Disclaimer: Normally this blog is just about the princesses and our adventures but today I need to rant. Please ignore if you wish to. Unfortunately the target of this post does not know me and does not read my blog.
Dear Mommy at the Pool, GET OFF YOUR CELL PHONE!!!!!!! Your toddler is not really safe in those arm swimmies. I know you think she is BUT look carefully at the fine print. It says something about them not being an approved life saving device. Heck, the above swim jackets on the princesses aren't either. The difference? I AM IN THE POOL WITH THEM!! Yes, that was me who pulled your toddler up from the bottom of the pool after she took her arm swimmies off without you even noticing. I got there before Mr. Hunky-yummy lifeguard did. Why? BECAUSE I AM ACTIVELY SUPERVISING MY CHILDREN WHILE IN THE POOL. This means that I am in the pool. GASP! Now, maybe you do not get the whole medical reasons for "active supervision" in a swimming pool. So let me explain to you. Brain cells need oxygen. (is it coming back 9th grade biology??!!) If your toddler is under the water she is going to become deprived of oxygen. She is not a fish; she DOES NOT have gills. Only creatures in rivers, lakes and oceans and Harry Potter when he eats gillyweed have gills. So unless you have some gillyweed for her GET IN THE POOL WITH HER!! It only takes about 2-5 minutes without oxygen for brain damage to begin. BRAIN DAMAGE = DEAD BRAIN CELLS. Really no way around it.
So please GET OFF YOUR CELL PHONE AND GET IN THE POOL WITH YOUR CHILD.
And when I bring your now screaming toddler to you don't cover your phone with your hand and ask me where her swimmies are. Because you will get the smart ass response that I gave you -
"I suppose at the bottom of the pool which is where she was 2 minutes ago".
Seriously, it is really NOT okay.
Oh, and you're welcome for saving your child.
Julie
Okay - so I am sane or a crazy sanctimommy for feeling this way?
I really can say that I am in the pool with the princesses at all times. This is just one of those rules in our house. It is really enforced especially since Mary Austin does not wear above swim jacket anymore - unless we are swimming in the lake and then the rule is that you will wear a life jacket until you are competitively swimming.
So what do you think?
Am I being a Momzilla or is this mom just ditsy/crazy?
All you lurkers feel free to chime in on this one!
9 comments:
YEAH for you! I had the same thing happen at the park not to long ago! I felt the same way - and I am so proud of you for say something! That woman is so lucky that you were there and her daughter didn't drown. How clueless can you be?
Ladybug hugs,
;D
Good for you for speaking up---and especially for saving the little girl. What an inattentive mom. Wow.
I will be the first to admit I am not always in the pool with my girls BUT I am sitting by the side so I can see them and reach them if needed. I worry more now because Anna Grace isn't wearing arm floats anymore. If I can't see her, I panic.
My big kids think I am so mean because I will go approach kids at the pool, playlands, etc who are not following the rules and tell them so. And what kills me, is their parents are right there but doing nothing.
You are no mom-zilla. That mom is just plain crazy.
The sad truth is that a number of children drown every year in pools while others are present. It is completely tragic. On another note, what is gillyweed and where can I get it? xoxoxo, LA
Yay Julie! I so understand your frustration of the situation. I was actually at our local public pool with both my girls today and some visiting family members. Even though there were many lifeguards on duty, I still refused to let either one of my girls out of my sight for an instant. If they were not with me than I assigned another family member to watch them. Mia has had 2 years of swim lessons and can swim like a fish but I still watch her like a hawk. Call me an overprotective mommy but accidents can happen too easily. Good for you for speaking up to cell phone mommy!
I am ON TOP of my boys at the pool. And they SWIM! That is ridiculous!! I am glad that I don't have a cell phone to distract me (anymore) because I really want to actively watch my kids!! You are precious for picking up that little girl - it isn't her fault :=) And way to go for speaking up!
I am a lurker...no, you are absolutely correct. You exercised great control, I think that I would have grabbed the cell phone and threw it in the pool and then asked her how well it does without swimmies.
do i need to fill out a 1593 to dhr for inadequate supervision? you go girlie! love watching your girls grow up. kelli
Sadly, a 3-year-old from the preschool where I work drowned in a pool several summers ago. Her mom was in a deck chair but got distracted from watching her. The lifeguards didn't see her until it was too late. The family was/is destroyed (parents divorced now). The mother is heartbroken and will never ever recover. So much tragedy from one moment of negligence. That mother should be so very grateful to you.
I am so glad you had your wits about you to respond to her the way you did. I would have thought of that line 12 hours later!
I'm with you...I call myself the stepsitter. I'll be on those steps and with my youngest in the water until she is a complete swimmer. To be honest, I think I'll be missing the steps when she doesn't need me any more!
Post a Comment