New Mexico Infant Swim ISR

This!

I literally watched it happen.

It was absolutely silent, just like I’d read.

It was completely inconspicuous, just like people say.

There was no thrashing or panicked shouts or anything that would have drawn my attention if I hadn’t already been looking.

She was swimming with a pink pool noodle—the same one in this picture I took of her less than an hour before—and the noodle somehow got away from her.

She was righhhht on the edge between the shallow end and the deep end—all it took was one small step in the wrong direction.

All it took was one small step to put herself in a dangerous situation.

She started bobbing up and down frantically on her toes, tilting her face up to get air.

Small, subtle movements as she fought to keep her chin above the water.

That was it.

There were at least three other adults by the pool.

No one caught it except me.

Thank God she has been in survival swim lessons since last summer.

Thank God her training kicked in and once she realized she was in trouble she immediately lifted her feet up and floated on her back. Then she rolled over and swam toward the shallow end.

Thank God I was watching. Even though I didn’t end up having to interfere.

Here’s your reminder, again—noodles and floaties are not a substitute for adult supervision.

And adult supervision does NOT mean just being there.

It does NOT mean passively sitting by the pool on your phone or chatting with a friend.

Don’t feel like a nag if you have to remind the other adults with you of this. Actually it’s necessary you do.

Because it should be abundantly clear that if you are in charge of supervising swim time, that is the ONLY thing you should be doing—watching the pool.

That is your ONLY job.

And if it’s not clear WHOSE job that is? Have a system. Maybe you tag each other in and out, or have the designated pool watcher hold a specific whistle or pool toy.

Just make sure someone is watching the pool and only the pool at all times.

Today I’m so grateful for survival swim lessons.

But even more than that, I’m thankful I was watching.

Because no amount of training can ever replace full, undivided adult supervision.

** This is a repost, but an important share as many families are currently on or headed into spring break.

2 weeks before Anna died at the pool I was so stressed taking my 3 little kids to the pool all by myself. On the day she died I was not stressed or nervous. In fact, I remember thinking this is going to be great! It wasn’t going to be just me watching the kids but now I had my husband, sister, brother, SIL and even lifeguards all there to help me. So I let my guard down.

💔

IF EVERYONE IS WATCHING THE POOL…NO ONE IS WATCHING THE POOL

It’s actually a psych concept I teach my high school students called DIFFUSION OF RESPONSIBILITY. I tear up every time I explain it to them knowing that it was one of the many factors related to Anna’s death that day.

WATER IS DANGEROUS.

That doesn’t mean you can’t have fun in water but you need to RESPECT it and always be careful!

Assigning a WATER WATCHER or even just making sure you verbally tell someone to be responsible for the little ones in water while you take a break is a MUST when you’re at a pool. Don’t let your guard down.

In fact, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE 🙏

ALWAYS GUARD 4 ANNA AROUND WATER 💚💦

Lake floating!! 🎉