Are you a lifeguard? Or a swim coach?

I grew up in the water. Every chance I got, I was swimming or diving, and even competed nationally. So, I got a front row seat to both lifeguards and swim coaches.

Lifeguards scrutinized the swimmers, looking for any signs of danger or horseplay. Unless something was wrong, they didn’t normally jump in. A coach, on the other hand, was involved in training people to swim, to stay afloat when the water got deep, and to cheer on when someone reached a personal best.

So, which are you? When your teen is home, do you watch for danger and jump in to to rescue? Or do you walk alongside and coach him how to swim?

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