Tag: pools

July’s humidity has been thick, just as thick as the political quagmire we all play in. And one place this is most evident is the pool club.

No,  I do not work during the summer other than prepping for next year’s students or learning new pedagogy.  And before you start to gripe, just remember I don’t get paid either.  Instead my work shifts to home work.  I become a full time mommy.

One way I fill the time for my munchkin is by joining a pool.

We have been members of the same pool club, which happens to be in a neighboring town, for the past four years.  So Munchkin and I hop into the car, which is filled with towels, tubes, and other toys, and drive over in the afternoons.

Now our club has this Dirty Dancing feel, a real throwback to the 60s.  They have shuffle board, and a diving board.  There are even games set up for the kids to play during adult swim!  And a few times a month, they hire a DJ and stay open late.

It has that country club feel without the price of one.

But when it comes to picking out a seat….Mommy beware!  Choosing your seat means more than just sitting poolside.  Your seat is like one of J.K. Rowling’s sorting hats.

See, there is the Yummy Mommy section, the place where slim, fit moms of three huddle with their Yeti coolers stuffed with kid treats.  They often have plush lounge chair covers and Joe Shade umbrella perched just behind them.  They talk about soccer coaches, camps, and clothes.

Catty corner to them is the new mom’s section.  They are often found hovering near the steps, holding their munchkins’ feet dangling just above the water.  They can be seen spraying sun-tan lotion and pulling on shirts or hats.

Towards the deep end are the older moms, or at least the ones with older kids.  Some sit in pairs and chat, while others glance up from their books every so often to see if their kid made it off the diving board in one piece.

Behind them, sitting on the grass under the club’s umbrellas, are often the older members of the club.  They can be the most friendly.

Closest to the snack bar there is an overhang.  This is where the shade lovers sit, huddling close together to shun the sun.

Then there is the click of teachers, which I can finally say after three years I can join.  We talk about September woes and Summer jobs.  This is the group that grows closer in late August as other moms gossip about their child’s new teacher.  Late August is the most painful, yet instructive time.  It always amazes me how crass and callous people can be.

It took time to “fit” into a group.

The first few years I felt just as uncomfortable as my kid.   During adult swim I would try out casual conversation.  Then I bought a Joe Shade umbrella.  I told myself I was buying this because I had a suspicious mole removed off my back.  I picked green because most of the club members had blue and red.  Then I pushed my munchkin to play with other munchkins.  Part of this was getting him to pass the deep water test.  His success opened up social portals for us both.  And this year, I too went to Christmas Tree shop to pick up a lounge chair cover.  It’s aqua blue if you’re curious.  Now I match a few other mommies.

So finally, I can swipe my card, enter, and find a friendly face.  A few mommies even know my name.  My munchkin plays with other kids.  And I am comfortable in this throwback setting, sitting under an umbrella poolside…aware of politics.

Happy swimming!

JMonell