With 73 children, two pools and very few staff or kids who know how to swim,  we have to be very careful on our annual Latika Vihar picnic. We are constantly vigilant when the kids are in the pool and rigid about maintaining our “schedule:” boys swim for half an hour, then the girls; little ones in the baby pool, older ones in the big one.

Except at staff swim. Then it’s all caution to the winds.

At first the children thought it was entertaining to watch their teachers cavort and splash.

It was a whole new way of looking at them – those serious adults, playing and shouting just as if they were kids themselves.

But after awhile, it started to get a bit wearisome. There we were, in the water, having fun, and there THEY were, standing on the side, getting hotter and hotter.

They began talking amongst themselves. And then began to countdown: FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE!

Until finally, we had to concede defeat and give the pool back to them. 

We were good sports, too. Not that we had much choice . . .