I have never been one to let my daughters be more than three feet away from me in the water. (a trait I inherited from my mother)
I respect the water enough to have the right amount of fear for it--not only for myself but for my children.
Because I do not want my hyper fear of drowning to get passed on to my children--I act relaxed. Mothering, after all, is a constant acting job.
With Built-in Floaters, life jackets, AND the ability to swim--I keep them safe.
But what about the skills needed to make the right choices?
At what age is it safe to let them float further than you can leap?
Is an 8 year old (who rightfully refuses the built-in floaters) equipped to make the right choices?
Decisions like:
*Know your limits
--do not over-exert yourself in the absence of a safety device
*There is safety in numbers
--never swim/kayak/snorkel alone.
*Do not panic
--if you get knocked out of a jet ski in deep water it is no big deal. Swim.
*Confidence is good, over confidence is what can you in trouble.
--do not swim/kayak in water that is over your head unless you have safety feature near by
(a flotation device, responsible adults looking out for you, a wall to cling to etc)
Come to think of it, doesn't this apply to all of us?
This beach trip has taught me to relax my hold on my older daughter.
If we equip our children with what they need to know in the various stages of their life, then we should trust them by loosening our grip--
but not too loose that we end up losing them.
The key is finding the right balance.
