I Thought it Would Be Louder…
(Image found at www.futureofthebook.org)
Have you ever seen someone drown? How about on TV? Between TV and the movies, plus classes I have taken in swimming and CPR, I had the idea that drowning was this loud spashy thing, with arms flailing and chests pumping and loud music and so on. And, I suspect, sometimes it is. But last Saturday, I went to an end-of-the-year party for my PEP group, and it was a small party at one of the volunteer parents houses. She has a pool, and the kids were in the pool, swimming. Maya wasn’t in the pool, as we had arrived later, and she hadn’t decided yet if she wanted to swim or not. I was sitting next to Maya, with the pool to one side of me, and another parent in between me and the pool, so I wasn’t really watching. Thankfully, the moms with kids in the pool WERE watching. One of the kids, a 4 year old boy who cannot yet swim, was told to keep his donut floaty device on, and also to stay on the steps. He was the youngest in the pool, and wanted to go play with the other kids. So his mom was watching him closely, and one minute, he’s on the steps, floaty on, and she turned her head…turned it back, and he was off the steps, no floaty, water up to his eyes, quietly struggling to get back to the steps, and failing. His mom didn’t hesitate an instant, and jumped into the pool and got him safe, THANK GOD, and it all happened so fast that none of us even had time to be upset. Even the little boy wasn’t upset, I don’t think he had yet realized that he was in dire straits. His mom talked to him so calmly, told him that he really did need to stay on the steps, and keep on his floaty, or he was going to have to get out of the pool. He agreed. She came out of the pool, and sat with him awhile on the side. She finally came back to the table, and fished her soaked cell phone out of her pocket. She asked the host, “Can I have a Margarita, please?” Our first glimpse that she was in the least unnerved by what had just happened, or more accurately, by what COULD have happened, and hadn’t. I’m so very very thankful that this story has a boring, no dead child ending, but I’ve just got to tell you, I was stunned at how quietly, how unobtrusively a person can silently drown. Not going out with a bang, but a whisper. You can bet that when Maya, my 11 year old who swims like a fish, was in the pool, I made sure that I could see her at all times. Her son was the reminder we all needed that day. And to that parent, watching so closely, seeing something go maybe wrong, and reacting in just the absolute perfect way? We gave the mom of the day award.
11 Comments
blackbeltmama
During high school and early college, I worked as a lifeguard. It can happen SO fast. I can’t even begin to tell you how many kids would slip under in the 1-2 ft area as their Mom’s were standing right there, having a conversation and not realizing that their kid had slipped under. Everyone thought it was a cake job, but you have to really watch. It’s definitely a very quiet and quick thing.
Autumn's Mom
This puts my heart right in my throat. It is very quiet when it happens. Bravo to that mom. One of my pet peeves is when I’m at a pool party and parents who rely on others to watch their children who can’t swim to in the pool. Get in the pool WITH your kid. I’m not at all referring to this wonderful mom as she was right there..but you know the kind I mean.
Kvetch
This reminds me of a vacation in Puerto Rico. My daughter was 6, and I stood at the side of the pool as she was going down a short slide, swimming to the edge, climbing out – over and over again. Then one time she bumped into a grown man who didn’t see her, and she got flustered I guess and went under. I jumped into the pool with a sundress and shoes on, and pulled her up. The guy still didn’t know what had happened. It was no one’s fault, it just happened. I get sick to my stomach just thinking about it.
Cherry
What a scary reminder!
I am still so amazed that this mother was able to keep her cool about her so her child, nor anyone else was negatively effected. If she had been hysterical, her child may have never gone back in the water again.
Ml
That’s a very scary thing to happen!! So incredibly fast. I’m so glad the child is ok and the Mom was paying attention.
MsMamma
Frightening. Scary. And I have a little dude who has no fear of the water. She’s a cucumber. Thank goodness.
Maya's Granny
when your Uncle Forrest was four and your grandmother was very pregnant with Colleen, Forrest fell into the pool in Puerto Rico, and the woman Mama was talking to, your grandfather’s boss, saw it and jumped in and pulled him out so fast you could hardly believe it. Forrest wasn’t scared at all, but Mama and I were.
Lalunas
Oh my gosh, I am so happy that everything turned good.. Whew…
Wendy
This is my worst fear in the world – We went to a pool party yesterday and I could not relax for one second – everyone thought I was nuts (surprise, right?) but I don’t care – I would rather be hovering over him than sorry – I will be racing to get him swimming lessons as fast as I can… thank god that woman had a happy ending..
Py Korry
That was pretty scary…and I wasn’t even there when it happened. I DO remember when Maya was about 2 and she wanted to know what would happen if we let go of her in the pool (while we were swimming with her, of course). You said “You’d sink to the bottom.” And Maya, being Maya, said “I want you to let me sink.” You said “Okay,” and we let go of her for 2 seconds and then pulled her up. Well, she wasn’t scared one bit. In fact, she had a smile on her face as she was descending to the bottom of the pool. After that, she wanted to do it again (typical kid), but we were kind of horrified by the whole request.
Gina
That is one reason I refuse to buy a house with a pool. The thought of any child, not just mine, drowning in it just scares the crud out of me.
Hurray for her and her quick reflexes.