Only slightly traumatized.

KellyMRocks

Yesterday, DH, the kids and I went with FIL to his community pool. It was a divide and conquer sort of outing. Grey with DH, me with WR.

G can't swim, but in the shallow end of the pool he can stand with his feet on the ground and head way above water. I was sitting on the steps with WR when DH's Step-MIL came over to ask about what WR is up to these days. DH started talking as well and a few seconds later we hear FIL yelling for DH. We both turn to see Grey, flailing. Face in the water. It was just like that f*cking article that goes around about how drowning is silent and not like it is in the movies. I guess he forgot he could just stand up. 

There were TWO lifeguards on duty and neither of them even twitched a muscle.   Which leads me to believe it couldn't have been for more than a few seconds, but it was still scary. I haven't been able to stop thinking about the "What ifs". I held it together at the pool, G ended up still having a great time, but on the way home I cried. It hurts inside to see your child in a situation and to know that it is your fault for taking your eyes off of him. I know DH had trouble sleeping last night because of it. 

So we learned an important lesson. Life jacket or floaties, keep your eyes on your kids!

With DH gone the rest of the summer, I don't think I will be taking the kids swimming much.

maryh01

OMG...how scary!  I'm glad everyone is OK.  Thank goodness there were 4 of you adults around.

lukaface

Poor Grey and poor you!!!  This is such a good reminder, especially right before the holiday weekend. 

We had a similar experience last weekend.  We usually have S wearing a life jacket in the pool but there were three of us (adults) sitting around/in the pool and S was sitting on the ledge next to the steps.  Suddenly S lost her balance and fell into the pool.  She didn't move a muscle and was just floating (which scared the living daylights out of me!) which I've read is their natural response to being submerged in water at that age.  My DH grabbed her and handed her to me and I just started sobbing.  I could not get the image of her floating on the surface out of my head.  And like you said, the whole thing was completely silent so if no one had seen her fall in there would have been no immediate response. 

We've decided that the rule is that she always has her lifevest on if the gate to the pool is open, regardless of whether we are all there and whether she's actually in the water.

Sorry this was so long.  Big, big hugs to you and your DH. 

KellyMRocks

How scary! I know what you mean though. You were right there and got her quickly, but its the IMAGE of it that is seared into your mind. *hugs*

bunch

I'm so sorry that happened and relieved that he's ok.  Great reminder as we head into swimming.  And there is NO way I could take both kids swimming by myself, I totally agree with you (when Ben will be gone). 

 

scrapmama2201

One of my all time scariest parenting moments to date: walking hand and hand with Ty in Tahoe (just barely pregnant with Jake at the time, so Ty was maybe 17 months old). The water was a little more than knee deep for him, I was HOLDING HIS HAND, he tripped and fell face first, losing my grip. He was under for a couple seconds at most, but it scared the sh*t out of me. We immediately left and bought a life vest for him. Neither boy steps foot near water without a life vest because of it.

SweetieP

So scary!

EmmieB

I haven't had that moment with Baz, but...when I was in high school and college I was a lifeguard and one night a 3 year old little girl slipped out of her water wings (those things are death traps) and under the water. I got there 30 seconds too late and had to give her CPR - she's alive, but egads I shake just thinking about it. I can't imagine if it had been my own child. I would have been beside myself.

Good for you for holding it together! And I'm so glad that nothing more serious than a little scare happened. Huge, huge hugs.

MommySteph2009

Wow K- that is so scary. Thank God G is okay and that FIL caught it.  I agree - floaties and life jackets are a must until kids are established swimmers.

SarahCee

That is so f*cking scary. I hope you mean mugged the life gaurds too. I'm so sorry, big hugs.

FWIW, DH (he's a firefighter and unfortunately has seen a lot of drownings/water rescues) thinks that life jackets and floaties when in a pool create a false sense of security. There was a drowning here a few weeks ago when a 7 year old took his floaties off in a pool. A few minutes later he was gone. Swim lessons and water safety classes are the best thing to do for your little ones.

dblhappiness

OMG how scary!! Hugs as I would be in the same boat as you--crying and hard to shake the image and fear of what ifs.

danandkelly

OMG how scary.  I'm sorry you went through that.  I'm glad all was okay, and that it was not an issue for G.  Water freaks me out!

Lexi & Orion's Mommy

oh man! Big Hugs, that stuff is super scary.

ModernMomma

Oy, that is scary! And a good reminder to everybody with kids.

soon2Bkranz

So scary. Great job not not fliping out at the pool and allowing Grey to keep playing adn not get scared of the water...that had to have been hard

mandy0505

ohh man, tat is soo scary! It happens so quick. I'm glad everyone is safe and kuddos to you for keeping it together

mommy2jay

that is so scary =( .. glad he is ok, i know how you must feel, big hugs to you

KellyMRocks

MrsJulieT:

How scary! I would say if you're going to rely on a flotation device while at a poll do a life jacket. There was a 7 year old in Sacramento who drowned a week or so ago and he was wearing water wings. His dad was a firefighter and he was at a firefighters house.

Water is scary stuff. I don't know if I'll ever be able to enjoy myself around it again like I did before kids.

I would never rely on a flotation device. I don't think I will ever be the type of mom who brings the kids to the pool and kicks back with a magazine. At least not until they can swim, very well... 

Celyn

At least you didn't drop your kid in the ocean

Glad everyone is ok.

jsugrin

Oh goodness how scary.  I would have handled it just like you, holding myself together in the moment and then just falling apart later.  Water is one of the things that as a parent I'm just petrified of.  I'm so glad that everything was ok and it's a good reminder to us all how quickly anything can happen.

mythreesons03

Hugs K. I saw Bs post last night and didn't check here, I was hoping you were not being too hard on yourself. D wears floaties when he swims, people advised against giving him something to lean on for safety but I am just not comfortable any other way. I wouldn't have him start riding a bike without training wheels so he has to start somewhere. I could totally see how you and B would think he was fine right there. Water stuff is scary. There is this class that teaches kids to flip on their backs to get air/float for safety. We try to teach D the same technique.

MsPurple24

That sounds unbelievably scary.  I'm so sorry you had to go through it, and glad he's alright. 

m&m818

BAH! I just had a dream about DD drowning. Can't imagine what you must have gone through seeing G like that. Big hugs. 

We ended up choosing to do a swim boot camp. I'm soooo glad we did. 10 days straight, 30 min lessons, close to one-on-one... it was a brutal, pretty much sink or swim process... and by the end every single kid could swim 4 ft to the steps or wall. But the lessons he taught DD and us as parents about pool/water safety were priceless. If anyone is interested in getting his info, I'd be happy to share. 

ETA: not to add more to one side, but DD's instructor couldn't stress more to never use those "safety" flotation devices in a pool. He convinced me with his statement on what will happen if your kid ends up in the pool somehow without those safety devices (or a parent to rescue them) on. Scary sh!t.