A Little Mishap Whilst Swimming

[sonjack2847]

We were at a wedding yesterday. There were 4 pools there I was in the adult one and my wife and daughter were in the kiddies pool. I heard my wife screaming and saw that my daughter was struggling as she was out of her depth.I shouted to my wife stop screaming and pick her out of the water. My wife cannot swim but it is only 4 feet deep. I would have taken a lot longer to get there I have told my wife to put the energy that she does into screaming and use it to keep our daughter safe.The only positive I can see about this was that my daughter was swimming without flotation aids so she is on her way to being safe. There really wasn`t any big danger as there were plenty of people about who could get there much quicker than I could have.My daughter is still not scared of the water so that is also a positive.

Edited January 9, 2016 by sonjack2847

[stevewool]

Glad it all ended well KeV.

Kids don't see danger

[jpbago]

My wife cannot swim but it is only 4 feet deep.

 

Adults have drowned because they panicked instead of standing up.

[manofthecoldland]

   Its hard to believe in this island nation of warm tropical waters and many pools that there are a tremendous number of people who never acquired swimming skills. My wife here can only dog paddle and does not like to go into water over her head ("deep-deep water"). She told me that she didn't think it was taught in elem. school, but is in HS and college. Two of my ex-pat friends had their children competitively swimming here, but they made the extra effort to see that they learned early at the college-stadium area pool.

   In the 1950s, in the Mid-Western states most mothers made sure that their kids learned to swim by 8-12 yrs of age because it was considered an essential life skill. With so many summer swimming lakes around, municipal pools, nautatoriums lessons were often available at low cost since it  was a general public safety issue.

   Of course things are much different here. From what I see on our public beaches here, there is little concern re water safety. Fortunately the beach slope here is extremely gradual and most kids water play together en mass in only the shallows. They seem to look after each other quite well.

   That said, my HS step son drowned here 3 years ago while I was out of country. My wife never talks about, nor do I. He was on the HS swim team and for some reason they were practicing in the ocean at one of our resort beaches near the port. Apparently they don't practice the 'buddy system' here, or if they do... someone F***ed up because it cost him his life.

   Thank you for starting this thread.  I intend to work with my wife on her swimming skills now. 

[sonjack2847]

   Its hard to believe in this island nation of warm tropical waters and many pools that there are a tremendous number of people who never acquired swimming skills. My wife here can only dog paddle and does not like to go into water over her head ("deep-deep water"). She told me that she didn't think it was taught in elem. school, but is in HS and college. Two of my ex-pat friends had their children competitively swimming here, but they made the extra effort to see that they learned early at the college-stadium area pool.

   In the 1950s, in the Mid-Western states most mothers made sure that their kids learned to swim by 8-12 yrs of age because it was considered an essential life skill. With so many summer swimming lakes around, municipal pools, nautatoriums lessons were often available at low cost since it  was a general public safety issue.

   Of course things are much different here. From what I see on our public beaches here, there is little concern re water safety. Fortunately the beach slope here is extremely gradual and most kids water play together en mass in only the shallows. They seem to look after each other quite well.

   That said, my HS step son drowned here 3 years ago while I was out of country. My wife never talks about, nor do I. He was on the HS swim team and for some reason they were practicing in the ocean at one of our resort beaches near the port. Apparently they don't practice the 'buddy system' here, or if they do... someone F***ed up because it cost him his life.

   Thank you for starting this thread.  I intend to work with my wife on her swimming skills now. 

My wife is envious because Diana can do doggie paddle but when I try to teach my wife she tells me I am always telling her what to do.Damned if you do damned if you don`t. Good luck with the lessons hope it works out for you.

[Jack Peterson]

Just so Pleased to hear all is well mate, :thumbsup:

 

Jack, :)

Morning All. :morning1:

[sonjack2847]

 

My wife cannot swim but it is only 4 feet deep.

 

Adults have drowned because they panicked instead of standing up.

 

Yes I know, I should have stayed closer but thought my wife would be ok. My fault as I trained as a life saver when I was younger and should have known better.

[Jack Peterson]

 

 

My wife cannot swim but it is only 4 feet deep.

 

Adults have drowned because they panicked instead of standing up.

 

Yes I know, I should have stayed closer but thought my wife would be ok. My fault as I trained as a life saver when I was younger and should have known better.

 

 Sure but Don't beat yourself up as you could have been somewhere else saving another Kiddy ( Or adult) With 4 pools and a beer or two you just can't be everywhere. Knowing Diana, she was probably more inclined to have been worried about Mum Screaming than her own safety at the time.

The main thing is that you were there and did your best to get to her quickly. Hats Off to you   :tiphat:  As you say, She will get "Back on the horse"

 

Jack  :)

[sonjack2847]

 

 

 

My wife cannot swim but it is only 4 feet deep.

 

Adults have drowned because they panicked instead of standing up.

 

Yes I know, I should have stayed closer but thought my wife would be ok. My fault as I trained as a life saver when I was younger and should have known better.

 

 Sure but Don't beat yourself up as you could have been somewhere else saving another Kiddy ( Or adult) With 4 pools and a beer or two you just can't be everywhere. Knowing Diana, she was probably more inclined to have been worried about Mum Screaming than her own safety at the time.

The main thing is that you were there and did your best to get to her quickly. Hats Off to you   :tiphat:  As you say, She will get "Back on the horse"

 

Jack  :)

 

Swimming tomorrow for us and no beer was had before the swim but I get your point.

[OnMyWay]

 

We were at a wedding yesterday. There were 4 pools there I was in the adult one and my wife and daughter were in the kiddies pool. I heard my wife screaming and saw that my daughter was struggling as she was out of her depth.I shouted to my wife stop screaming and pick her out of the water. My wife cannot swim but it is only 4 feet deep. I would have taken a lot longer to get there I have told my wife to put the energy that she does into screaming and use it to keep our daughter safe.The only positive I can see about this was that my daughter was swimming without flotation aids so she is on her way to being safe. There really wasn`t any big danger as there were plenty of people about who could get there much quicker than I could have.My daughter is still not scared of the water so that is also a positive.

 

Similar thing happened to us recently.  When we were married last October, we rented a large house with a small pool for our guests from out of town.

 

The night before the wedding, we stopped by to say hello to all of our partying guests.  We were dead tired so did not plan to stay long.  Our oldest daughter is 11 and I had her take swimming lessons two years ago, so she is confident now in most situations.  However, I had to chase her out of the unheated pool because she had been in for several hours and was turning blue!

 

I found out that her 3 year old cousin had fallen and had to be rescued by someone nearby.  He panicked and cried for a long time afterward.  He will probably be scarred from the experience.  I was a bit mad at his dad for letting it happen but did not say anything.

 

An hour after we arrived I walked with my 18 month old (at the time) to the edge of the pool, where the older kids were still swimming.  I let go of her hand for a few seconds and she just stepped into the pool like she was taking a step!  Landed face down and was about a foot under when I pulled her out by her shirt.  It did not bother her a bit and she did not cry or panic.  She would have gladly gone back in.

 

I'm going to get her into to some floating / swimming lessons this year.  The instructor for our older daughter said she teaches toddlers too.

 

Not sure how to handle the wife.  Like so many Filipinos she is panicky around the water.