18-year-old lifeguard fails kids who prove they can't swim on their swim tests, fellow lifeguards criticize her for being too strict and making kids cry

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Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Aug 13, 2026 8:30 PM EDT

What's wrong with her coworkers? Are they just passing all of the kids along?

Lifeguarding is such a strange job when you really think about it. Water parks, beaches, and community pools around the world put patrons' lives in the hands of bored, athletic teenagers who make $12 an hour if they're lucky. It's honestly a miracle that there aren't more drownings at pools, given how undertrained, underpaid, and overworked lifeguards are.  

Sometimes, lifeguards have to deal with problems that have nothing to do with the safety of the swimmers in their vicinity. They're often treated like customer service representatives for the pools, even though dealing with swimmers' personal problems is not in their job descriptions. They're not supposed to make the kids at the pool feel special and favored. They're supposed to keep them alive. If that means yelling at them for running at the pool, then so be it. If there is any profession that is justified in being a little bit mean on the delivery, it's lifeguards. 

Not everybody thinks that lifeguards should be strict. After all, these are teenagers we're talking about. A lot of them aren't comfortable with calling out every mistake a kid at the pool makes. They might be tired of telling the same kids to stop fighting in the water over and over again. But if they're any good at their jobs, they shouldn't cut corners on safety. That's a good way for a kid to get hurt. 

The lifeguard in this story is doing a good job, but her coworkers do not respect her strict enforcement of the rules. 

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  • 01
    A lifeguard times a swimmer's swim test.
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    A lifeguard times a swimmer's swim test. 

    The scene shown is a visual representation.

  • 02

    Am I the bad guy for making a kid cry for not swimming well during the swim test?

    For context, I am an 18 year old lifeguard at my local pool in the United States PNW, and I have been working there for atleast a few years. This summer I have been on the "swim test duty", the swim test consists of a patron swimming down 10 yards and back (total 20
    via JohnThe_4th
  • 03
    yards or 18 meters) while showing a fast/smooth freestyle (crawlstroke) stroke. The swim test allows kids under the age of 18 to go to the deeper ends of the pool. So roughly a week and half ago from today, there was this kid (7-8 years old) who swam the 10 yards down
    via JohnThe_4th
  • 04
    (took them roughly 30 seconds which is a little slow) and back which took them roughly 1 minute and 30 seconds with a very slow freestyle. So before we go any further, my mentality for the swim test is if I am up in the stand and saw this kid, would I be worried about
    via JohnThe_4th
  • 05
    them swimming in my zone or feel fine. So I ultimately fail this kid and say to him "Hey bud, sorry you failed the swim test, but you can always retake in a few minutes or wear a life jacket." Then the kid starts crying his eyes out for the rest of the swim. When I get
    via JohnThe_4th
  • 06
    down from the swim tests my coworkers look at me like I am a psycho and tell me that I am messed up for failing this kid who couldn't swim and tell me that I should teach the kid on how to swim, even thought it's not my job to do that.
    via JohnThe_4th
  • 07
    A week later from that day I fail a different kid for the same reason as last time (not swimming well back 10 yards), and that kid starts crying, and my coworkers still went on my a about failing him, then they go back to the kid and pass him for demonstrating a 5
    via JohnThe_4th
  • 08
    second float on their back. Now fast forward to today, we have this survey to see who is the best guard, worst guard, worst swim tester, and etc. I get nominated for first place for worst swim tester with a whopping 70% of the votes, and after asking around I find out it's because
    via JohnThe_4th
  • 09
    I made some kids cry after not passing them for the swim test. Even thought in the past other people passed kids who were below the height limit to take the swim test. Now everyone who I work with is now mocking me and telling me how cruel I am. So now I ask the
    via JohnThe_4th
  • 10
    question to you all, Am I The A hole? UPDATE: For clarification, the certain parameters needed to pass/fail the swim test are as follows:
    via JohnThe_4th
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    1. Demonstrate a continuous crawlstroke/freestyle down and back (20 yards in total). 2. Demonstrate side breathing or roll overs onto back as a way to breath.
    via JohnThe_4th
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    3. At no point in taking the swim test they are allowed to touch the bottom of the pool or cling onto the side rope/lane line. 4. The patron has to be above 4 feet tall to take the swim test,
    via JohnThe_4th
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    5. The patron has to be above the age of 6 and below the age of 18 to take the swim test (Anyone above 18 does not have to take the swim test). 6. The patron has to complete the swim test in under a minute.
    via JohnThe_4th
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    7. If the patron is not making any forward progress during the swim test, it's an immediate fail. My supervisor gave me these general rules about the swim test.
    via JohnThe_4th
  • 15
    I know my delivery to the kid is not so great, I will try to get better at it. When I come to my job, my number one priority is safety. Lifeguards are the first line of defense at the pool and it's my job to ensure the safety of everyone.
    via JohnThe_4th
  • 16
    Intelligent-Panda-33 NTA. My 8yo passed the swim test and was happy as a clam. We took a long swim around the deep end and then I got out and he kept swimming. On his 3rd lap around the deep end he was looking tired and floating on his back. The lifeguard called him up and revoked his swim test. Kid was visibly bummed but I was happy the lifeguard noticed he was getting tired and had him get to a safer place. I'd rather have an upset kid than a de d kid. Sorry your coworkers don't care as much a
    via Intelligent-Panda-33
  • 17

    Kids need to learn that it's okay to fail, and that doesn't make them a failure. If they don't learn this young, they're going to have a difficult time later in life.

    fomaaaaa Some people would rather let a happy kid get in over their head (pun not intended) than make a kid sad for a while. Op is NTA
    via fomaaaaa
  • 18
    avanross The "nothing bad could ever happen to me" mentality has completely taken hold America is so cooked. Nobody has any self- preservation or even family-preservation instinct anymore. Teaching their kid to swim is hard, and might upset the kid, so it's easier to just pass them because "nothing bad could ever happen to me"
    via avanross
  • 19
    Safety hasnt just taken a back-seat to feelings, safety has completely gotten off the bus. Same thing with parents buying their kids 50mph e-scooters, or forcing teachers to pass their illiterate kids, or just overall not teaching their kids how to be uncomfortable and deal with adversity to complete a task
    via avanross
  • 20
    NTA. A kid crying because they failed isn't proof you were wrong it's proof the standard matters. You judged their swimming honestly and safely, and told them kindly they could retry. Your coworkers passing kids on a 5-second float or below the height limit is the actual problem here, not your calls. Being unpopular for holding the line on pool safety doesn't make you the ahle.
    via --I-have-opinions--
  • 21
    shinycaptain21 Most people seem to forget that safety is the most important part of a pool day, not fun. The guards aren't your friends, they have a job to do. The pool I went to, you had to do a full lap (25yards) for the swim test. The distance itself was enough to deter the younger kids who weren't strong swimmers. But the pool would get really crowded and the guards wanted to make sure only confident swimmers would be in the deep end/diving boards. Too many little kids already went down the
    via shinycaptain21
  • 22
    Yes_Leeks I would change that wording. Don't say "you failed." Say "you're almost there, but you need some more practice before I can let you go in the deep end" and let them know how they can get better. Ask if you can talk with their grown-up if that's relevant and show them how to help.
    via Yes_Leeks
  • 23

    What do you think? Should she adjust her delivery for the age demographic, or should she be extremely clear about the fact that the child failed?

    Tweed_Kills Kids need to experience failure. I fully disagree with this. This is INCREDIBLY low stakes. It's just the deep end. It'll come. Let them experience low stakes failure. And it is not a life guard's job to teach swimming. They are paid very little to keep people from drowning. The parents can solve their own problems, being adults.
    via Tweed_Kills
  • 24
    Pokegirl_11 ESH. You because if multiple kids are crying there's an issue in your delivery, your employer because they need to give you a more objective rubric for this swim test, more training in administering it, and more feedback/assessment/supervision than some kind of high school superlatives game. Sounds like a typical py teenage job, sorry. C
    via Pokegirl_11
  • 25
    dwthesavage That doesn't mean there's an issue with his delivery, kids aren't exactly know to react reasonably to disappointment
    via dwthesavage

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terrible coworkers lifeguard cry FAIL swimming pools kids coworkers swimming horrible coworkers swimming pool swimmer crying children
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