Do you know how to swim

[Daizey 0]

"Force" doesn't typically happen for general swimming lessons. Should all kids be enrolled in full tiem swimming lessons and be on a swim team? No way. I saw plenty of kids who were forced to do this and hated it.

However, I agree that parents should have kids taught at least the beginnings of swimming. I don't cvare if a kid or anyone for that matter can go out and swim the butterfly. But I do care that they can keep themself afloat.

Summer camps and party arer for fun...yes..which is what a childhood is about isn't it?

*daizey*

[popsjumper 2]

I have to believe that had you learned to swim as a youngster, then your "personal choice" may have been different.

You may not want to participate in the following activites:
Cruise ships
Air flights over water
Ski boat rides
Ferry rides
Pier fishing
Deep sea fishing
Rafting
.
.
.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[popsjumper 2]

...did you ever think it was going to turn out like this???

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[PLFXpert 0]

Quote

I do not think parents should force their children for recreation

Me neither.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[Buried 0]

Quote

down a river

surprisingly i've talked with a few rafting guides that have taken people who can't swim (both on the new river in VW and on the colorado around the royal gourge,CO) I cannot imagine why one would want to put themselves at risk like that incase the boat flips, etc. yes they have a lifevest, but still

Where is my fizzy-lifting drink?

[lisamariewillbe 1]

Ive been on boats, since all boats have life jackets, Ive been on a jet ski since I had a life jacket.... This is a stupid fight, I dont feel like I missed out before because of not knowing how to swim, and all I am missing out now is night jumps ... but hell I suck during day jumps so I am in no rush

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[popsjumper 2]

Carrie...you're OK on this...it got far-fetched and out of hand but it's slowly coming back around to rationality...you're cool.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Buried 0]

Quote

...did you ever think it was going to turn out like this???

lol nope, not even my this thread turned out how i expected it would today

Where is my fizzy-lifting drink?

[popsjumper 2]

Quote

...since all boats have life jackets...

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[kelel01 1]

People who can't swim also frequently visit water parks.

I can't tell you how many morons we had to pull out of the wave pool, because they didn't know how to swim and weren't wearing life jackets, or were wearing one and just panicked.

[PLFXpert 0]

Quote

it got far-fetched

When refutes are irrational I tend to get frustrated. I am a communicator. I never lost a debate on the debate team (even when I didn't believe in the side I was assigned). When someone I value is irrational in their response and I want them to understand (and also know my opinion comes from a very good place) I pull my hair out

And Lisamarie I have ALSO taught adults to swim and would be more than happy if you ever were interested

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[PLFXpert 0]

Quote

Lay off my girl, pops!

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[lisamariewillbe 1]

I think its irrational for an adult to get over defensive when someone does not agree with their opinion that its neglet (which is abuse) if their child does not know how to swim.

This isnt a debate. This is my opinion as a parent, as a person. You may have degrees and you may have written whatever, and you may have won every debate, that does not take from the fact that when someone has a child it is THEIR child and up to them to make decsions on recreation and until you have BEEN a parent you will never fully understand the many choices we make daily on their behalf, no matter how many books you have read.

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[PLFXpert 0]

Quote

we had to pull out of the wave pool, because they didn't know how to swim and weren't wearing life jackets, or were wearing one and just panicked

Ever had to rescue a 400 lb drunken fellow who could not swim?

Nice guy---GREAT workout

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[PLFXpert 0]

Quote

I think its irrational for an adult to get over defensive when someone does not agree with their opinion that its neglet (which is abuse) if their child does not know how to swim.

Hellooooo, pot. So good to see you. Love, Kettle

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[lisamariewillbe 1]

I have a right to get defensive on this topic, I am a parent, and I am a non-swimmer. You are neither. So neener neener neeeeeenerrrr

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[popsjumper 2]

Quote

...Lay off my girl, pops!

...and hubby says what about this?




oh wait...he's doing the video...my bad.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[PLFXpert 0]

Quote

This isnt a debate. This is my opinion as a parent, as a person. You may have degrees and you may have written whatever, and you may have won every debate, that does not take from the fact that when someone has a child it is THEIR child and up to them to make decsions on recreation and until you have BEEN a parent you will never fully understand the many choices we make daily on their behalf, no matter how many books you have read.

Again, agreed. Where we DISAGREE is swimming *always* being a recreation.

Furthermore, I am not a parent, true. I can't possibly ever grasp how truly difficult (and of course rewarding) that is. But I AM a child of a parent (actually several if you want to get into the steps, the halves and the I can't-keep-track-anymores). That counts for more than you give credit for, books or no books. And for the record, I never said (nor have I) I have written an article on swimming.

I am only exhaustingly continueing this played out conversation b/c I like ya, I don't think less of you for not knowing how to swim (and I ADORED my Oma who couldn't either) and frankly I care enough that I do not want you to think I do.

But, I can only take this so much. I'm truly done here.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[PLFXpert 0]

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[popsjumper 2]

Quote

Quote

...did you ever think it was going to turn out like this???

lol nope, not even my this thread turned out how i expected it would today

You're batting 1000...got any more "hot topics" up your sleeve?

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[stitch 0]

I'm not trying to be sarcastic,or a smart-ass here,but in addition to yourself.I think you should involve your children in a basic swimming course,if for nothing else yhan survival skills.
I had to put people,especially mothers in the following situation.Will you love your childern less when they are grown than you do now?
Maybe they'll never go to a pool party,camp,or close to a body of water in which they could drown as childern.
But,later in life they may fall into a situation,such as,a car accident on bridge over water,or down an embankment into a lake.Then what will they do?
I know its a harsh statement,but chances are that help wouldn't arrive before they drowned.
The chances of this happening are very slim????

Then why do we jump with reserves?


I know this makes me a SOB,but how would you feel if you got a call like that 10-20 years from now.If only they'd known how to swim they might have had a chance......But I didn't want to force them to do something they didn't think was fun.

"No cookies for you"- GFD
"I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65
Don't be a "Racer Hater"

[lisamariewillbe 1]

My children know how to swim.

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

Quote

I suppose I could clarify I was speaking of my own country here folks, noting the conversation did not turn to "third world countries" until later.

Sorry, but I guess that my mind is on South America at the moment, since I had to cancel a humanitarian trip for next month to there. Honestly though, I was thinking internationally, not with your post, but with Inzite's because he said that he has a friend from Turkey who doesn't swim. Many people in Europe don't swim, as well as those in various other countries, including third world countries.

It was just my personal perspective that we are lucky to have these "problems" here. I'm thinking of how various friends grew up in their countries, rather than just how I or my neighbors grew up, which was more privileged. If we ventured into a different languaged forum on here, there may or may not be different responses to this thread and poll. Then again, anyone skydiving in another country would most likely also be swimming, imo.

Also, I read what you wrote to me, Carrie, and I think that you are wrong. I don't make false assumptions about you. I don't know you, nor do I think anything in any way about you, past what you say in your posts. No harm done here. Peace to you, girl.

• Quote

[stitch 0]

Quote

Ive been on boats, since all boats have life jackets, Ive been on a jet ski since I had a life jacket.... This is a stupid fight, I dont feel like I missed out before because of not knowing how to swim, and all I am missing out now is night jumps ... but hell I suck during day jumps so I am in no rush

I guess I'll continue to be a SOB....So ya got a lifejacket,do tell...guess whats gonna happen when you get thrown out of a boat or off a jet-ski and the next thing you know here comes jim-bob,and leroy in their 400hp bass boat loaded on moonshine....if you could swim you might have a chance....you could scream and wave....but chances are you and your life-jacket just became a speed-bump

"No cookies for you"- GFD
"I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65
Don't be a "Racer Hater"

[PRSKY71 0]

I don't know how to swim -- although, with three jumps I don't consider myself a skydiver!
I will say that I grew up in Puerto Rico and for most of my life there I lived just blocks away from the ocean. My parents, both born and raised there, would take me to the ocean all the time and would also take me to different rivers around the island. I just always had a terrible fear of water, of being underneath it and I would say that I did always love to frolic in it!

As an adult, I did try several times to learn and have managed to swim steadily for seconds at a time. But always end up petrified and have always had to stop. The fear has always been there -- as a child and as an adult. I do understand that I need to learn in order to get my B licence -- if and when I get there!

Character cannot be made except by a steady, long continued process. -- Phillips Brooks