is it wrong that I find this disturbing?

[bri276]

warning: possible trigger

this is a video touting the benefits of teaching your infant/child this floating method to prevent them from drowning.

http://www.childdrowningprevention.com/index.html

I'm not debating really whether the technique is useful, but the video itself is distubing to me due to the length of time they allowed this child to cry while floating in the water, probably fearing for his life.

[desultory]

Well, I think the '5 minutes' is fake, and the footage at the end is a repeat, so maybe the little fellow was in the water (with dad just a few feet away) for only a minute or so. The crying and yelling for 'dada' didn't sound terribly frightened to me either, and the baby did have a big smile on his face when dad scooped him up. I can see why it's disturbing to you -- it's meant to freak you out a little so you'll sign up for lessons -- but I'm not certain the baby was actually all that scared. On the other hand, I dislike the ad because it's sellling something by manipulating our worst fears. I also don't like using kids in ads or the idea of swim training little babies -- it seems to me that if you have a swimming pool you'd do better to make sure the kids couldn't get to it at all unsupervised.

[SquishyKitty]

I agree with the above poster.

Although everybody at work who watched it sat there and went "GO GET THE KID WHY ARE YOU JUST LETTING HIM FLOAT THERE".

[kblackstone444]

I'm all for teaching young children and even babies how to swim, BUT... I'd be afraid that, if someone signed their child up for this program, it would give them a false sense of security that their child IS safe without an adult in the water and maybe even that they DON'T need safety barriers around the pool because, after all, their child can swim. And for God's sake, somebody please GO GET THAT BABY OUT OF THE WATER!!! And as a side note, if my baby was in the water for an unknown ammount of time floating and calling me, I sure would not have walked over so slowly and picked him up so slowly! Geez!

[captain crunchy]

I think it is absolutely disgusting to do that to a baby. Of course he was happy when his Dad picked him up, he was terrified.

It is a false sense of security. Nothing replaces parental responsibility.

[alegna]

I think this is a terrible thing to do to children and should be outlawed as abusive.

-Angela

[SquishyKitty]

I think it's fantastic to teach the kids how to swim, or at least float safely if they fall in the water. In a perfect world, no toddler or small child would be left alone for that long, but in reality land, far too many kids have drowned when mom or dad thought they were sleeping.

Nothing wrong or abusive about teaching them safety.

[alegna]

My dd has been in swimming lessons since 12 months old. At 3 years she is an unusually proficient swimmer. She also LOVES to swim.

I would never subject a child of mine to the technique espoused here.

-Angela

[angelpie545]

Leaving a toddler to float there for that long of a time is horrifying to me, honestly. I do think that technique they are trying to advertise is probably effecient in preventing at least some drowning deaths, but as we all know the only tried and true method is constant adult supervision. However, in emergency situations where accidents do happen, I do think it's important the children be armed with a few techniques that could potentially save their lives.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by angelpie545

Leaving a toddler to float there for that long of a time is horrifying to me, honestly. I do think that technique they are trying to advertise is probably effecient in preventing at least some drowning deaths, but as we all know the only tried and true method is constant adult supervision. However, in emergency situations where accidents do happen, I do think it's important the children be armed with a few techniques that could potentially save their lives.

The thing is that these "techniques" do NOT reduce drownings. They simply don't. They have the potential to increase them by giving parents a false sense of security. No child is safe near water without adult supervision. Period.

-Angela

[nextcommercial]

Originally Posted by alegna

The thing is that these "techniques" do NOT reduce drownings. They simply don't. They have the potential to increase them by giving parents a false sense of security. No child is safe near water without adult supervision. Period.

-Angela

They DO prevent drownings.

I live in the state with (at one time) the highest child drownings in the nation. We all have pools in the backyard. Grandparents have unfenced pools in the backyard. Friends have pools in their backyard.

Adult supervision is all fine and great. But, it doesn't prevent those 13 kids from falling unnoticed into the pool every summer. It still happens. About five kids each year (here) drown in a pool FULL of adults and other kids. By the time someone notices the child on the bottom of an 8 foot pool, it's too late.

Kids fall into the water, slip under silently, and never try to save themselves. They just drown without a sound. At least 13 every summer.

BUT, if those kids were taught to kick to the top (fully dressed) and flip over and float and scream for five minutes, then that is one child who may not drown.

It looks cruel, but I have several kids each year who go through this swimming class or something like it. It's hard to watch. But, it does work.

[transformed]

I did exactly that with my kids!!! My 20 month old did ALOT of crying. The lessons are 10 min a day, 5 days a week because its intense. I am not a hard nosed "let them cry" mom but the deal is, in Florida, the #1 cause of death of kids is drowning and I was willing to subject my kids to some crying and uncomfortability so they would be safe and ALIVE.

It does work and my little 20 month old now floats on her own around the pool happily.

Sometimes their comfort isnt as important to me as their safety. If there is anyone with questions about this WONDERFUL program, please feel free to ask me.

[transformed]

Originally Posted by alegna

The thing is that these "techniques" do NOT reduce drownings. They simply don't. They have the potential to increase them by giving parents a false sense of security. No child is safe near water without adult supervision. Period.

-Angela

Yes, actually, statistically, they do reduce drownings. And the program tells you that this training is not to replace adult supervision.

Accidents happen, kids get out of your sight, and they drown. Unless they can float!

[transformed]

Here is the actual website of the program for those who would like to educate themselves

http://www.infantswim.com/

[alegna]

Originally Posted by nextcommercial

They DO prevent drownings.

Proof please? Last I checked the AAP was QUITE vocal on swimming instruction NOT preventing drownings.

-Angela

[alegna]

Originally Posted by transformed

Yes, actually, statistically, they do reduce drownings.

Proof please? Everything I've ever read disagrees.

-Angela

[nextcommercial]

Originally Posted by alegna

Proof please? Last I checked the AAP was QUITE vocal on swimming instruction NOT preventing drownings.

-Angela

Christian.

He was almost two. He fell into the pool at Disneyland Hotel. I was drying off my daughter. His Mom was dealing with the older son who had just hurt his chin on the side of the pool. The pool was crowded. Christian was gone.

After probably a few minutes, we realized he wasn't there. I looked in the pool, his mom looked in the pool. We didn't see him. I looked outside the gate of the pool. I was scared he had been stolen or wandered off.

He was found floating on the top of the water (not crying) in the middle of a crowd of people.

Would it have been better if we had been watching him? Absolutley! But, we weren't. He slipped away, and NOBODY saw him. Not even the throng of swimmers he was with.

If he had just slipped under and not tried to float, he would have died. But, instead his is at school today.

I would love to see the proof that says that drifting to the bottom of your backyard pool is safer than trying to swim.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by nextcommercial

Christian.

He was almost two. He fell into the pool at Disneyland Hotel. I was drying off my daughter. His Mom was dealing with the older son who had just hurt his chin on the side of the pool. The pool was crowded. Christian was gone.

After probably a few minutes, we realized he wasn't there. I looked in the pool, his mom looked in the pool. We didn't see him. I looked outside the gate of the pool. I was scared he had been stolen or wandered off.

He was found floating on the top of the water (not crying) in the middle of a crowd of people.

Would it have been better if we had been watching him? Absolutley! But, we weren't. He slipped away, and NOBODY saw him. Not even the throng of swimmers he was with.

If he had just slipped under and not tried to float, he would have died. But, instead his is at school today.

I would love to see the proof that says that drifting to the bottom of your backyard pool is safer than trying to swim.

Glad your son is fine. Not proof.

-Angela

[transformed]

Basically, a child can float around forever-it does not take much energy which is why it is so safe. ISR teaches "swim-float-swim" they learn to swim, flip over and float, and then flip back over and swim so they can hopefully make it to the side or a step. But babies bodys dont swim very effeciantly so thats why floating is so important.

There is proof that kids lives have been saved through this particular program on this page http://www.infantswim.com/home.html

I do not belive that regular swimming lessons would save my infants life because she doesnt have the motor skills nessicary to actually swim.

(The AAP says that most children are not ready for actual swimming lessons until age 4, I agree-broadly with this)

But I have seen my little girl float around the pool and I am sure she is not going to drown if she falls in (unless she hits her head on something) because I watch her again and again, flip over into that float. It is amazing!

[transformed]

No one who has taught their kids to float is saying that those of you who find it disturbing should do it! Please, feel free do parent in your own way.

But dont threaten us by saying that people who "subject" their kids to floating lessons are child abusers.

Please. Just have some respect.: