Fun fact: In 2013, sixty-four-year-old Diana Nyad became the first person to swim from Havanna, Cuba to Key West, Florida. It was her fifth attempt at the 111-mile journey, and she did it without the aid of a shark cage.
If you get a chance to watch her inspirational documentary about her unrelenting determination to accomplish her near impossible dream, jump at it. It’s called The Other Shore, and it will not disappoint.
Speaking of real stories, I would like to share one with you about a family that has their daughter enrolled in swimming lessons with me.
Only the names have been changed.
About a year ago, after deducing that nothing bad will happen, Jane and her husband, John decided not to erect a barrier around their swimming pool.
They agreed with each other, “we’re always with her when we’re outside,” referring to their 19-month-old daughter, Anna.
Flash forward to Valentine’s Day 2017. While Anna was watching TV, Jane was preparing breakfast.
John headed off to the shower after letting the dog out into the backyard.
Several minutes later, John started screaming, “the baby’s outside! The baby’s outside!”
Startled by the screams, Jane didn’t know at first why John was yelling. Once she could wrap her brain around it, she launched toward the window and saw Anna standing there by the pool.
By the time Jane got outside, Anna was sitting on the edge of the pool with her feet dangling in the water.
When John let the dog out, the door didn’t latch properly, so Anna was able to let herself out effortlessly and unnoticed.
Thank goodness John happened to look outside when he did.
Jane also shared with me that Anna likes to get on her belly and enter the pool by lowering herself down feet first.
If Jane didn’t get out when she did, that probably would’ve been Anna’s next move.
I once knew a little boy who wasn’t so lucky. He was the same age as Anna and unfortunately never lived to see his second birthday. It’s a parent’s worst nightmare.
The family doesn’t know exactly how their son ended up at the bottom of the pool, but they were able to discern that the door from their house to the backyard was open and the dog was also outside.
Eerily similar circumstances.
Please consider installing a fence (climb-resistant mesh fence is best) around your pool, if you haven’t already.
And even if you do have a fence, close supervision is still essential. Children will find creative ways to scale it. Remove any structures that gain access to the pool. Some structures include but are not limited to outdoor furniture, climbable trees, decorative walls and playground equipment.
And if your children often visit friends and or relatives with a pool, please encourage them also to fence it in.
Do the same for other water sources, such as spas and landscape water features.
Drowning is the number one cause of accidental death among children ages 1-4. These children most often drown in home pools.
I want to bring as much awareness as I can to the general public of such statistics in the hopes that people will take the necessary precautions to prevent accidents.
The more real stories that I can share with you and others, I think the more impressive my efforts will be.
I would love for you to share your stories with me so that I can spread the word.
Your story might just be the one that makes a family decide to fence it in. You would be contributing to saving lives.
Like Jane and John, most parents probably think that their child(ren) can’t get out of the house, so what’s the point?
Until it happens, you never would have been able to imagine how it could happen.
I’ve illustrated one scenario. I am one person, and I know of two families with virtually the same story. It makes you wonder just how common this particular sequence of events is.
And there’s no way to predict what other bizarre circumstances could lead to the same outcome.
It’s like those Farmers Insurance commercials with all the outrageous but real mishaps. Click here if you’d like to see it.
Drowning is easily preventable. And one of the most important and easiest ways to keep your children safe is to erect barriers around your pool, spa, and landscape water features.
Fence it in! Doesn’t that sound like a great slogan for a national campaign to prevent drowning?
If you have a related story or experience on the subject, please share, I would love to hear what you have to say. Maybe we can make an impact.
Love the water,
Tessa
P.S. Get the FREE water safety app to help ensure your family stays safe in, on and around the water. It includes kid-friendly videos and quizzes. Search the iTunes app store for Swim by American Red Cross or click here. For Google Play you can use the same search parameters or click here. It provides the latest in water safety guidance to help ensure your family stays safe in, on and around the water.
P.P.S. To start your child on the path to becoming water safe, click here.
Want a head start? Get my free course — How to Prepare Your Baby for Swim Lessons (0–8 months).
