I ran this article last year as a part of an ABCs of Water Safety series. It was such a scary experience for me, but also such an important illustration of "A is for Adult Supervision" that I thought I would share it again. Read this article and the other two that follow for a review of the ABCs of Water Safety, so important this and EVERY summer.
When my daughter C., was 3 years old, she received a birthday party invitation that indicated we should prepare for “water fun”. Thinking that probably meant sprinklers or water balloons, I tossed a swimsuit and sunscreen into the diaper bag, but definitely didn’t prepare for the pool party it turned out to be.
C. could swim, but this was her first time in the pool since the previous summer, and she definitely was not confident in the water, especially without an adult. I asked her to play on the steps, which she did happily while I sat by the side of the pool. I had our younger daughter with me, at that point a fast and eager crawler, so I was pre-occupied with her as she tried to escape my grasp. There were other adults milling about the yard, and I assumed they were watching the children in the pool.
It happened quickly and silently. A bigger child, and stronger swimmer, pulled C. out into deep water, not realizing she couldn’t swim well. C. was surprised, I think, and didn’t react quickly. I watched her simply slip under the water…and I panicked. I couldn’t just jump in myself with the baby in my arms. There was nobody nearby to whom I could pass her, and I knew she would also be in the water in no time if I put her down. My mind raced through my options in mere seconds, but it felt like too long before I found my voice and yelled, “Help!,” C., all the while, under the surface of the pool.
Moments later the birthday child’s mother jumped into the water, fully clothed, and pulled C. out. By this time I had found other arms for baby E., and was able to ensure C. was ok. She was a bit shaken, but I think I was more so. As I wrapped the towel around her I fought tears. The “what ifs” were too many to consider, and the water dangers we hear about every summer were too close to home.
Every adult present made a mistake that day. We all were “sort of” watching the kids, just as we assumed that everyone else WAS watching them. We should have had a designated water watcher. Someone without a baby in their arms. Someone whose attention was on the children and the children alone, and who could be in the water at a moment’s notice. Someone with a whistle, so that in the instance where one’s voice is lost in a moment of panic, an alarm could still be sounded. Adult presence does not necessarily mean adult supervision. I think more of us are guilty of that oversight than we care to admit.
This week I'm including an article for each of the ABCs of water safety. Here’s my plea: Take time to read them. We hear so much about water safety and, sadly about water tragedies here in Arizona. It's so easy to get complacent. Don't. Brush up on all of the basics, and on CPR. Double check and re-think the safety measures you have in place. Teach your child to swim. Don’t forget that bathtubs, fountains, and buckets can be as much a danger as pools and spas. Our children are worth the extra effort. And a summer without any more water-related accidents would be a summer to celebrate.
Have fun out there! And please be safe. As always, have a wonderful week!
~K
