Water Safety with Our Local Swim Instructor

Today I'm chatting with Juli, a swim instructor for toddlers and kids, about water safety! Tune in for must-know tips as you soak up the sun with your littles.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hi, I'm Kristen, fellow mom, and your biggest cheerleader in all things motherhood and parenting. My husband and I co-founded Parker Baby Co. with one mission in mind to nurture and grow strong families. And that mission continues right here on Rooted Conversations. So grab a cozy drink, take a deep breath, and remember you're not alone in this journey. Hi everyone, welcome back to the Rooted Conversations podcast. I am Kirsten Hiebner, the co-owner of Parker Baby Co. and Parker Kids. And today I am here with Julie Heiger. And I am just so excited to talk with Julie. She is here to talk about something so important and probably something that we all have stories and um have seen or been close to somebody who's um been affected by swim and water safety. And so this is a just a really important subject that we're gonna talk about today. And I'm really excited to get to know Julie and um ask some questions and learn more from her. So um, Julie, thanks for being here. Yeah, thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_00 1:17

I appreciate it. Okay, so how many kids do you have? I have three kids and two grandkids. Oh, how old are your grandkids? Um, my little granddaughter will be three at the end of August, and my little grandson just turned one in May. Oh. Is it the best being a grandma? Oh, it is incredible. It's truly what they say. The best part of parenting is getting to be a grandparent.

SPEAKER_01 1:47

Sometimes on the hard days of parenting, I used to tell myself, like, oh, I can't wait to go to Disneyland with my kids. That's what I held on to for a long time. Now I'm like, I can't wait to be a grandparent. That's what I'm holding on to.

SPEAKER_00 1:59

Yeah. It's really it's it's fun and it's true what they say. Like when you see your grandkids, it's like you're looking at your own children and just have a little bit more patience and understanding knowledge yourself as just a human.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

Yes, for sure. Gosh. Yep. I mean, the things you learn about it yourself as a parent. Yeah. Yes. Oh my goodness. Yes. So how long have you been?

SPEAKER_00 2:25

So you're a swim teacher? I am a swim instructor as well as I am in the education business as well. I'm an instructional coach, but have been a long time educator. Um, but I have been working at Genesis teaching swimming lessons over it's been like three to four years, if not more. Um, and I have been, I was a pull rat, I would call myself growing up. Um, my first job was as a lifeguard when I was going to be a freshman in high school. And um, I even got to was a um lifeguard for an internship for Disney World. Oh my gosh, that's so cool. That's amazing. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:09

So um so tell me about what's Genesis.

SPEAKER_00 3:12

Tell me more about that. Genesis is just a um fitness club that we have in St. Joseph, uh, Missouri. There's they're all over. Um but that's just the club that I work out of. Um and we offer group lessons as well as private individual lessons. And I just got linked up through there because um, well, my son needed to join the club so he could take tennis lessons when he was in high school. And um I was swimming laps, and I just was approached by at that time the manager of the swim department and asked if I would be interested and available to teach some swimming lessons and went through their onboarding process and have been with them ever since. So nice, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:02

And then you'd mentioned in our text messages that you also teach you have an pool in your backyard.

SPEAKER_00 4:10

Yeah, yes. Um, I have we have an above-ground pool there, and I do teach lessons out of there as well. Um, it's been a little cool this summer. Um, but yes, I do, and um I just I'm just very passionate about the water safety and and kids um being as safe as they can be in the water. Um, like you said in the introduction too, I feel like we all probably have a story or have heard of a story. Um, I'm one of those people who for some reason, well, I'm sure it's because of the algorithm that I have, but I I find families and often find myself and I pray for them and try and support those who do have families who have gone through either near drowning or drowning experiences. Um and I guess it just makes me realize, especially now with having my grandkids too, um, just how quickly something can happen. Um when when you think you've taken all precautions, there's still that possibility of something happening.

SPEAKER_01 5:21

So Right, right. Isn't it like the number one cause of death in children?

SPEAKER_00 5:27

Yeah, it's like one or two, depending on the age group, I believe.

SPEAKER_01 5:31

Yeah, yes, gosh, it is. I do think just every family every person or every mom at least has a story of a friend or somebody that has had a child either affected or you know, has been killed in a drowning accident, you know. Yeah, and they're just horrible stories. Because it is, it's every mom, it's always I looked away for a second, or I just turned around, or a lot of another one too is I thought so-and-so is watching them, and I and that person thought so-and-so was watching them, you know.

SPEAKER_00 6:04

Yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 6:06

It's just it's so horrible. Yes. Yes. Um, so ISR is another um form. Is that something you teach? The which is the infant swim infant safety recap. Yeah, something like that. Yeah, it's it's like when they like throw the throw the throw the kid in and hope the thing.

SPEAKER_00 6:28

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 6:29

It's when it they start really, really young.

SPEAKER_00 6:32

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 6:33

And it's just survival.

SPEAKER_00 6:35

Correct. And I do not um, I take aspects of that. Um, I work a lot with special needs children. Um that's a lot of what my um private swimming lessons are. I work with um a number of autistic children, um and just special needs. I've had some with Down syndrome and things like that. Um, my big thing that I take from ISR um is really the safest place for kids to get to, is their back, which is also where they're not very comfortable at all. So I am very passionate about like any student that I work with, that's something that I really work on with them. Um and as far as group lesson goes, we do a parent and baby lesson, um, where we work with the parent just to help them get their child comfortable in the water. Um but as far as the actual safety portion, you know, I mean, like you said, like where it is truly survival, we don't teach that. But with the students that I do work with, um, like I work with them as far as when you get in, when you jump in, something that I a skill that we work on is jump in and then get up. And then I want them to learn just to get to their back and float, catch their surroundings, know where they're at, and then be able to to turn and get to the side. Um because uh, like I said, that's just that's just that survival, and they just don't feel very comfortable laying on their back. So right.

SPEAKER_01 8:10

And that the part of getting on your back is like the not panicking, too. I think you're able to take some deep breaths and not panic and kind of see where you're at. Um that's how I've gotten all my kids to not panic was when they can get on their back and realize that they can even swim pretty quickly. Like the back stroke.

SPEAKER_00 8:34

Yes, exactly. Yep, and it's not tiring. Oh, sorry. Yes, yeah. Um, I often think when I especially start with a student or with a family, um, as an educator, I know how important relationships are. And I'm sure um I can just tell from speaking with you too, you know. I mean, you're how it how key that is. And um, I often think though, how scary that has to be for a child to be sometimes. Like their parent is like, here, go swim with Julie. And the kid's like, I don't know who she is. And then this person's telling me to go underwater and lay on my back, and I don't even know what to do. So um, you know, I mean, those first few lessons, sometimes I feel like it's more so building that rapport with the student and letting them know that they can trust me. I do a lot of Julie's right here. It's okay. I'm not gonna let you go unless if I tell you, you know, I mean, just that encouragement. Um, because like I said, I'm a stranger to a vast majority of the students that I do work with.

SPEAKER_01 9:37

Um what so what age do you suggest moms and dads to put their kids in swim lessons? Like what do you think is the perfect or prime? I guess there's no perfect age. What's the prime age for majority of moms to look at?

SPEAKER_00 9:56

I would say as far as actual lessons go, um two, it's really just kind of playing and getting them comfortable, and they can kind of piddle around the pool. Um, but as far as um actual lessons, I've had success like at thir like at three years old, um, depending on two to three, depending on the age level there. Um but as far as like parents working with their kids and being comfortable, the earlier the better. Um I feel like sometimes uh parents' bath time can be scary for scary for kids. Um so the sooner you can just start and not not dousing them with a whole cup of water, maybe.

SPEAKER_01 10:46

So because I I want to say I can't remember the age that I put the twins in. So as a first-time mom, I end up with twins. So like I couldn't take them by myself to a pool because I couldn't watch them, right? So getting them into swim lessons was extremely important to me. And I looked into ISR probably a little bit too late, and it was just ridiculously expensive, it's so expensive, and it's 15 minutes every day for like three weeks or something. And when you have twins getting out the door for 15 minutes, okay, good luck. Um, and then driving because it was like half an hour away, so that was it was just impossible I couldn't do it um for yeah, so many reasons. And then um, so I got them to like Dolphins or you know, a place like that, like a franchised yes, swim school. And I want to say they were probably too. I'm not gonna lie, I was also really excited about me sitting out and them and like having a fifth like half an hour thought of them being with somebody else. But um, I don't were they two? I don't remember. Everything's a blur. Um, but they they would not get in the water, and you know, I'm out behind the glass and I can't really, and you know, like part of me, I'm not a like helicopter bomb. You know, part of me is like just shove them in the water, like they're fine, like make them get in, and they're like being too gentle, like I'm not that mom, I'm not like oh, they're like just put them, like throw them in, you know, like um, and they were not, they would not do it. So I took them out and I told I I think I waited like a year, so they're probably around three, like you were saying, like three, three and a half, and I pulled Ava aside and it because Ava was like, I don't want to do it, and I was like, baby, this is not like basketball and volleyball where you get to decide like I don't want to do it, like this is not an option, like this is not a hobby thing. You have to learn how to swim. This is not a choice, like you have to learn how to swim. Because by this point, I had Greta and I was pregnant with my fourth, so I was like, I definitely don't have hands, even with my husband. We don't have enough hands to go anywhere near water. And then by that time, they were perfectly fine learning, they did great. So I I do feel like there was like a when they're ready kind of thing. And maybe I just tried too early, but um, I don't know. Have you had any experience of like parents being too soft? Or do you feel like you do have to just kind of wait?

SPEAKER_00 13:48

It is a challenge sometimes when you have parents, I think, who have had a bad experience themselves with water. Um, I remember, I think it's been two summers ago, like during our public swimming session. Um, there was a parent who was very concerned and very much so worried when you could just tell her physical position and how she held herself when her kids were in lessons. She was not comfortable. Um, and at one point, one of her kids they were okay, they were within a reach of the of one of the instructors, but she let go of her floaty or whatever she was on, and she went under the water, and the mom just lost it. Um, and the little girl was okay. You know what I mean? Like the little girl popped her up and she was okay, but the mom just seeing that, I think that that just indicated to me that there was that trauma that was there. Honestly, what I see more of like what you said is the parent who's like, no, just dough, just don't, you know, I mean, like, right, no, just dunk them under or um, you know, I mean just make them jump in or um right.

SPEAKER_01 15:05

Because I think we're all just so scared, you know, that we do just we like we need them to learn and we have to and it, you know, we're we know that they have to get past that initial like fear. Yes. I don't know. It's because you do see every kid. I haven't seen many kids that were just like right away, just yes, just those fish.

SPEAKER_00 15:26

And and I guess the other thing that I feel is concerning too is when you do have those kids, like I've had some students um who with their special needs, sometimes there is no fear. Um, and sometimes just you know, I mean, yeah, your typical kid sometimes has no fear, but especially I think that some of those special needs kids that I have, they have absolutely no fear. And so don't always understand that consequence of oh, when I don't listen to Miss Julie, and I just decide I'm gonna jump in wherever I'm at, I can't touch my feet or touch the ground, and I I don't know what to do. Um, but then that's a good learning lesson, you know. Two, we always go over all the the rules of the pool, um, and that's one of them. But then when that happens, it's one of those, you know, you you can't do that, and you have to understand that.

SPEAKER_01 16:17

So I have one of those children that has no fear. He happens to be my youngest and my boys, and yeah. Yeah, and he's done that before when he was little and he just jumped into the pool. You know, I feel like every mom probably has a story where some like not maybe not extreme, but a baby or somebody like a toddler jumped into the pool. Yeah, we were at a lake, and my sister-in-law her taught um two-year-old, almost three-year-old, just jumped into the lake, thought he had his puddle jumper on.

SPEAKER_00 16:49

Yes, I was gonna say with the puddle jumper and with the flotation devices and things like that, they're wonderful. I mean, and just um in my education experience, we always talk about different tools that you use as a teacher or you want your kids to use, like in math. I remember when my now 20-year-old and he just got engaged this weekend. Um, but when he was in second grade, um, he came home from a math class, and I was in, I taught in the same school he was, but he goes, Mom, you'll never believe what we learned in math we can use for a tool. And I was like, What? And he goes, My fingers. And he was just so excited. Um, and so like I think of all of those flotation devices that we have for kids these days, you know. I mean, we have noodles, we have the puddle jumpers, we have flotation, actual life jackets that we have. Um, we use um what we call jet packs. Um, I use those a lot. Like, I don't know if you've seen those. They're rectangular and they have their stacks. Um, and then you can take them off as the student becomes or as the child becomes more comfortable in the water. Um, and all of those are fantastic and are great tools. However, they also provide that false sense of security when a child does not, you know, I mean, just like you said, when you're like, oh, they thought they had that on and they don't. Um, so I think that there's definitely a time and a place, and it's great to have those. Um, but just to help your child know that when that's not on, you're not going to, you know what I mean, just so that they have that idea of what that right, what that is, um, what that's like. And I I enjoy all of those different flotation devices for different purposes. You know what I mean? When um we have a camper, and so um, when when we're out at the lake, I think a life jacket is gonna be your safest bet. You know what I mean? Just because that provides more more security. Um, now when I have what my my granddaughter just she's only been in once with Auntie Cameron um this summer so far, but she has um she had a puddle jumper that she actually would put on and wear this summer. Um, she would not last year. Um, and so we did a lot of holding with her and things like that, because you also don't want to traumatize them. Again, if you're on a boat, you're gonna, you are going to make sure that they have that life jacket on, you know, and things like that. But when you're there and if you can hold them and provide them that security, then that's okay. Um but the puddle jumper, I think is great because kids tootle around the pool and they can they can move pretty much on their own. But most puddle jumpers though, set them set them straight up and down. And so to me, that's not the best way. You're not going to learn to swim, swimming up and down. Um, and so that's with our jet pack that we that I use, um, both at both at the club and in my backyard, um, it just straps on around their chest. And so it it pitches them forward and it allows me to help them pitch themselves forward so that they are on the need to get those feet behind them, their chin by the chin by the water. Um, and also like I'll tip their hips so that because it's not comfortable for a number of kids, they feel like they're gonna fall over, but that's what they need to, what they need to feel. And then, like I said, then as they become stronger swimmers, you can take off one of those layers. Um, and then also the puddle jumpers, when it has the, you know, around the arm and the chest, it restricts some of that movement where the jet pack just clips around and they have more ability to move their arms and do like with my young, young kids, I just call them scoops or dig. Ice cream is my Achilles heel. I love ice cream, so that's why I was like, Do you like ice cream? And I was like, okay, so pretend you're scooping up your biggest scoop of ice cream that you have. So we talk about scoops, we talk about making having Barbie hands um so that they're together and not apart, and um, talk about why that's important. Um, so just those basic skills to learn how to move through the water. And like, you know, I mean, what going back to age? My my granddaughter, she doesn't she doesn't completely understand what Nana means when, you know, I mean, when she says all that, or um, when I say try and keep your legs straight, she's like, How am I supposed to keep my leg straight when you're asking me to kick? Because bicycling kicking is, you know, I mean, a kid's first process of how that works. Right. So spend a lot spend a lot of time also just helping kids develop that kick. Um, in I mean, if you're if you're daring in the bathtub, let them kick um both on their tummy and on their back. Um, or even like I I tell my swim kids, I'm like, okay, I'm gonna give you homework and I want you to sit on the edge of the edge of the couch or the edge of the bed. And I just want you to sit on the edge and just try and kick your feet as straight as you can and as quick as you can, um, to just help develop that that skill to be able to kick your feet, because that's that's all. So, you know what I mean? Like, not only do you have a fear of getting on your back, but then your feet, if you don't push up your belly and kick your feet up so that they get to the top, you know, I mean, there's a lot that goes into that. So I know.

SPEAKER_01 22:12

Yeah. Um, I eventually I didn't do the pellet jumpers, I just did the arm floaties, and I would gradually sit air.

SPEAKER_00 22:20

That's great, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:24

And the other thing that I learned that my kids learned how to swim way faster than three years at swim lessons at like a franchise swim place was like a vacation with a pool. Like if we go to state at in Florida, like a VRBO with a pool in the backyard, and we'd like to all the kids would be in the pool, and they'd have like I mean, one week at a pool, my kids learned how to swim so fast because they were in there eight hours a day, you know, and like all the adults are in there too, and yeah, we're all just hanging out in the pool, and they're just I mean, that's when all my kids like finally just it all clicked right away. So okay, so one of my weird things, I I don't know if this was like pop like because I ever since my kids have grown up, and maybe it's my algorithm, but when I was my kids were little, it was dry drowning, was like my trigger. Yes. Is that still like is that a real like is that a real thing? Do people still talk about that?

SPEAKER_00 23:33

It is, um, yes, it is uh a thing, and it's still talked about. Um, I don't think that it's as well known. Um, you know, I mean, just but it's one of those scary realities that you have to be cognizant of, and you know, I mean, I don't add to mom's stressors, yes, yeah, yeah. The other thing that we haven't talked about as far as a stressor, and something that I feel like as a mom or grandma that we can do is the color of swimming suits, and I feel like that has kind of come up a little bit more too. Um just it's crazy when you see how sometimes those swimsuits just do blend in with the with the water, or you know, I mean, especially at a lake when it's murky and all of that, just to be cognizant of all of those pieces that what can we do as adults to help minimize or help help us be more aware also of that situation.

SPEAKER_01 24:33

So, what are your number one tips? So, like the swimsuit color, what else?

SPEAKER_00 24:38

Um, swimsuit color. Um knowing and helping your child know that no water without an adult, depending on their age, as they get older, probably your kids, um, you know, I mean, no swimming without a buddy, um, because those are the, you know, I mean, those are huge. Um, and then to me, helping your child just be comfortable with having their face in the water and being able to get to their back. Those are really just the the two pieces. Like I've even um seen where teaching a kid to roll up in a ball and float face first, which I don't have a lot of kids who are willing to do that, but to have them do that so that they know that's a place where you could almost rest. Kind of like when I um back in the day when I took swimming lessons, oh now I can't remember what it's called. But I want to say we called it the dead man float or something like that, where your arms and your legs kind of hung so that you could just relax for a little bit. Same concept is with that ball so that if they're tired, they can just rest for a minute and then uncurl themselves, get to their back, and then be able to swim some more. Um, so yeah, but safety is just uh swimming safety is just so important. Like you said, it touches so many lives. And I will say kids at a young age can understand that how important safety, swimmer safety is though. Um, my granddaughter, when she was in daycare, our um health department has a program where they actually came to, they've come to the schools when I've been there um before too, but they went to their daycare and um she came home and was talking about the importance of how it, you know, I mean, you have to be with an adult and you have to um not be by yourself and all of those pieces. And so, and that was, I mean, she's all she'll be three in August, so it was this spring. So, you know, I mean, two years old. She understood that as a two-year-old can, but to at least start hearing that conversation and helping them know that I think is is vital.

SPEAKER_01 26:51

What age do you think like it's okay to like not watch your kids? Um, is that an unfair question? That's probably an unfair question.

SPEAKER_00 27:03

I would say when my kids were teenagers, I pro I wasn't out there all the time with them at our pool. Um, and I but I still never let them swim alone. Um now, as adults, they do. I mean, as adults, I well, as an adult, I do. Um but I will be honest with you. I am old. I always tell kids in the school system, like I'm like, I'm old like a dinosaur old. Um, but so like even when my family is at the lake um or my kids are tubing, and like I said, they are 20 to 27 almost. I am I'm nervous. And I grew up, I mean, I grew up, like I said, as a lifeguard. We I grew up on the water. I've been around, I I fish, you know, I mean, I do all that, but I just think it's because I'm so aware that I just know what could happen in the blink of an eye, I think. And it's not always you, you know, I mean, just like everything. Um, my dad always used to say when when I would go off to drive somewhere, he'd always say, watch out for the other guy. Um, so like you never know what that other, that other person, that other thing um could could happen. And so I think that that's why. So to answer your question, I definitely wouldn't until I don't, and I don't know why I say teenagers, because sometimes some kids as a teenager are not as responsible as a nine-year-old. Um, so you're gonna know your child too and that situation. Um, but it just it's just anxious, you know. I mean, it just makes me anxious at any time.

SPEAKER_01 28:47

I know. I know. We left the lake. Um, like life is like my favorite thing in the whole world. I love lit. We were just on a lake in um Tennessee and for vacation, and I just left and just said so many prayers of Thanksgiving because it's just so stressful all the time. Like and husbands just don't get it. I don't know, maybe your husband does, but like I just every little thing uh I cannot be around. And then what book did I just read? Oh, The Correspondent. Are you a reader at all?

SPEAKER_00 29:19

Ugh, I have not read that book, but yes, I am an avid reader.

SPEAKER_01 29:23

Oh, okay. You need to read The Correspondent. Okay, I will check it out. It's like all that she is like it's she's like an 83-year-old woman, and the whole book is her. Um it's like she's she um is a really firm believer in like the written word and like writing letters. So ever the whole book is just let her letters to people.

SPEAKER_00 29:44

Oh my gosh, that is my love language. I would love that book.

SPEAKER_01 29:47

Oh, you will you should because the way you talk to like your sister is different than the way you talk to like your tax accountant, and it shows like all these different anyways, but that's the book. I'll have to yes. So, anyways, I'm not gonna tell you how that connects to what we're talking about, but okay. Anyways, it's really good. You should read it.

SPEAKER_00 30:05

Have you heard of it? I will. No, I have not, but I am intrigued. Like I said, I am known for leaving notes all over for Oh, then you'll love this. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 30:16

I love the way she um but we're getting off topic, but I'll the last one. Yeah, sorry. Something I'll I'll always remember about that book is she talks about how like something that's lost now is like with written word, like all around the world, you'll have like stories of yourself, like around the world that people can like connect to you and like know your story from like because you'll have your writ your like letters to people.

SPEAKER_00 30:43

Oh, I love that. Oh yeah, oh yes, I'm okay. You should read it. Noted.

SPEAKER_01 30:50

Um what's your favorite book this summer?

SPEAKER_00 30:54

Oh my gosh. Um well I am I have multiple books going. Um, Theo of Golden. Um, so actually, one of my swimming moms gave it to me. Um, and she's her son. Oh, she's amazing in and of herself. She his he is autistic, but she has done everything that anyone has ever suggested for her. And he has come so far. Like she is an advocate for some of my other swim parents, like when she sees my other students and they're like, give her my give them my information. I want to help them. Cause she's like, that was my son. Um, and now he's going to be in third grade, I think, third or fourth grade, anyway. And he's articulate and he can do so much. Like he, I'm a big encourager. And um, like when he was swimming, I'd be like, Come on, you can do this. You can come on, keep going, keep going. And he would, he eventually, and this was a couple of years ago, so he was still pretty little, but she's taught him to advocate for himself. And he's like, Miss Julie, you can't tell me what a good job I'm doing because my brain can't take that. So, like he was telling me, like, I can't. And I was like, Do you know how hard that is though? Um anyway, no, she knows me well enough just from me working with her child that she got me the Theo of Golden book. And she's like, you have to read this because this is something that is near and dear to your heart. And so I've enjoyed that. Um, and then as far as I just have a very eclectic book, um, book collection. I have um Nora Roberts going. I have Amish fiction Amish fiction that I enjoy.

SPEAKER_01 32:33

Uh-huh. Um I have I work at a bookstore here one day a week for fun. And so I know every single book. Yeah, we have some Amish fiction, like, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:45

We have we have some very uh avid readers.

SPEAKER_00 32:49

Yes, and I don't know. I never used to, and obviously we are very off topic, but I never liked to read. Um, as a kid, I was one of those kids that um I flew under the radar in school and I always did really good in school and was always like the bluebird reading group, you know, like the high reading group because I could read and I sounded like I knew exactly what I was doing, but I could I remembered nothing. And so I really didn't like to read for that reason. And then when I went down to Florida for my internship with Disney World, um, I had to take a um children's lit class, and I don't remember how many books I had to read, but like I had to read all these books. Yeah. And ever since then, like I thought it would turn me off, but it turned me on to reading. And now it's almost like an addiction. I have a phone or I have a Kindle on my phone, and if I have downtime, I have my book open and I'm reading it. So yeah, so yeah, yeah. But I really quickly, and sorry, I don't mean to monopolize, but talking about water safety and things like that, when you do take your kids' places, um, and I think of the water park, um, just because what a fun place, and just you know, I mean, worlds of fun is just close by, oceans of fun. Um, and I know that there's, you know, so many pools now have little water slides or the floating river, the lazy river, whatever. Um, so I feel it's always extremely important, um, like we said, to always be with someone. But when you are at a park like that, how easy it is to just get separated and how scary that is. Um, that was always, I mean, to be a lifeguard at Disney was fantastic and was amazing. I was at Typhoon Lagoon, and um, when I was there, I did my stint was from January to June. And um, there were icicles on their Tilly, which is their ship that got shipwrecked at their thing. And like they were all like, oh my gosh, look, it's ice. And I'm like, guys, I'm from Nebraska. Come on, there's nothing not that big of a deal. But anyway, um, but just how scary it is, you know. I mean, those parents who came up to you and was like, oh, I can't find, you know, I mean, I know that they were just here, and and generally they were, you know, I mean, you could find them, but just again, that sinking feeling of oh, what what could happen?

SPEAKER_01 35:22

Um, so and in those situations, life jacket, puddle jumper, you know, I mean, even um if you have a strong swimmer, yes, but there's it's yeah, it's you just can't chance any um advice on how to know or like know a good lifeguard from a someone who's not paying attention or not a good lifeguard. Uh well are there key details that we can look for?

SPEAKER_00 35:51

To to see that they are attentive on the stand and they are now I wouldn't say that you have to be standing by any means, um, but I know like when when again going back to Typhoon Lagoon, when the waves would come on, we were required to stand up and scan our area just because when you're sitting, you're more complacent, you can't see everything. But when you're at the like at this at the pool, and I think of, oh my gosh, I had just turned 14 when I was a lifeguard. Um, and I was like, wow, I was in charge of kids' lives. You know, I mean, those kids and yeah, back in back in the day of the 80s and 90s when I was there. Um, kid, you know, I mean, parents, they were they were kids there by themselves, ride your bike and and you're just there. Um, and I think of just how much responsibility that was and that is. So as a parent, to watch those lifeguards and see if they are truly paying attention. Um, and I know that you don't ever want to, um, you know, in school, I always talk about you talk about tattletales versus telling and reporting. Um, so as a parent, like if you truly see a a lifeguard who you've seen that is not paying attention, I would go to their supervisor and again approach it with kindness, approach it with concern, but just say, hey, I noticed that they were, you know, I mean, kind of off. And I'm just concerned and just want to bring that to your attention. Um and I just feel that I mean, just because I mean, wouldn't you feel awful if something happened? Yeah, and you hadn't said something. So I mean, you don't want to be that person, but it's the same person you at the same token, you don't want to be someone who could have prevented an accident.

SPEAKER_01 37:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:46

Well, thank you so much for being here today. This is such an important topic, and I'm just really glad you're here to speak wisdom into this and um help some moms out today because it's it's stressful and it's a lot.

SPEAKER_00 38:01

So yes.

SPEAKER_01 38:03

Um if you're in the Missouri area, the Saint Jo Saint Joseph's, right?

SPEAKER_00 38:10

Yep, Saint Joseph and Savannah area, yes.

SPEAKER_01 38:12

Yeah, you're check Julie out.

SPEAKER_00 38:15

Yes, yes, please do.

SPEAKER_01 38:17

And sounds like if if they're your spectral ed, like that's like your niche. Yes, yes, that's pretty cool. I feel like I could have just a podcast with you talking about that stuff because I feel like that's really cool.

SPEAKER_00 38:31

Yes. So yes, that's near and dear to my heart.

SPEAKER_01 38:35

So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:36

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 38:37

Well, I might have to have you on again to talk about that. So well, I would love to. Well, thanks, Julie. Thanks for being here.

SPEAKER_00 38:43

Thank you so much. I appreciate the time.

SPEAKER_01 38:46

Thank you so much for tuning in to Rooted Conversations. I hope this episode reminded you that you're growing, you're growing a strong family, and you're growing as a parent. One moment, one choice, and one hug at a time. I'll see you next time.