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This is very important for any water related activities: many kids drowned because of this. Jumping, screaming and laughing in the water - the next moment gone

This is very important for any water related activities: many kids drowned because of this. Jumping, screaming and laughing in the water - the next moment gone. You have to pay attention. I do not mean, being overprotective, just pay really attention to them and you should notice, when they are about to reach their limits.

baq 5y ago
super important in the age of smartphone parents.
verytrivial 5y ago
Very true. With two kids in the pool you have to be like one of those auto-tipping novelty birds: you check, you look away at something else, YOU CHECK, you have a splash and a look at the sky, YOU CHECK ...
chasd00 5y ago
Very good point. My boys are 11 and 9, I can count 3 times I’ve gone in fully clothed with phone/wallet in pocket to pull them out of a pool after getting in trouble. For them, it was panicking when getting in over their head ( heh no pun intended). Panicking in deep water is bad news. Edit: I distinctly remember one time being at a party surrounded by adults but the only one noticing the emergency. It’s like when a kid gets in trouble with water they become almost invisible… it’s very strange.
- nradov 5y ago
  Drowning doesn't look like drowning. https://www.watersafetymagazine.com/drowning-doesnt-look-like-drowning/ https://www.watersafetymagazine.com/drowning-doesnt-look-lik...
- hutzlibu 5y ago
  "It’s like when a kid gets in trouble with water they become almost invisible… it’s very strange." Well, it can be hard distingishing kids playing in water loudly and just ordinary play screaming - and kids panicking in water. It looks and sounds the same on first glance in many instances. Or rather not. When they are loud, they still have energy and their head well above the water. (you cannot shout so well, with water in your mouth) The scary part is, when they reached their limits and do not have the energy to panic anymore and just fade and drown. If that happens, it is very important to not panic yourself, go in quickly (but not headless) and maybe know some CPR basics if necessary. There are cases, where the drowned child got rescued, but the paniqued parent drowned dead. Or the other sibling. (not in pool, but in river/sea type scenarios) But better avoid that alltogether by paying attention before and choose the site accordingly. I mean I am also very often with my toddler at a river, where he can play at a shallow spot. I know it is dangerous if I stop paying attention to him, because the river has a strong current and rocks in it. And he already knows the dangers, but he overestimates himself quickly. He is the kid. I have the responsibility.
vbezhenar 5y ago
It's not only about kids. Plenty of people drowning in the same way, without loud cries, just silently. That's just how human brain wired for some reason.
- hutzlibu 5y ago
  Shouting is hard, when you have the mouth full of water and fighting with your last strength to stay above the water.
iamthepieman 5y ago
This made going to the beach pool or local lakes pretty much a full-time lifeguard job for me during the years my kids were young and didn't know how to swim well. I would let them play, run around, go out in the deep water and even get that terrified "I'm over my head!!" look on their face while they flailed their arms around. It's get to let them stop panicking on their own. They learn their limits and I've only had to actually wade out and rescue them a handful of times. But I was basically scanning the water and counting my kids (I have five) every minute the whole time they were in the water. I'm glad they are all strong swimmers now.
rexf 5y ago
one tip is to use a floating life jacket. obviously you still need to constantly watch them, but using safety gear is a good idea

baq 5y ago

super important in the age of smartphone parents.

verytrivial 5y ago

Very true. With two kids in the pool you have to be like one of those auto-tipping novelty birds: you check, you look away at something else, YOU CHECK, you have a splash and a look at the sky, YOU CHECK ...

chasd00 5y ago

Very good point. My boys are 11 and 9, I can count 3 times I’ve gone in fully clothed with phone/wallet in pocket to pull them out of a pool after getting in trouble. For them, it was panicking when getting in over their head ( heh no pun intended). Panicking in deep water is bad news. Edit: I distinctly remember one time being at a party surrounded by adults but the only one noticing the emergency. It’s like when a kid gets in trouble with water they become almost invisible… it’s very strange.

nradov 5y ago
Drowning doesn't look like drowning. https://www.watersafetymagazine.com/drowning-doesnt-look-like-drowning/ https://www.watersafetymagazine.com/drowning-doesnt-look-lik...
hutzlibu 5y ago
"It’s like when a kid gets in trouble with water they become almost invisible… it’s very strange." Well, it can be hard distingishing kids playing in water loudly and just ordinary play screaming - and kids panicking in water. It looks and sounds the same on first glance in many instances. Or rather not. When they are loud, they still have energy and their head well above the water. (you cannot shout so well, with water in your mouth) The scary part is, when they reached their limits and do not have the energy to panic anymore and just fade and drown. If that happens, it is very important to not panic yourself, go in quickly (but not headless) and maybe know some CPR basics if necessary. There are cases, where the drowned child got rescued, but the paniqued parent drowned dead. Or the other sibling. (not in pool, but in river/sea type scenarios) But better avoid that alltogether by paying attention before and choose the site accordingly. I mean I am also very often with my toddler at a river, where he can play at a shallow spot. I know it is dangerous if I stop paying attention to him, because the river has a strong current and rocks in it. And he already knows the dangers, but he overestimates himself quickly. He is the kid. I have the responsibility.

vbezhenar 5y ago

It's not only about kids. Plenty of people drowning in the same way, without loud cries, just silently. That's just how human brain wired for some reason.

hutzlibu 5y ago
Shouting is hard, when you have the mouth full of water and fighting with your last strength to stay above the water.

iamthepieman 5y ago

This made going to the beach pool or local lakes pretty much a full-time lifeguard job for me during the years my kids were young and didn't know how to swim well. I would let them play, run around, go out in the deep water and even get that terrified "I'm over my head!!" look on their face while they flailed their arms around. It's get to let them stop panicking on their own. They learn their limits and I've only had to actually wade out and rescue them a handful of times. But I was basically scanning the water and counting my kids (I have five) every minute the whole time they were in the water. I'm glad they are all strong swimmers now.

rexf 5y ago

one tip is to use a floating life jacket. obviously you still need to constantly watch them, but using safety gear is a good idea