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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]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]

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.

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

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.  [/quote]

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. [/quote]

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