Re: Wed - C25K & OT overprotective mother question

[Guest guest]

Thanks, ! I definately plan to do all of those things. I also would like to go on the frist trip to get a lay of the land myself to determine what the supervision level is, etc. This is the school that she attends - they are a private Quaker Friends school that has big expansion plans - my sense is they wouldn't want to do anything that would result in liability and bad press. However, accidents do happen even with the best of supervision. I'd feel better if were a better swimmer, but we just started lessons this year - so she is not at a point where I would feel comfortable without knowing a lot of details.

Take care,

Donna

Subject: Re: Wed - C25K & OT overprotective mother questionTo: exercisevideos Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2009, 8:08 AM

Donna,

I'm a former camp counselor and currently an overprotective mother...

Your concerns are very legit and I definitely encourage you to talk with the camp director or especially, the direct supervisor of the group going to the pool. That person will know the logistics of the trip better than the camp director will if it is a camp with many different age groups. You can also talk to the director if you want but my experience is that he or she will either refer you to the supervisor or give you politically correct warm fuzzies without much detail.

Find out what the ratio of kids per adult will be. Ask if they will have buddies (another kid they MUST stay with at all times, ask if that part about staying with at all times is emphasized too). You should be able to go along (and you should be able to drop in, unannounced, at any time during any camp day). If they have a problem with that, she's in the wrong program. Make sure the supervisor AND the counselor know she is a non-swimmer (many kids at that age are so they won't be shocked) and relies on flotation devices for security in the water. Make sure it is okay that she takes those things with her (some pools will not allow them, especially at very busy times). Feel free to tell them you're very nervous about this trip too, that will be an extra prompt to watch her extra closely and to give you good feedback after the trip. If you're still too nervous, trust your instincts and pull her out. Your concerns will flow down

to her, possibly making her more anxious about going too. However, make sure at the same time that you are not being too overly protective. If you really know she will be safe but just want to shield her from every possible danger she could possibly face then consider going along so you can see what it is like for yourself so that next time you'll be more comfortable letting her go. If you pull her out of things every time you think there could be a problem even though realistically you can see she'll be well protected, then you might be setting both of you up for more problems. That said, a pool can be a very dangerous place, especially without adequate supervision and your concerns are definitely well-founded. Get answers to your questions, especially the ones you're not sure you should ask. If the supervisor or director doesn't seem to want to answer them or makes light of your concerns, you're in the wrong place, they should be just as

concerned as you and have secure plans in place for dealing with situations. If your mommy meter is telling you this is not good do not override it, either go or just take her out. Better, especially in a situation like this, to be an over protective mom. You do know what is best for your child and you do know when you're simply being neurotic... trust yourself... you do know!! :-)

Hugs,

Wed - C25K & OT overprotective mother question

Hi Everyone,

My sleep has been suffering this week - and so have my workouts! I haven't been able to do as long a session as I normally do. I am still moving though and the biggest motivator for me this week to keep moving is that I know my back feels so much better when I exercise - so even though mentally I'd like to be sleeping in every day, I just know I have to get moving or face the consequences of not moving (which are not fun!)

Today I did Couch Potato to 5K - week 3, workout 1 - after a 10 min warm-up I did two rounds of: 90 sec jogging/running, 90 sec walking, 3 min running/jogging, 3 min walking. I then ran/jogged for two minutes and then walked for about 10 more. So, I got about 40 minutes in and did a bit over 3.5 miles.

I didn't have time for any extras - so just did some stretching on my own.

Now, on to my over-protective mother question - in my DD's camp this summer they are making two trips a week to the local pool. My DD does not know how to swim - we're taking lessons but she is definately not proficient, she needs to wear a flotation device and floaties. I'm a little leary of having her go to the public pool without me. Yes, her camp counselor will be there and it is a small group of kids (around 6)- but, accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. I also do not know how crowded the pool gets during the summer with other kids - not from our camp. So I can imagine a chaotic atmosphere. She is generally a cautious kid who knows her limits, so I don't think she would take any chances. She knows she can't swim and she knows she has to wear the floaties, and she isn't shy about telling adults or other kids what her limits are in these areas. I'm hesitant to send her on these trips - just

b/c I know that tragedies can happen in a split second. Am I crazy? She is going to be 6 this August. I'm going to talk with the head of school /camp about my feelings - to get an idea of the lay of the land - are they just going to the kiddie pool or are they going in the large pool? How many adults are going? Can I go along to get a sense of it? Etc. I guess if worse comes to worse I'll just pull her out of camp early on those days - which isn't necessarily a bad thing b/c we'll get to spend our afternoons together, I can set up some playdates w/ friends who don't go to camp, and the two days that they swim at camp are the days she has swim lessons and karate in the evening (and i was worried that it would be too much for her anyway to get home from camp and in less than an hour be out the door on the way to another activity anyway!) So maybe a blessing in disguise? I'm sure she'll be unhappy about

not being able to be w/ her friends at camp if I decide to pull her out early - but I guess I should get used to that as I'll have to face that as a teen-ager when she wants to do stuff that I don't think she is ready for anyway (so good practice for the future!)

Thanks for letting me ramble!Donna

[Guest guest]

I agree with the other replies. Ask all the questions you need to ask. They need to be supervised very closely. Follow your instincts and get all the information you need in order to make your decision. If, for any reason, you don't feel good about it after hearing their answers, don't let her go. You can take her somewhere for some watery summer fun yourself instead.

One summer, my son was enrolled in an after-school program for elementary school kids. They took the kids to a local reservoir to swim. One of his classmates wandered over to a deeper area with another kid. He drowned, and nobody even saw it happen. I'll never forget what it was like to pick up my son that day. The kids saw the rescue attempts.

Public pools are a more controlled environment than a reservoir, so I'm sure it's far less risky -- but I would make sure that staff take their immense responsibility seriously.

Hi Everyone,

My sleep has been suffering this week - and so have my workouts!  I haven't been able to do as long a session as I normally do.  I am still moving though and the biggest motivator for me this week to keep moving is that I know my back feels so much better when I exercise - so even though mentally I'd like to be sleeping in every day, I just know I have to get moving or face the consequences of not moving (which are not fun!)

 

Today I did Couch Potato to 5K - week 3, workout 1 - after a 10 min warm-up I did two rounds of:  90 sec jogging/running, 90 sec walking, 3 min running/jogging, 3 min walking.  I then ran/jogged for two minutes and then walked for about 10 more.  So, I got about 40 minutes in and did a bit over 3.5 miles.

 

I didn't have time for any extras - so just did some stretching on my own.

 

Now, on to my over-protective mother question - in my DD's camp this summer they are making two trips a week to the local pool.  My DD does not know how to swim - we're taking lessons but she is definately not proficient, she needs to wear a flotation device and floaties.  I'm a little leary of having her go to the public pool without me.  Yes, her camp counselor will be there and it is a small group of kids (around 6)- but, accidents can happen in the blink of an eye.  I also do not know how crowded the pool gets during the summer with other kids - not from our camp.  So I can imagine a chaotic atmosphere.  She is generally a cautious kid who knows her limits, so I don't think she would take any chances.  She knows she can't swim and she knows she has to wear the floaties, and she isn't shy about telling adults or other kids what her limits are in these areas.  I'm hesitant to send her on these trips - just

b/c I know that tragedies can happen in a split second.  Am I crazy?  She is going to be 6 this August.  I'm going to talk with the head of school /camp about my feelings - to get an idea of the lay of the land - are they just going to the kiddie pool or are they going in the large pool?  How many adults are going?  Can I go along to get a sense of it? Etc.  I guess if worse comes to worse I'll just pull her out of camp early on those days - which isn't necessarily a bad thing b/c we'll get to spend our afternoons together, I can set up some playdates w/ friends who don't go to camp, and the two days that they swim at camp are the days she has swim lessons and karate in the evening (and i was worried that it would be too much for her anyway to get home from camp and in less than an hour be out the door on the way to another activity anyway!)  So maybe a blessing in disguise?  I'm sure she'll be unhappy about

not being able to be w/ her friends at camp if I decide to pull her out early  - but I guess I should get used to that as I'll have to face that as a teen-ager when she wants to do stuff that I don't think she is ready for anyway (so good practice for the future!)

 

Thanks for letting me ramble!Donna

[Guest guest]

Donna, instead of pullin her out early why don't you go to the pool and watch?

Is it possible for your daughter to take a private swim lesson at the pool when

her camp is at the pool?

>

> Hi Everyone,

>

> My sleep has been suffering this week - and so have my workouts!  I haven't

been able to do as long a session as I normally do.  I am still moving though

and the biggest motivator for me this week to keep moving is that I know my back

feels so much better when I exercise - so even though mentally I'd like to be

sleeping in every day, I just know I have to get moving or face the consequences

of not moving (which are not fun!)

>  

> Today I did Couch Potato to 5K - week 3, workout 1 - after a 10 min warm-up I

did two rounds of:  90 sec jogging/running, 90 sec walking, 3 min

running/jogging, 3 min walking.  I then ran/jogged for two minutes and then

walked for about 10 more.  So, I got about 40 minutes in and did a bit over 3.5

miles.

>  

> I didn't have time for any extras - so just did some stretching on my own.

>  

> Now, on to my over-protective mother question - in my DD's camp this summer

they are making two trips a week to the local pool.  My DD does not know how to

swim - we're taking lessons but she is definately not proficient, she needs to

wear a flotation device and floaties.  I'm a little leary of having her go to

the public pool without me.  Yes, her camp counselor will be there and it is a

small group of kids (around 6)- but, accidents can happen in the blink of an

eye.  I also do not know how crowded the pool gets during the summer with other

kids - not from our camp.  So I can imagine a chaotic atmosphere.  She is

generally a cautious kid who knows her limits, so I don't think she would take

any chances.  She knows she can't swim and she knows she has to wear the

floaties, and she isn't shy about telling adults or other kids what her limits

are in these areas.  I'm hesitant to send her on these trips - just b/c I know

that tragedies can happen

> in a split second.  Am I crazy?  She is going to be 6 this August.  I'm going

to talk with the head of school /camp about my feelings - to get an idea of the

lay of the land - are they just going to the kiddie pool or are they going in

the large pool?  How many adults are going?  Can I go along to get a sense of

it? Etc.  I guess if worse comes to worse I'll just pull her out of camp early

on those days - which isn't necessarily a bad thing b/c we'll get to spend our

afternoons together, I can set up some playdates w/ friends who don't go to

camp, and the two days that they swim at camp are the days she has swim lessons

and karate in the evening (and i was worried that it would be too much for her

anyway to get home from camp and in less than an hour be out the door on the way

to another activity anyway!)  So maybe a blessing in disguise?  I'm sure she'll

be unhappy about not being able to be w/ her friends at camp if I decide to pull

her out

> early  - but I guess I should get used to that as I'll have to face that as

a teen-ager when she wants to do stuff that I don't think she is ready for

anyway (so good practice for the future!)

>  

> Thanks for letting me ramble!

>

> Donna

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I can certainly go to the pool sometimes - just not all the time - b/c I work outside of the home. We're doing swim lessons (group lessons) twice a week this summer - hoping to get her really good at it soon!

Donna

Subject: Re: Wed - C25K & OT overprotective mother questionTo: exercisevideos Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2009, 2:50 PM

Donna, instead of pullin her out early why don't you go to the pool and watch? Is it possible for your daughter to take a private swim lesson at the pool when her camp is at the pool?>> Hi Everyone,> > My sleep has been suffering this week - and so have my workouts! I haven't been able to do as long a session as I normally do. I am still moving though and the biggest motivator for me this week to keep moving is that I know my back feels so much better when I exercise - so even though mentally I'd like to be sleeping in every day, I just know I have to get moving or face the consequences of not moving (which are not fun!)> > Today I did

Couch Potato to 5K - week 3, workout 1 - after a 10 min warm-up I did two rounds of: 90 sec jogging/running, 90 sec walking, 3 min running/jogging, 3 min walking. I then ran/jogged for two minutes and then walked for about 10 more. So, I got about 40 minutes in and did a bit over 3.5 miles.> > I didn't have time for any extras - so just did some stretching on my own.> > Now, on to my over-protective mother question - in my DD's camp this summer they are making two trips a week to the local pool. My DD does not know how to swim - we're taking lessons but she is definately not proficient, she needs to wear a flotation device and floaties. I'm a little leary of having her go to the public pool without me. Yes, her camp counselor will be there and it is a small group of kids (around 6)- but, accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. I also do not know how crowded the pool

gets during the summer with other kids - not from our camp. So I can imagine a chaotic atmosphere. She is generally a cautious kid who knows her limits, so I don't think she would take any chances. She knows she can't swim and she knows she has to wear the floaties, and she isn't shy about telling adults or other kids what her limits are in these areas. I'm hesitant to send her on these trips - just b/c I know that tragedies can happen> in a split second. Am I crazy? She is going to be 6 this August. I'm going to talk with the head of school /camp about my feelings - to get an idea of the lay of the land - are they just going to the kiddie pool or are they going in the large pool? How many adults are going? Can I go along to get a sense of it? Etc. I guess if worse comes to worse I'll just pull her out of camp early on those days - which isn't necessarily a bad thing b/c we'll get to

spend our afternoons together, I can set up some playdates w/ friends who don't go to camp, and the two days that they swim at camp are the days she has swim lessons and karate in the evening (and i was worried that it would be too much for her anyway to get home from camp and in less than an hour be out the door on the way to another activity anyway!) So maybe a blessing in disguise? I'm sure she'll be unhappy about not being able to be w/ her friends at camp if I decide to pull her out> early - but I guess I should get used to that as I'll have to face that as a teen-ager when she wants to do stuff that I don't think she is ready for anyway (so good practice for the future!)> > Thanks for letting me ramble!> > Donna>