My son Zachary started swimming lessons at three months under the care of John and Judy at Carlile Swimming at Killarney Heights in Sydney.
When Zach was 10 months we moved to Queensland and we found John and Judy again at Billabong Swim School. Zach is now two and a half, and our youngest child Lochie is ten months who has also started at Billabong.
On the Easter long weekend 2008, we had been swimming in our pool. At lunch we were sitting on deck chairs around the pool, one which was very close to the edge. Zach was sitting on this chair when he lost his balance and rolled off the deck chair into the pool upside down and backwards. I went to grab him but my husband Joseph said leave him for a minute and after a little bit of a struggle he found his way back to the top and got to the edge of the pool and pulled himself out. Needless to say he was a little upset, but we were both in shock that he did it on his own.
Both Joseph and myself would like to thank John, Judy and all the staff at Billabong for teaching Zach and Lochie water awareness and how to swim. Although no child can ever be “drown proof” a combination of supervision together with swimming lessons from an early age will give them the best protection in and around the water.
Nicole
