Very often you think your home is safe but do we really know? Not sure about it especially with children who are like a twirl. This is the way children are, curious, and want to explore everywhere isn’t it, no exception!

Today, I will tell you my story as an  18 month-child. Many years ago as a baby-boomer as they call us, they did not have disposable diapers like today, they were made in fabric and washed every day.

My mother used to put them in a bucket with a lead in the bathtub and filled with clean water. One morning, my mother had cleaned the bucket and added freshwater but did not put the lead on right away but I was with her in the bathroom.

Few seconds!!!!!! left alone, my mother went out of the bathroom for whatever reason, guess what a child does….I started exploring what was in that bucket trying to reach the water with my hands!!!! What’s that?

Oops! I slid onto the bucket head down and feet up as you can picture yourself the scenery! Struggling to pull me out, obviously, I could not touch the floor with my feet. Few steps away, was my oldest sister who was 7 years old, starts screaming, mom! mom! mom! very loudly she can still today remember seeing my feet waggling.

Then my mom rushed to the bathroom and pulled me out of that unpleasant situation but I did not have to go to the hospital. Nobody wants to have this incident happens to them.

Fortunately, I am safe and sound and can write my blog about it, however, I can’t recall the situation because I was only 18 months. On the other hand, I consider myself lucky that I am not afraid of water that I thought, and did not have any sequels!!!!!!!

At the age of 11, I took swimming lessons but I could not pass the intermediate level because I could not do one complete lane without stopping. That made me angry I could not understand why I was coming out of breath all the time.

I have been trying to figure things out until 55 years old when I discovered why. That morning I was doing the backstroke and was short of breath again, I stopped at the deep end and start thinking;  I have 2 lungs, and limbs and why I can’t do this?

Moreover, I did not have any sequels I thought, then I had a flash, this is it, I think that my breathing problem is coming from that trauma. I felt so happy that I could know where it was coming from.

That day I spoke with my friend, who was a Massage Therapist and she agreed with me. I was constantly in a panic mode because my brain remembered and thought that I was still drowning after 55 years! I was always gasping for air even on my back and my face out of the water!

Finally, I could re-program myself because of my awareness of my situation. Each time I went in the water I had to tell myself to breathe SLOWLY it was the key but It took me a few months before it becomes a habit and natural. However, If I want to go too fast I have a tendency to panic and have to tell myself to slow down.

To conclude, we are never too prudent with children around especially with all private swimming pools available nowadays.

Here some tips:

When doing a house party with a swimming pool, make sure to assign a person who is responsible for your child if you are busy doing things.

Make sure that your home is safe with all objects or containers with water etc.

Never underestimate the capacity of your child, we never know what they are capable of.

Never forget that any big bucket filled with water in a bathtub could be a killer!

Have a wonderful day,

Gaétane
www.gaetaneferland.com

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