Toddler Water Safety

I’m going to start off this post by saying that I can sometimes be dramatic. As a mother my drama is sometimes heightened due to my anxious mama heart always going to the worst case scenario. But I don’t think I’m being dramatic right now in saying a couple days ago could have ended as the worst day of my life. But God intervened in the form of mother’s intuition. And now I’m sharing because I think this safety concern is so important. 

My family and I were at the ranch. Paxton was riding around with his grandparents while Hadley and I were sitting on the porch. Riding around the ranch is Paxton’s favorite thing in the whole world. He never wants to stop. Whenever we need to come inside he gets very upset because he wishes we could just stay outside. They got back from their ride because it was time for dinner. My mom had to go to the bathroom. Colton had to go to the bathroom. My dad had to feed our dog. I had to bring Hadley and her chair inside. No one was watching Paxton. 

My son is very busy. He is very independent. He loves doing his own thing. All of the adults in the house assumed someone had their eyes on him. No one shouted out where they were going so that someone could make sure their eyes were on him. To be honest we have never been in the habit of doing that because it is just always assumed that someone is with him. Assumed. The dangerous word. It wasn’t but 30 seconds of entering the house with Hadley when I noticed every adult was busy. I looked in the living room and couldn’t see Paxton. I called his name. Nothing. I asked “where is Paxton? Who is with Paxton?” My dad said he thought he was with my mom. He told me he noticed the front door was open but he didn’t think anyone was out there so he closed it. Turns out my two year old son now knows how to open the front door.

I ran outside and called Paxton’s name again. Nothing. I ran around the house and about 50 yards away I saw my son running towards the lake with his foot already on the dock. He was seconds away from being fully on the dock, on the lake, with no adults. With Hadley still in my arms we ran screaming his name to not go on the dock by himself. Thank God he heard me and started running back towards me. To be honest I don’t think I handled the scolding situation like I probably should have. I was in shock. Holding back tears. Feeling so much guilt. So I just hugged him. Squeezed him. It still breaks my heart that I was seconds away from telling a different story. 

That is always how the story of a child drowning seems to go. “We turned our backs for one second.” And that is exactly what we all did. The rest of the day I made sure he knew never to leave the house without an adult again. I know he doesn’t understand how serious it is. He was smiling. He knew he wasn’t supposed to be down there because he kept giving me hugs all day long, being extra sweet and cuddly because he knew I was scared. And how do you make sure you scare your toddler into never leaving without an adult without terrifying them of water? I don’t want him to not want to learn how to swim. Or want to go near a lake. I tried to explain to him it wasn’t safe. He needs his mommy or daddy when he leaves the house. He cannot go by water without an adult. And the reality is, he just is too young to understand the severity of that rule. But it's a rule that needs to be said over and over. 

The next few days anytime I left the room I made sure to call it out. “I am leaving, someone make sure Paxton does not leave the house!” I am so thankful to be telling this story instead of a different one. My heart hurts so bad for the parents who didn’t get this chance. For the parents who turned their backs for just one second. And please if you know of any tips for me, or any parents, on how you talk to your toddler about water safety. Comment below! 

With love, 

Megan