Serena was excited about the pool party she was hosting that afternoon. She was so glad that when her family had moved six months ago, her parents had finally agreed to buy this house. They hadn’t wanted a pool, but Serena had finally convinced them by promising to do all the work. For a while, she had. She learned to run the pump and filter and to test the pool water for pH range and chlorine levels. Every day, she skimmed bugs and leaves out of the water. Once a week, she scrubbed the walls with a pool brush and cleaner. Lately, however, she’d been so busy with schoolwork and babysitting that she’d neglected her pool duties.

Serena grabbed the skimmer basket in preparation for cleaning the pool. Then she froze. She immediately noticed that the water looked cloudy. But when she looked more closely, there were large greenish patches here and there. Serena knew what that meant. Algae was growing rapidly. No one would be swimming in the pool today.

Disappointed in herself, Serena slogged back into the house. She had a lot to do: confess to her parents, give her friends the bad news, and start researching how to get rid of algae.

Which theme does the author develop in the text?

Busy people must remember to make time for fun.
, Busy people must remember to make time for fun.

Working together is the best way to accomplish a big task.
, Working together is the best way to accomplish a big task.

Kids should not worry about things they cannot control.
Kids should not worry about things they cannot control.

Failing to do one’s duties leads to negative consequences.