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Mum told me a story last night from when they were on holiday recently. A little 8 year old girl (guesstimate) was struggling in the pool - Mum only noticed it when the life guard called out to the child and then made a move. The child actually went under in the few seconds between the life guard diving in and reaching her.
He pulled her out, checked she was okay and (crying) she ran round to the bar area - not far from where my parents were - to her Dad. He listened, put a towel round her and then went back to drinking with his friends. Her Mum returned to the bar a while later, listened to what the little girl was saying, then effectively did the same thing - left her sitting in her chair and started drinking.
Anyway, when my parents went in to lunch, Mum made a point of reporting the incident to Reception, so that the lifeguard at least received some recognition. She didn't say anything about the parents of course, just that in her opinion he had saved the little girl's life. Perhaps he could have reacted sooner, but Mum believes the girl had been happily swimming for a while and simply tired herself out while out of her depth. Comfortable to distress is something that can happen very quickly when you go to put your feet on the bottom.
Mum said the parents were obviously of the "Well, you can't watch them 24 hours a day" school of parenting. A view she sums up with, "You shouldn't have kids then." She also thinks it was horribly rude of the parents not to thank the lifeguard - even though neither saw their daughter go under (bad enough) at least one saw her come back crying and obviously having been removed from the pool.
Then again, Mum's opinions probably have a lot to do with why I have chosen not to have children. I see that as a good thing (I really can't face the 24 hour responsibility) but perhaps if she didn't have those opinions I wouldn't judge other people so harshly.
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