There are
days when you like work, and days when you just don't want to go in, even the promise
of money is not enough to inspire you. This is completely normal, in fact it’s
rare that a person actually like their job. I am one of those weird people.
I
really enjoy my job. I get to meet some interesting people, kids are absolutely
hilarious when they aren’t being incredibly annoying, and teaching swimming is
a great thing to do, for yourself and others. It a lifesaving skill, a life
lesson that people to remember and take with them for the rest of their lives.
People
who start swimming lessons early in their lives take for granted the importance of such a skill. Over the last few
months in Australia there have been an insane number of drownings. All
accidental but all preventable with just a little education and awareness. Water
is fun, but also dangerous.
We
have recently had a Water Safety week a work where we try to teach the children
all the skills to stay safe around water. What to do if you need help, what not
to do around water and stressing the importance of life saving skills such as
treading water, floating etc. For the teacher in the water (me) this is a super
stressful week because the kids love it as the activities are fun and different
from their regular lesson plans. Me as the teacher needs to maintain the
balance between fun and education, unfortunately. It is difficult to keep the kid’s
attention long enough to tell them one thing, then do a quick activity and keep
talking and imparting wisdom.
To summarize,
for such an important week, it's a lot of work, mentally and physically.
But I also
teach adult classes, and it becomes obvious when the adults started to swim by
their levels of fear in the water. I was trying to teach a fifty year old man
how to simply walk in water and enter and exit safely. Basic skills so that he
could one day take his children swimming and supervise them from in the water instead
of watching from the sidelines. He told me that he always watched his wife swim
with the children and that it was time he took on that responsibility. He was
incredibly brave in stepping up and making the life changing decision to learn
this important skill, furthering himself and hopefully, creating a new loving
bond with his children.
It’s
hard to imagine what goes on inside his head when he is in the pool with me.
How terrified he is, but I can tell you that his determination to achieve his
goal is impressive and inspiring.
It is
for people like him that I am always trying to learn more and impart my
knowledge on others, to help them better themselves, and to ultimately, hopefully,
save a few lives. Every time a new child can float or achieve anything in the
water, it is to be celebrated. That skill might save them one day.
And that
is why I try to stay positive and greet every baby, child, or adult, with the same
level of enthusiasm and determination.
I can
never truly know the impact I might have on their lives, but I would like to
think it is a valuable one.
