Keeping Children Safe

The weekend from hell. That is what I am in the midst of.

It all started out with the green pool. The recent downpours that overflowed the pool several times and diluted the chemicals, along with the intense heat combined to take over the pristine blue water that once graced the pool. And if that wasn't bad enough, we had to replace a sewer line. Leaving us with only two working showers for tent campers. It looks like we will have to rebuild the bigger bathhouse due to the water damage.

The reservations started arriving Friday, as they always do. Just so you know, the campground you have made your reservation with does not need an hour by hour report on your whereabouts as you are traveling. It will not endear you to the one answering the phone.

Last season we had a family come in that blatantly lied about the number of people they had staying with them. I tried to get a correct head count, but every time I went to the site they were like mice, running to hide. At the end of their stay, HeWho rarely confronts people told the patriarch of the group that they were not welcome back.

Here they stood in the office waiting to be checked in. HeWho just happened to be in the office with me. I recognized the man and reminded him that my husband had spoken with him last season. He denied ever having had a discussion with him. He was adamant that we had never told him he could no longer camp here. I deferred to the man in charge (I like to let him take over now and again). I wanted to send these people on their way, but HeWho decided to give the man another chance.

My entire day has been a nightmare. The store was super busy and I was stuck indoors all day. I had several annoyances throughout the day, not the least of which was my hovering headache that still lingers around the edges of my head. The pool tested safe and we had lots of swimmers. Could be because I extended a half price discount because the water was discolored.

One lady who had been swimming with her children came in the office as they were leaving to report a disturbing incident. She told me that the campers I had not wanted to stay had lots of children in the pool that were not being supervised. She told me a child of about 2 or younger fell in and was floating face down when her daughter jumped in and pulled her out.

She told me it upset her enough that she screamed at the adults in that group and asked who was responsible for the child. They took the baby back to the campsite. I was busy, so I texted HeWho about the problem.

Before he could address the situation, the phone rang and a camper expressed concern for a group of young children in the pool without supervision. I headed to the pool and although there were adults at the pool, none of the adults were with the children in question. A boy, who said he was 8 was in the pool with FOUR toddlers. When I asked where his parents were, he informed me that his mama said he could bring the children to the pool, that he was watching them!

I told him that in order for him to come to the pool without an adult, he had to be 14. He had a bit of an attitude and insisted that his mama said it was okay. "Well, your mama is not in charge of the pool, I am, so you need to get out and go back to your campsite. You cannot swim without an adult with you."

The children reluctantly got out and were met at the fence by a young man and two other children. See the problem here? They paid for 4 children and here we have 5 in the pool and 2 more coming to get them along with a man that I am sure was not with them when the registered. HeWho was there by the time I evicted the kids from the pool and he counted 11 adults and 13 children. They paid for a total of 8 and now we have 16 extras that we know of. Other campers have counted up to 40 different people at other times during the day.

Beyond the fact that they are ripping me off and will, no doubt, leave a huge mess in their wake, the whole issue of the children running around unsupervised troubles me, no it scares me. I will be so glad when they leave tomorrow. I have their address and they live in another county. I feel like I should call child protective services. Problem is that I have no idea which child belongs to who. I only have the name and address of the older man who registered.