Drown Proofing

Today I got to go and help out with the 5th grade drown proofing program. Drown proofing is a fun way for kids to learn about water safety at one of our counties indoor pools. Since we live in an area with a lot of open waters, the county feels like it is important for all kids to have some basic water knowledge. They learn how to enter and exit water safely, tread water, and use the clothes that they may be wearing (in case they were to fall overboard while fully clothed) to help them in a water emergency. They learn a lot more than that in the four days they attend the classes, but those are the ones that are sticking out in my mind at the moment.

When the kids first arrive they determine whether or not they will be in the deep or shallow end of the pool. After that, the deep end kids have to demonstrate that they can swim, with their head above water, across the pool. It’s 25 yards, and some of them made it while others simply could not. Landon is a pretty good swimmer and he’s had many lessons, but even he was out of practice and struggled a bit. He made it across, but it wasn’t pretty. If the kids can’t make it the entire way, they are put in the shallow end groups and work where they are more comfortable.

The kids had a really good time and I’m glad that I got the opportunity to go and watch. I never got to go when Zoe did it because I didn’t have anyone to watch Landon. Back then, my mother-in-law still worked and couldn’t do it. I’m kind of sorry I didn’t get to see her, but thankful for the friends I had that took pictures of her in the pool so that I could see it that way.