Throwing kids into a pool is one way to ensure that they really are afraid of swimming. Carrying them in and holding their hands while showing them how to float is a better way to encourage them…
When I was a teenager I used to help kids like that get over their fear of water and hopefully learn how to swim. Sometimes it took the whole first week just to get them wet!
My mom would never do that nor my dad as Ruthie’s dad tried. I remember when air craft company had worker’s go to Seattle to work. Dad decided he wanted my sibling and I learn how to swim, decided to have connect with a class, this was at a beach, the instructor interrupted that objected, so dad tried to teach us, our mom at the camper, she was scared of water. Did not work out. More recently family mom knew, that family had to attend their son’s funeral, swimming pool accident that killed him. In HS gym required was swimming had to learn, I refused the diving board. Not been in pool or lake water since.
My mom took me for my first swimming lesson, taught through the YMCA by a local legend, a really old guy named Buzz. Without warning, he grabbed me and tossed me in the water. That made me more afriaid of the water than a normal intro might have been. That start helped me become the worst swimmer of us six kids.
8 years old in 1959, Tampa Florida. My mom dropped me off at a small lake where I was to be taught to swim. 4 teenage teachers, 24 eight year old. A floating dock 30 yards out. They herded us out where we thrashed or dog paddled our way to the float. Mass carnage, vomiting, all survived. Recover and repeat. Week later I could swim. 10 years later i was getting my lifeguard certification in Western Oklahoma. We had a substitute teacher, an air force sargent who was also my occasional judo instructor. He would tread water in the deep end of the pool and say “help…help” in a quiet voice. One at a time we would try to “rescue” him, getting behind and controlling him. What it worked out to be was repeated near death experiences for me and my classmates. It was the best thing he could have done. I left knowing I would never try to rescue anyone bigger than 90 pounds…and that wouldn’t be easy either. And I had new found fear of the water. It is not a bad thing to respect the water.
Yakety Sax 28 days ago
Oh, that “mad little girl” look.
j_m_kuehl 28 days ago
. . .( 5 minutes later) . . . Again, Again, Daddy toss me in again
Argythree 28 days ago
Throwing kids into a pool is one way to ensure that they really are afraid of swimming. Carrying them in and holding their hands while showing them how to float is a better way to encourage them…
Twelve Badgers in a Suit Premium Member 28 days ago
I think he was joking, but it was a really bad joke and he was right to apologize.
FireAnt_Hater 28 days ago
Dad does NOT have a Dad bod LOL. And throwtation device LOL again!
GojusJoe 28 days ago
Whose pool is that?
MichiganMitten 28 days ago
Meanwhile some idiot is calling child protective services…
Lemon Juice 28 days ago
When I was a teenager I used to help kids like that get over their fear of water and hopefully learn how to swim. Sometimes it took the whole first week just to get them wet!
kab2rb 28 days ago
My mom would never do that nor my dad as Ruthie’s dad tried. I remember when air craft company had worker’s go to Seattle to work. Dad decided he wanted my sibling and I learn how to swim, decided to have connect with a class, this was at a beach, the instructor interrupted that objected, so dad tried to teach us, our mom at the camper, she was scared of water. Did not work out. More recently family mom knew, that family had to attend their son’s funeral, swimming pool accident that killed him. In HS gym required was swimming had to learn, I refused the diving board. Not been in pool or lake water since.
Uncle $crooge 28 days ago
My mom took me for my first swimming lesson, taught through the YMCA by a local legend, a really old guy named Buzz. Without warning, he grabbed me and tossed me in the water. That made me more afriaid of the water than a normal intro might have been. That start helped me become the worst swimmer of us six kids.
whulsey 28 days ago
8 years old in 1959, Tampa Florida. My mom dropped me off at a small lake where I was to be taught to swim. 4 teenage teachers, 24 eight year old. A floating dock 30 yards out. They herded us out where we thrashed or dog paddled our way to the float. Mass carnage, vomiting, all survived. Recover and repeat. Week later I could swim. 10 years later i was getting my lifeguard certification in Western Oklahoma. We had a substitute teacher, an air force sargent who was also my occasional judo instructor. He would tread water in the deep end of the pool and say “help…help” in a quiet voice. One at a time we would try to “rescue” him, getting behind and controlling him. What it worked out to be was repeated near death experiences for me and my classmates. It was the best thing he could have done. I left knowing I would never try to rescue anyone bigger than 90 pounds…and that wouldn’t be easy either. And I had new found fear of the water. It is not a bad thing to respect the water.
Strawberry King 27 days ago
Nice going, Ruthie. Now the women at the pool are gonna be like “What kinda father are you?!”