PSA. Get off your phone. Drowning is silent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the bigger concern is social events where everyone assumes someone else is keeping an eye on a young child. That’s the higher risk scenario.

I just chatted with my sister ( a carefree, fun mom) who joked that her and her husband “look at each other and say ‘wait I thought you were watching her (their 3 year old).”

That’s how kids drown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the bigger concern is social events where everyone assumes someone else is keeping an eye on a young child. That’s the higher risk scenario.

Both situations are dangerous.

[Anonymous]

My mom saved me from drowning when I was about five. I'd slipped under the line marking the shallow end. I remember it distinctly. I didn't flail around; I just froze in place not knowing what to do. My mom was pretty chill but always watched me like a hawk at the pool. There was a teen lifeguard but he hadn't noticed me.

[Anonymous]

If my 3.5 year old is in the pool, I’m in the pool. Or at least sitting on the side of the pool if it’s a baby pool. And my phone doesn’t go that close to the water.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If my 3.5 year old is in the pool, I’m in the pool. Or at least sitting on the side of the pool if it’s a baby pool. And my phone doesn’t go that close to the water.

Another PSA idea -- "When you're near a pool, protect your kid as carefully as you protect your phone."

[Anonymous]

They can drown in the baby pool, too. Dh saw a toddler standing in the baby pool and fall backwards, and then didn’t move with his face under, maybe because he was surprised. Luckily the toddler’s mom noticed and got him out.

[Anonymous]

Bump.

[Anonymous]

Anyone see the news? Granger Smith’s 3 year old son died in a drowning accident at home. So sad.

[Anonymous]

My BIL’s family lost a child to drowning. His brother was 3. It’s obviously still a painful subject over 35 years later. I never asked for details (I know they were camping in Greece), because it’s likely that the older kids were in charge of watching him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They can drown in the baby pool, too. Dh saw a toddler standing in the baby pool and fall backwards, and then didn’t move with his face under, maybe because he was surprised. Luckily the toddler’s mom noticed and got him out.

I think that people overestimate a toddler's ability to problem solve. My almost three year old once walked down a 4 pool steps into water that was barely above the top of his head. He didn't fall or slip, he just walked and kept walking. I watched it happen from a couple feet away, because I just assumed that once the water got too high he'd just turn around. But he just kept going. When he stepped off the last step and his head went under water, and he kept walking, I yelled his name, and even though I was close (I was at the top of the steps), someone else was closer and grabbed him up. I have no idea if I hadn't been watching if he'd have kept walking, or if he would have figured out to turn around and go back to the steps, or if he would have jumped up and taken a breath? I wasn't about to find out. But I don't think it's safe to assume that because your kid could save themselves, that they'll put together that they should save themselves.

[Anonymous]

I was a lifeguard and pulled out more kids than I can count. Pool policy was to get to them before they went under - so some rescues were false calls (better safe than sorry!) but one kid was practicing using a snorkel in the pool and got water in her mouth and couldn’t recover. Her parents were closer than I was and were watching her but didn’t realize she was struggling.

Kids who cannot swim independently need a parent in the pool with them within arms reach. Once they’re swimming independently and have been in lessons, watch them like a hawk anyway. Watch some YouTube videos of drowning, it’s silent and fast.

[Anonymous]

I can't stand these BS posts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't stand these BS posts

[Anonymous]

Lots of bs posts around, but this isn’t one of them. Remember, the kid that drowned in McLean, at a big party? Lots of adults partying pool side and nobody noticed. Good job, Op

[Anonymous]

Video of a 5yo drowning in a pool with several adults just walking by. Its terrifying and makes me sick to my stomach to see, but is also informative and really struck home to me just how easily something so horrible could happen.

It includes the 5 'real' signs of drowning:

-Head Tilted Back: The victim will tilt their head back to attempt to get air and breathe
•Mouth at Water Level: A drowning victim is trying to keep their mouth at water’s level to get air but has no time to yell for help because they are barely able to take in air. The mouth will bop up for air and back down under the water.
•No Waiving or Hailing For Help: Nature instinctively forces victims to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water. Pressing down on the surface of the water permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.
•Eyes Appear Glassy / Empty
•Bodies Stay Upright in the Water: The victim will stay upright in the water because of the lateral arm pressing, but there is usually no supporting kick.