Friday, June 6, 2008

Summer has arrived!

Well, maybe not according to the calendar but for us it's the "unofficial" start. Today was The Son's last day of preschool. We had a picnic at a local park to celebrate and it was lots of fun.  I was really pleased with his school this year which goes to show that a school that costs a lot of money isn't always better than one that doesn't. Last year The Son went to a nice little preschool in the city and it was what I consider pretty expensive, particularly for a preschool. There weren't a lot of other options however and I wasn't disappointed with the school as a whole. This year, when we were looking for schools. We looked in this area even though we hadn't moved yet because his old school was cost prohibitive if we weren't spending the whole year there. I called the YMCA preschool and they quoted me a price of $150 a month. I asked the Director if she meant $150 a week and I think she thought I was crazy! So, we promptly signed him up and commuted an HOUR each way on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for almost seven months! I just worked out at the Y while The Son was at school. It sucked but now I'm glad that we did it because we had friends, knew the area and it was much easier to settle in here. I'm just so happy with the YMCA, I doubt they're all as nice as ours but ours is just wonderful! 

So, back to the summer, the Son will start camp in a few weeks and he's also enrolled in some fun enrichment classes. We'll be heading to the pool starting next week (since it's supposed to be in the 90s here already) and I'll continue to work out at the Y because I really do enjoy that. 

I was also offered another job opportunity yesterday that is very "summery" and should be a lot of fun. I am going to run two weeks of the "Aquatic Adventures" camp. (at the Y of course) Apparently, the person who was in charge of it is no longer able to do it and the Director of the preschool knows my background (I've been a camp director and a teacher) and that I'm teaching swimming now and she asked if I'd be interested. It's not until July so I'll have a bit more time to get my swimming skills and swimming teaching skills in order. I'll have plenty of lifeguards and counselors working with me. Evidently, these weeks are the most popular two weeks of camp so I might be a popular lady at the Y. Kids generally like me and I expect this to make me really cool in their eyes! The camp is for grades 1 through 6 and the description is as follows:

A wet and wild week of fun in July! Skilled YMCA instructors (that's me) will guide your child through pool challenges, games and aquatic skills. Campers must be comfortable in the water and ready to swim every day. Not for beginning swimmers. Camp includes a trip to [a local water park]. (Yay! A water park!)

The Son was already enrolled for camp for one of those weeks so I'll probably just end up enrolling him for the second week as well. It still ends up that I'll make some good money though since I get a discount on his camp enrollments. I'll have to work 8:30 to 4:00 and then head right to my swim teaching job on Mondays and Wednesdays so I imagine I'll be pretty tired after two weeks of that but it should be a good, fun, tired. OOOOH, I'm getting excited already! 

I'm going bathing suit shopping tomorrow. I hate that but I really need more than what I have now and I have to find suits with shorts that go over them so I need to start looking now. This is the only downside to the new job...oh well, at least I'll be having some fun this summer, even without a vacation. 

6 comments:

Michelle said...

That summer job sounds like fun!!!

My poor kids are stuck in preschool all summer. LOL! I am taking physio in summer school, so they have to go to school, since I have no one else to watch them for those eight weeks. Luckily, our preschool does have summer session. I wish we only paid $150 a month for each kid, though!!!

Caren said...

Well, that $150 a month was for three days a week 12-3 but still, that was really good for me considering it cost me a HECK of a lot more last year for less time and every Jewish holiday ever known to man off. I swear we had off for Jewish holidays my Jewish friends never heard of but I digress... this year=much better.

...and no Jewish holidays off. The YMChristianA doesn't do Jewish.

Erin Leigh said...

That job sounds awesome!!! Are you getting your WSI cert and all of that or is it different through the Y?

Good luck with the bathing suit shopping.

Caren said...

No Erin, I don't have to get any certification (other than CPR and First Aid) because there are always trained lifeguards on duty with us. I don't even have to get it to be a swim instructor, that's why I decided to do it.

Anonymous said...

Happy end of school year!!

Marie said...

Our "unofficial" start to summer was 3 weeks ago. It seems like forever since my kids were in school. :o)

Enjoy your summer job. hee hee It reminds me of when I worked at Wet and Wild in Orlando when I was in high school. :o)