop watching the pool as a whole in order to address inappropriate behavior or help someone in trouble, either in the water or on deck with a first aid issue. That creates a vulnerability, especially for a child as young as six, which is precisely why most pools do not allow children under the age of 10 or 12 to be on site without adult supervision.

If you were my nanny, I would expect you to be sitting on the edge of the pool, in a chair or otherwise, and watching/supervising my kids closely rather than looking up from your tanning session once in a while to "keep an eye on them." The lifeguard is there to prevent and intervene in emergencies; he or she is not in a position to fully supervise an entire pool full of kids.

This +1000. The lifeguards are not there to do your job. I know its boring to watch kids swim but this is your job. You could have a far harder job and being a little bored isn't the end of the world. You can sit in the shade or on a chair BUT you need to not be laying back and just looking up occasionally. You need to be ready to go into the water, call them back, or even alert a lifeguard if they need help.

You should be aware that if you do decide to just lay out anyway that the pool may contact the parents. If the kids do anything that does require the lifeguards attention...they need to tell them not to run, not to jump off the side, or come back from the deep end. Its likely they will be complaining about the sitter that doesn't watch them. You also run the risk of another parent outing you to your employers since its a neighborhood pool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

As a former lifeguard and now MB, I would not be okay with this. I've worked with many well-meaning lifeguards over the years who had trouble staying focused on the pool, especially during an all-day shift in the heat. Even the best of them occasionally have to stop watching the pool as a whole in order to address inappropriate behavior or help someone in trouble, either in the water or on deck with a first aid issue. That creates a vulnerability, especially for a child as young as six, which is precisely why most pools do not allow children under the age of 10 or 12 to be on site without adult supervision.

If you were my nanny, I would expect you to be sitting on the edge of the pool, in a chair or otherwise, and watching/supervising my kids closely rather than looking up from your tanning session once in a while to "keep an eye on them." The lifeguard is there to prevent and intervene in emergencies; he or she is not in a position to fully supervise an entire pool full of kids.

This +1000. The lifeguards are not there to do your job. I know its boring to watch kids swim but this is your job. You could have a far harder job and being a little bored isn't the end of the world. You can sit in the shade or on a chair BUT you need to not be laying back and just looking up occasionally. You need to be ready to go into the water, call them back, or even alert a lifeguard if they need help.

You should be aware that if you do decide to just lay out anyway that the pool may contact the parents. If the kids do anything that does require the lifeguards attention...they need to tell them not to run, not to jump off the side, or come back from the deep end. Its likely they will be complaining about the sitter that doesn't watch them. You also run the risk of another parent outing you to your employers since its a neighborhood pool.

"but while laying out I still keep an eye on the kids at all times."

The OP made it sound like, that while she may not be IN the pool she is still watching the kids, She didn't say she was reading, closing her eyes, listening to music or focusing her attention on anything else but the kids. I nanny for toddlers so obviously I would be in the pool, but it sucks that nannies for older kids feel they need to (unnecessarily IMO) be in the pool the entire time out of fear of being accused of "not doing their job" Kids that age probably don't want their nanny constantly playing with them, and independent play is important for them.

When it's all said and done however, OP should talk to MB or DB about it, just so there is no misunderstanding in the future.

[Anonymous]

What you are hearing from former lifeguards is that laying out..laying back with your eyes closed is NOT keeping on eye on kids. The OP knows it isn't which is why she is questioning it. If I was working at this pool, I would have my manager contact the parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As a former lifeguard and now MB, I would not be okay with this. I've worked with many well-meaning lifeguards over the years who had trouble staying focused on the pool, especially during an all-day shift in the heat. Even the best of them occasionally have to stop watching the pool as a whole in order to address inappropriate behavior or help someone in trouble, either in the water or on deck with a first aid issue. That creates a vulnerability, especially for a child as young as six, which is precisely why most pools do not allow children under the age of 10 or 12 to be on site without adult supervision.

If you were my nanny, I would expect you to be sitting on the edge of the pool, in a chair or otherwise, and watching/supervising my kids closely rather than looking up from your tanning session once in a while to "keep an eye on them." The lifeguard is there to prevent and intervene in emergencies; he or she is not in a position to fully supervise an entire pool full of kids.

This +1000. The lifeguards are not there to do your job. I know its boring to watch kids swim but this is your job. You could have a far harder job and being a little bored isn't the end of the world. You can sit in the shade or on a chair BUT you need to not be laying back and just looking up occasionally. You need to be ready to go into the water, call them back, or even alert a lifeguard if they need help.

You should be aware that if you do decide to just lay out anyway that the pool may contact the parents. If the kids do anything that does require the lifeguards attention...they need to tell them not to run, not to jump off the side, or come back from the deep end. Its likely they will be complaining about the sitter that doesn't watch them. You also run the risk of another parent outing you to your employers since its a neighborhood pool.

"but while laying out I still keep an eye on the kids at all times."

The OP made it sound like, that while she may not be IN the pool she is still watching the kids, She didn't say she was reading, closing her eyes, listening to music or focusing her attention on anything else but the kids. I nanny for toddlers so obviously I would be in the pool, but it sucks that nannies for older kids feel they need to (unnecessarily IMO) be in the pool the entire time out of fear of being accused of "not doing their job" Kids that age probably don't want their nanny constantly playing with them, and independent play is important for them.

When it's all said and done however, OP should talk to MB or DB about it, just so there is no misunderstanding in the future.

I definitely agree with this!! I think OP is fine as it does sound like she is watching the kids at all times even if she isn't actually IN the pool with them. And OP said that if the kids DO want to play with her she does play with them. But talking with the MB or DB couldn't hurt Op!!!

Also all you MBs when you take your children to the pool (older children like the ones OP is talking about) are YOU in the pool with them? There shouldn't be a higher standard for nannies than there is for OPs.

[Anonymous]

Sorry I mean higher standard for nannies than there is for **MBs.

[Anonymous]

She didn't say she was reading, closing her eyes, listening to music or focusing her attention on anything else but the kids.

She said exactly this! Laying out working on your tan is laying back with eyes closed or laying on your stomach. She's going to look up occasionally to see where they are which is not watching the kids. This is against pool policies for the ages she is watching. This is a nanny doing a crappy job!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

She didn't say she was reading, closing her eyes, listening to music or focusing her attention on anything else but the kids.

She said exactly this! Laying out working on your tan is laying back with eyes closed or laying on your stomach. She's going to look up occasionally to see where they are which is not watching the kids. This is against pool policies for the ages she is watching. This is a nanny doing a crappy job!

Quote where OP said "I lay out to work on my tan!." No her EXACT WORDS were, "but while laying out I still keep an eye on the kids at all times."

[Anonymous]

While I do think OP is not doing anything wrong, I disagree that nannies should not be held to a higher standard than an MB.

Nannies should absolutely be held to a higher standard. They are being paid for their work. If an MB decides a certain risk is appropriate for her to take with her own children, she assumes the responsibility for that risk and is parenting according to her instincts or judgment. Nannies should not be in a position to make such judgments. Nannies are paid to carry out the parenting policies of the parents.

Totally different standard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While I do think OP is not doing anything wrong, I disagree that nannies should not be held to a higher standard than an MB.

Nannies should absolutely be held to a higher standard. They are being paid for their work. If an MB decides a certain risk is appropriate for her to take with her own children, she assumes the responsibility for that risk and is parenting according to her instincts or judgment. Nannies should not be in a position to make such judgments. Nannies are paid to carry out the parenting policies of the parents.

Totally different standard.

Exactly! If the parents are in the pool with the kids the whole time than the nanny should be in the pool with them the whole time. If not then...

[Anonymous]

You have reading comprehension problems, 14:10. If the parents think the nanny needs to be in the pool the whole time, then the nanny is in the pool the whole time.

If a parent isn't in the pool the whole time, that's their choice and has no bearing on the nanny's responsibility, which is to carry out the parent's wishes.

Nannies and parents are not the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Way to not do your job OP. I'm a nanny and If I were a MB. I would not be okay with this. You're not getting paid to work on your tan by laying out. You're paid to WATCH the girls. Whether you get in or not. Why not ask your MB if you should layout while the girls are swimming. I'm sure you would not have asked if you felt comfortable with the decision.

Did you people not see that OP said she would be watching the whole time? It IS possible to lounge by the pool (which is still "laying out") and have your head up and watching the pool the whole time. It's amazing what the body can do, it doesn't need to be kept totally flat when laying down. You can be in a lounging position right next to the pool and keep an eye on them the whole time and be there to keep the peace as well as jump in to the pool if needed. It doesn't have to be one or the other - laying down with head down or sitting up at the pool edge. It can be something in between.