Today I watched the DadLabs video on swimming and lessons for kids. Good stuff.

It also reminded me of a very important article that I think every Dad should read. The article talks about being able to recognize the signs of a person drowning - and it is a MUST READ for all Dads and parents:

gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/drowning/?10981

This is a very timely video for my family. My little boy is 14 months old and absolutely loves the water (bath, pool, lake and ocean). I was unsure of when to start "teaching" him to swim because I wasn't sure how much he'd comprehend. Knowing that the pediatric association thinks between 1-4 years old is a good place to start is reassuring. Didn't want to be that overbearing dad. Thanks for sharing Dad Labs.

Thanks for sharing this Sean. I realized after reading it that I fall into the category of parent who thinks drowning looks like what we see on TV.

I appreciate that, too. I saw the wave of moms posting that link on FB, but figured it was some mommy-madness. Shocking to discover that what I watched for among kids on the beach at camp was wrong. Good thing I wasn't a life guard.

Our 2 year old started his sixth set of swim lessons yesterday. His first were at 6 months. The in-Laws have a couple boats and a cottage on a lake. We want our boys to be comfortable around water. 6 months was too early, not because of his reaction or any of that. The instructor required the kids to walk around the pool and take direction. He wasn't ready for the actual class until 18 months, even though it was supposed to be 3 months through a year old. The other kids were over the age range.

We also live across the street from the city pool on this side of town. Eventually, they'll be spending a lot of time over there.