Being a good dad means getting wet unexpectedly

I was at the Eatonville high school pool for my kids swim lessons. I was sitting in the bleachers without my phone thankfully. I had put it away so I could focus on watching my kids. My daughter, Kate, jumped in off the wall when it was not her turn with the swim instructor and no one saw. She was bobbing up and down quietly with only her eyes coming up at the highest. There was literally a lifeguard standing directly three feet behind her who did not see what was going on. I jumped in and pulled her out. Thankfully, she was fine and had held her breath for the few seconds she was submerged. A guy came up to me after and said the same thing happened last week with another boy I guess. Spotting someone who is drowning is not easy as there is no noise or arm waving (the victim is trying to use their arms to swim up to get a breath and has no air to shout). My phone is semi-waterproof and was fine. Kate got in the most trouble of her short life for breaking the rules and jumping in when she was supposed to be sitting on the wall. I’d rather have overly harsh discipline than a dead daughter! I had her and Griffin watch a video on what happens to a body after you die and tried to explain why drowning is so bad. I’m not sure they really get it yet though.

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Joel Gross

Joel Gross is the CEO of Coalition Technologies.