Funny Family Friday - *week 1* The Summer Swimming Incident #linky

Hi everyone,

Hope you don't mind a little procrastination.  I have a guest blog post published on another blog that should be live right now.  Please click here, and have a little look if you get chance - it discusses the first sex after childbirth.

Welcome to my first Funny Family Friday linky post.  My aim here is that on a Friday, I will post a funny story about my family and I hope to be able to do this every week for your entertainment.

To find out more about the #funnyfamilyfriday linky then please click the Funny Family Friday page at the top of this site, or click here - remember to have a good read through the rules!

There were a couple of incidents that happened over the Summer that I have made a note of, but I must admit, something funny happens every week to one of us - we are just that kind of family and I thought, why not share the experience?

I hadn't taken my children swimming in ages.  To be honest the OH, hasn't been with his illness and operation, and I am not a particular fan of it (but I am improving).  Over the Summer holidays, I agreed to take my children and the eldest two (my daughter, 10 years old and my son, 8 years old) told me they could swim.  My daughter said she could swim a little but my son said he was great.  They had been with the school so I wasn't worried, but the swimming baths had strict procedures in place and anyone who wasn't a strong swimmer had to wear armbands in the deeper pool and be watched at all times.  I had enough sense to take our armbands just in case, but my son and daughter new better - they didn't need them.  My three year old son hadn't been swimming for over a year which meant obviously, he didn't remember this as he was too young.  He loved swimming and was soon doggy padding around the pool in his armbands, once he got over the initial coldness.  My eight year old son seen one of his friends (who by the way, was wearing arm bands) and they were finding space so that they could jump in.  They had done this on several occasions.  The pool became busy and they moved into deeper waters. My son launched himself off the side into the middle of the pool.

Then I heard it...

The high pitched squawking of my son...

'Help! Help! I need help'

I had turned my back but I swung round, threw my youngest son onto my back and headed up the pool as there was a lot of splashing.  The Lifeguard was leaning over to reach him but he didn't jump in, and in the end a woman was stood behind him and grabbed him, passing him to me.  Firstly, I was so pleased he was OK, but to be honest I think he just panicked when he realised he jumped in and realised that he was half of a foot shorter than the pool depth as he didn't go back under and was treading water - he was just squawking help and splashing a lot!

I told him off 'I told you to wear your armbands, you told me you could swim!'
'I can,' he said.  I made him put his armbands on that I had waiting at the side of the pool.  Then the Lifeguard approached me and I apologised explaining that he told me he could swim, and that I had taken his word for it.  He was fine, but needed me to get out of the pool and complete an accident form.  This was such an embarrassment - I mean when your child starts to shout help and splashes in the pool - people must think 'what was his mother thinking?' but I had seen him in the shallow area of the pool and he was swimming OK, I do think it was just panic of being deeper than he realised - however, it isn't worth the risk and I keep asking myself why I listened to him as I know I should have clarified whether or not he could swim to be without armbands, it is my fault.

The moral of the story guys is if you take your children swimming and they tell you they can swim, double check and avoid the embarrassment our Summer drowning experience!

Needless to say, I have been to our local swimming pool since and signed all of my children up to weekly swimming lessons.  It's just a 30 minute lesson each week but I am also going to take them swimming when I can myself too (in fact we have been a few times since and they have gained confidence), in an attempt to STOP BEING A BAD MOTHER! The truth is, that it could have been worse - OK so I am talking about it being a funny story, and it was because there was plenty of people around to assist and he did the right thing shouting help but at least this was embarrassing and funny, rather than sad and fatal.

Thanking God for my children being healthy and safe right about now!  

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