Thread: Surfs up! For the parents of young kids. Be warned!

Just a word of warning for the Southerners. Drowning's, or in this case, near drowning's, happen fast. I almost had a bad end to the first week of school holidays when my 3 year old decided she could swim. When it happens, it happens in an instant, and if you're in the water with them, it seems to take forever to get to them. Thankfully one of my other two kids closer reacted fast. Not the closest one to situation either. My middle child has been chatted to about reaction times in emergency situations. All she had to do was reach out with her hand. My eldest and myself had to swim hard to get there.
All is well thankfully. The young one gave herself and me a helluva scare, but be warned, if you have small kids, it literally takes just one second of taking your eyes away. For me it was a simple wave to my neighbour. In that time my kid was gasping for her first breath after going under and bobbing back up after falling off her floatation device. I'm still shaking from the fright. Watch your kids like an Eagle watches the rabbit...Closely and ready to swoop.


Mick

Mick!

Mate, I'm so happy to hear that things turned out well! However I know of the fright that you endured!!! To have a child in distress is terrifying! I know, I've been there!

Please give all three of your little darlings and your lovely wife a Big Hug from your mate across the big pond!!

Roy

Will do Roy, and thanks for your common understanding of the fear. There probably isn't a parent out there who hasn't had at least one good scare. This is my second in a week and a half. My eldest was almost run down when she rode her bike in front of a car. Thankfully the driver was alert, even if they were driving over the speed limit (or maybe because of that), and were on the brakes in time. She learnt her lesson there, and we've gone over the bike riding rules that I drilled into her when she first started venturing onto the road with me. Two events in a short space of time! It's no wonder I'm going grey so quickly! What's it going to be like when they're teenagers?! My wife isn't here at the moment, but I've already filled her in on today's event. She'll be home soon.


Mick

Yep, been in similar positions. Makes you count your blessing when you would have taken them for granted. Glad to see all is well!!!

Glad to hear everyone is ok. Half the problem is as kids they haven't faced fear so they don't have any yet which just means you have to make up for their lack. To them it's all fun till it goes wrong. If I didn't know better I would swear my boy is inventing new ways to test the limits

Glad it all went well Mick.
When mine go in the water I am right next to them. Both have vests on too.
For me it is always amazing how many things the little ones need to learn that we , the grown ups, consider common sense.

Glad it all turned out ok, and sorry to hear about the various scares, but at least they were only scares.

Originally Posted by vicmaldo

I'm glad they are ok, blessings to all. Also for riding a bike I make my daughter wear a helmet (just like dad).

Bike helmets are law here, even if the fine for not wearing one is negligible, mostly everyone wears one. You do see some teenagers getting around with them just sitting on their heads not done up, but the coppers treat that as not wearing one anyway. A helmet wouldn't have saved the eldest from the broadside that would have happened had the car not stopped...Mind you, I would have left a large dent in it I my headlong rush to get to her first .


Thanks for all the well wishes Gents. I'm back to my calm, only slightly irrationally paranoid self again. I would rather live with a thousand scares like that than the loss of one of my girls. Usually, I'm the one that this sort of thing doesn't happen too though. I spent too long in the protection business, and situational awareness was always high priority. I guess I've slipped a bit now that it's been a few years out of the game.


Mick