My kid is a certified lifeguard

A week ago I wrote about my daughter's enrollment in a lifeguarding class. If you didn't read it, you can here. This past weekend she took the two-day class. (Two days to train "kids" to save lives. Please know that I am rolling my eyes and clutching my chest at that nonsense.) Prior to the class, she received the books and the online videos and she spent Friday getting a jump on the subject. Saturday she started at 7:00 in the morning. There were six "kids" in the class, two of whom already had been hired for jobs despite not having the certification. (Insert my screaming at a high volume) Six students and two instructors. The class went until 7:00 that evening. Sunday they started at 8:00 and didn't finish until 10:30 at night. Nothing like cramming it in.

Darcy periodically sent SnapChats updating me. When she got out of the class, she called me on her way home. She was exhausted, but as she talked my heart lifted. I had been concerned. Lifeguarding was my profession back when it wasn't deemed a "profession" and people were shocked that our staff was all college graduates with BA and BS degrees. Because that was the stigma in those days. Now, aquatics and lifeguarding are majors and minors in college. I was ahead of my time. Sigh. But as my daughter talked about her day I heard the confidence. She discussed her irritation regarding the summer camp pool and all that they DID NOT have in equipment that she had now learned was needed for safety purposes. She was concerned about some of the students in her class. She even voiced an objection to learning everything in two days. Because she was a strong swimmer, had studied prior to the class, and had a grasp on what she was learning she wasn't given as much practice in areas as the others. The instructors knew she could do it and so they had her play the victim. Over and over again while the other students worked to perfect what my kid had soaked up and could handle.

I was proud. I was also disappointed in myself. Here I had been worried, as I always am when it comes to my kids. When will I learn that they are capable? When will I realize that they are more than able to stand on their own two feet and handle life? Is that a parent thing? That thought that they are young and still need us to pave the way? Hell, they are smarter and more capable of things then I am. A fact I am well aware of, yet here I am still second-guessing them. My kids know they are competent and darn it, I have got to believe in them as they believe in themselves.

Darcy is now considering taking Water Safety Instruction in April. She said she might look into the class on becoming a head lifeguard. She enjoyed the class. She was the only one to pass the written test. She did well in the rescue portion. After the class ended, one of the instructors took her aside and offered her a job at the campus pool.

Oh my!

I'm working on pushing aside any worry regarding that thought. She can do it. She can do it. And darn it, I know she can. I do believe that. My kid is a certified lifeguard, you all.