Swimming Safety

One of the things that we love to do as a family is to go swimming. I have lifeguarded too many years, so I tend to gravitate to watching from the side while my kids are in pools. I also like watching them more than I like getting into freezing cold water. However, I do get in the slides and the lazy river.

Just the other day, one of my friends told me about an episode of a teenage boy drowing in the pool they were using. It just reaffirmed what I already knew. That it could happen to anyone.

Here is my unasked for opinion of swimming in general.

I love swimming. Everyone should learn how to swim. It can be a rewarding activity not only for fun, but can be exercise too. I even told my mom, who hates the water, that she should seriously contemplate exercising in the water.

Swimming can also be relaxing and very theraputic. I love being in the water. It takes all my stresses away.

With that said, I feel that there is a vast majority of the population that does not pay attention to the dangers of water. I see moms sunbathing on the side of the pools while little ones are playing in the water, without supervision. I see kids doing stupid things off the sides of pools. I see people breaking rules all the time, regardless of the risks that they are taking. I have seen children dropped off at pools on their own. Water wings and noodles are not reliable floatation devices, and if you can not swim safely to the side, you should not attempt to go into the deep end. I can not tell you how many times I have had to aid fellow patrons.

I know. I know.

Let me illustrate my point of view: Max was invited to a swimming party. Gregg (the calm rational parent) couldn't go, so I ended up going. While I was talking to one of the other boy's dad, I watched Max swim. He being my son, and having been taught, is very competent and comfortable in the water. Is he perfect? No. Which is why I was there. While I sat there, I noticed that everytime a wave hit, the boy Max was playing with pushed him farther into the deep. Pretty soon he couldn't touch. Waves are hard to swim in, and so Max kept trying to do what I had taught him to do. He turned towards safety, and tried to swim to the shallow end, only to be blocked by his friend that had no idea he was in danger. He started bobbing in the water, but he wasn't getting air. I heralded the lifeguard, and made them rescue my son. The lifeguard then chastised me for not being in the water with him when he couldn't swim. I didn't say a word. I tried to stay low key so I wouldn't further embarass my son. On the way home, I asked Max if I had embarrassed him by sending the lifeguard in after him. He said, "No, I couldn't breathe."

I had made a wise decision, but this is the reaction I got from other parents. "Oh, Barbara didn't need that to happen". I could hear the unsaid "She is already a stress case about her kids". She doesn't need this to solidify her worries.

HELLO! Really? After seeing everything that I did while working as a lifeguard, HOW COULD I NOT BE CAUTIOUS? What has the majority of the population done to ensure me that if I send my son off to a party that I know he will be supervised? That I know they will recognize the signs of distress? I have been in the industry. I know that there are good lifeguards out there, and I also know that there are not so good lifeguards out there. Will I risk the lives of my children on the gamble that I only get the good lifeguards? I don't think so!

Sorry, I don't know where that came from. Maybe I am feeling a little judged by the world for my unique differences. I really do love swimming with mykids, and will gladly be different if it keeps them safe.