As a parent I am learning to never say never, because as soon as you do, you will find yourself doing what you said you never would.
I have had one of those moments with the lifejacket.
Let me back up. I taught swimming lessons from the time I was in highschool, through college and even afterwards doing private lessons in people's yards. In these many years of teaching lessons I encountered so many kids who were dependant on flotation devives and had horrible kicks and habbits due to these devices. Because if this I swore I would NEVER put any kinds of flotaion devive on my child (of course unless I was on a boat.) I held true to this belief every time Carter was in the pool. Since I only had one child I was easily able to always be in the water with him and watch his every move. Well, this summer he was over a friend's house and his friend had a floatie ring that Carter was obsessed with. That week while we were at the store Carter saw one and begged for it and I gave in and got it for him. Later that pool we were at the pool. I had Abby sitting in her stroller next to the pool and I was playing with Carter. After a while, Abby got fussy so I got out and tended to her while I watched Carter. Now, he is very cautious in the water, so he isn't hard to watch. He asked for his new ring, so I gave it to him and he had fun playing in it. I watched as he kicked to the other side of the pool and played, all the while thinking that I should have him come back closer to me. I then watched as he got out of the ring and tried stepping into it (knowing it was a bad idea). I then watched as he fell over the ring into the water over his head and started flailing. I quickly put Abby into her stroller and jumped into the water Baywatch style and began swimming across the pool. A man grabbed him before I could get to him and Carter was scared to death. Now Carter can actually swim, but he panics. That experience has changed my mind about the lifejacket. After that day I allowed him to have his lifejacket if I am not in the water. It's just not worth it......and I ate my words. I have decided that as long as you make your child practice without the lifejacket everytime you swim, it's okay to have it. And my lesson learned, never say never because you probably will!
I have had one of those moments with the lifejacket.
Let me back up. I taught swimming lessons from the time I was in highschool, through college and even afterwards doing private lessons in people's yards. In these many years of teaching lessons I encountered so many kids who were dependant on flotation devives and had horrible kicks and habbits due to these devices. Because if this I swore I would NEVER put any kinds of flotaion devive on my child (of course unless I was on a boat.) I held true to this belief every time Carter was in the pool. Since I only had one child I was easily able to always be in the water with him and watch his every move. Well, this summer he was over a friend's house and his friend had a floatie ring that Carter was obsessed with. That week while we were at the store Carter saw one and begged for it and I gave in and got it for him. Later that pool we were at the pool. I had Abby sitting in her stroller next to the pool and I was playing with Carter. After a while, Abby got fussy so I got out and tended to her while I watched Carter. Now, he is very cautious in the water, so he isn't hard to watch. He asked for his new ring, so I gave it to him and he had fun playing in it. I watched as he kicked to the other side of the pool and played, all the while thinking that I should have him come back closer to me. I then watched as he got out of the ring and tried stepping into it (knowing it was a bad idea). I then watched as he fell over the ring into the water over his head and started flailing. I quickly put Abby into her stroller and jumped into the water Baywatch style and began swimming across the pool. A man grabbed him before I could get to him and Carter was scared to death. Now Carter can actually swim, but he panics. That experience has changed my mind about the lifejacket. After that day I allowed him to have his lifejacket if I am not in the water. It's just not worth it......and I ate my words. I have decided that as long as you make your child practice without the lifejacket everytime you swim, it's okay to have it. And my lesson learned, never say never because you probably will!
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