Wake Up Call for Parents

[Jane2357]

A 4 yr old is in critical condition after a near downing yesterday on Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas. When are parents of young children going to realize that the ship is not a place to let your guard down - you MUST keep an eye on your children, of all ages. Sad just so sad that once again there is tragedy but I've seen parents on both Carnival and Celebrity act like once on board that they are on vacation - and let the kids just run loose. Of course don't know the circumstances to this case. :(

[Lois R]

I just saw that on the news this morning.....they had EMT's from Broward

County on their way to the ship.......

[vulcan1971]

Very sad indeed. I found this brief news clip video.

 

http://m.local10.com/news/child-hospitalized-after-neardrowning-on-board-oasis-of-the-seas/30519644

 

 

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[Jane2357]

It is absolutely senseless. The ship and staff is not a babysitter - parents can't assume someone is watching. Who takes their eyes off of a 4 yr old? On a ship? With water? I just shake my head but I've seen it myself onboard too many times. Parents if you need a break - leave the kids at home.

[MizDemeanor]

A lot of speculation.

 

Many parents leave their kids home with them and those kids drown too at home pools of nearby pools or public pools. All of these scenarios are very sad situations for any affected family, extended family and friends.

 

Pools are dangerous places and accidents do happen because of them.

[NLH Arizona]

It is absolutely senseless. The ship and staff is not a babysitter - parents can't assume someone is watching. Who takes their eyes off of a 4 yr old? On a ship? With water? I just shake my head but I've seen it myself onboard too many times. Parents if you need a break - leave the kids at home.

All too often, we see parents not keeping an eye on their children, thinking that others will be watching them. In this case, thank God for the bystander who happened to see the child in the wave pool and got him out so CPR could be administered.

[Nebr.cruiser]

A four year old in the wave pool? I too have seen too many children apparently completely unsupervised around the pool, and running around the ship.

 

At four, a parent should either be in the pool with the child or within arm's length, with eyes on the child. And don't depend on floats or other devices either.

[K L B]

While I agree that lots of parents are irresponsible with regards to child care while on vacation AND at home, I'm not sure anyone here has the full story to be able to condemn the parents as negligent. Who even knows here if the parents were looking after the child at the time of the accident? They could have been with a grandparent or other adult at the time. One can't be judge and jury without knowing what actually happened. I'm sure the parents are devastated over the tragedy.

[handy4u]

I have a 5 year old son currently. We have cruised with him every year since he was 1. I've been at the pool with my boy and see other kids in the pool whilst their parent(s) are sunning themselves with their eyes closed or busy boozing it up. So the parents are physically "right there" but they are mentally far away. So threads like this are an important notice to parents to watch their kids!

 

That little boy was underwater for at least 5 minutes and up to 10! If true, nobody was watching him! As a parent, I am ultimately responsible for the safty of my child. If the parents of that little boy have love in their heart I'm sure they are in total mental anguish and regret right now. I think about how they must feel now and try to put myself in their place. Putting myself mentally there makes me follow this thread so that I'll read it just before our next cruise. I want reminder to be diligent in the care of my most prized possession -- my own flesh and blood!

[Lois R]

While I agree that lots of parents are irresponsible with regards to child care while on vacation AND at home, I'm not sure anyone here has the full story to be able to condemn the parents as negligent. Who even knows here if the parents were looking after the child at the time of the accident? They could have been with a grandparent or other adult at the time. One can't be judge and jury without knowing what actually happened. I'm sure the parents are devastated over the tragedy.

 

Hi Karen, I agree with part of your statement. We don't know who

was (if anyone) was watching the boy. And yes, the parents are

probably devasted. But ultimately, wasn't it their responsibility?

4 years old?:(..in my opinion, that is waaayyy too young to

even be near the water by themselves....:eek:

[Rob the Cruiser]

All too often, we see parents not keeping an eye on their children, thinking that others will be watching them. In this case, thank God for the bystander who happened to see the child in the wave pool and got him out so CPR could be administered.

 

I was a lifeguard during summers at college. You would be amazed how some parents expected me and the other guards to be baby-sitters. Many parents were incredibly attentive to their children while other parents seemed not to care. Granted, my job was to keep everyone safe, including the little darings but even with 3 lifeguards on duty it was impossible to keep an eye on everyone at once.

[davekathy]

It is absolutely senseless. The ship and staff is not a babysitter - parents can't assume someone is watching. Who takes their eyes off of a 4 yr old? On a ship? With water? I just shake my head but I've seen it myself onboard too many times. Parents if you need a break - leave the kids at home.

 

Agree.

[cruise47]

Can we all just stop for a moment and pray for this child speedy recovery.

[colombiangirl]

Thoughts and prayers for the young child and his family.

 

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[Can'tstopcruising]

I find it so sad and so scary.

 

We have very young grandchildren and swimming pools are definitely a hazard. Sometimes a vigilant parent can be distracted. Every summer, I hear on the news about too many drownings. Many are in residential pools.

I can't believe that all these parents are negligent.

 

I hope this child has a full recovery.

[phoenix_dream]

No one really knows the child was underwater for 5 to 10 minutes. I know that is what they said, but think about it for a minute. If you knew a child was under the water for 10 minutes, wouldn't you have pulled him out?!? No one knows for sure. I suspect the truth may be he was in the water (i.e., playing) for 5 to 10 minutes.

 

We really do not know what happened so we should be careful about judging. What all lifeguards should know (and I am surprised it wasn't part of the comment from one) is that drowning does not always look like drowning, especially in a child. In fact, I printed out a long list of information about what children look like when they are drowning and gave it to my son who has a backyard pool and a child. People have been known to be looking at a child in the water and not even realizing that child was drowning because their actions seemed like something else. Everyone should take time to review this information, particularly if they have children.

 

I am not defending a parent if in fact they were not watching their child. There is NO excuse for that ever, period. I am just saying we do not know all the facts so let's use this as a reminder to pay attention and nothing more (beyond praying for the family if that is your belief).

[Nebr.cruiser]

Phoenix Dream has it right. Small children do not usually splash around and cry out and make a big fuss if they are drowning. They just quietly sink beneath the water--I've seen my own granddaughter, at about 3-4---start to do that. Luckily I was right there, otherwise she would have just been gone.

 

I agree that we shouldn't rush to judgement, and the family is in my prayers. Accidents do happen, and it is almost impossible to never be distracted for a second or two--accidents happen to the most vigilant of parents.

 

I speak as a former lifeguard, swim instructor, and grandmother of 7 who lives on a deep lake and has taught all 7 to swim. The things I have seen when I was lifeguarding!--re careless or clueless parents.

 

I'm more scared now that the oldest are 14 and 15 than when they were little; teenagers (and they are awesome swimmers) think they are invincible and they are a daring and active bunch.

[NLH Arizona]

Phoenix Dream has it right. Small children do not usually splash around and cry out and make a big fuss if they are drowning. They just quietly sink beneath the water--I've seen my own granddaughter, at about 3-4---start to do that. Luckily I was right there, otherwise she would have just been gone.

 

I agree that we shouldn't rush to judgement, and the family is in my prayers. Accidents do happen, and it is almost impossible to never be distracted for a second or two--accidents happen to the most vigilant of parents.

 

I speak as a former lifeguard, swim instructor, and grandmother of 7 who lives on a deep lake and has taught all 7 to swim. The things I have seen when I was lifeguarding!--re careless or clueless parents.

 

I'm more scared now that the oldest are 14 and 15 than when they were little; teenagers (and they are awesome swimmers) think they are invincible and they are a daring and active bunch.

I guess I look at it like this. If the child quietly or loudly sank beneath the water, if the parent had their eyes on the child they would know that there was something wrong, it would not take a bystander (like it did in this case) to rescue the child.

[CathyCruises]

We had a tragedy in our own community. A well known family, the dad was a swim coach for many years. His twin granddaughters were in his hot tub during a family reunion, and one of them drowned. People everywhere, the girls were four so could stand up in the hot tub and have their heads above water. No one will ever know exactly what happened because no one was watching at that exact minute, thinking the girls were perfectly safe in the small hot tub.

 

No way to tell what happened in this case, either. It is very easy to lose sight of a child in a crowded pool, we don't know how many other children they were trying to keep an eye on, etc. I consider myself to be hyper vigilant and there have been times when I zoned out just for a minute, no alcohol involved, and lost track of one of my kids--luckily without consequences. But let that parent among us who has never had a similar experience cast the first stone here.

Edited January 4, 2015 by CathyCruises

[TeaBag]

So sad. No one goes on vacation even thinking about tragedy. I do hope this little boy recovers completely.

[Lady Chew]

This was in a wave pool? If your child is going to be in a wave pool, there is no excuse for you to not be right there with him or her every second.

 

When my children were 4, we had eyes on them every second in any type of pool. We did not read, take bathroom breaks, get so involved in conversations that we could not watch our kids ...

[MizDemeanor]

:mad::mad:

So sad. No one goes on vacation even thinking about tragedy. I do hope this little boy recovers completely.

 

Yes. Which is quite different a position than the heartless commenters who wish to be Judgementalizers

[Cruise Raider]

This tragedy will certainly have the cruise lines looking at their age policies for these types of activities. 4 years old without any direct supervision seems awfully young to be in a wave pool if you ask me.

[dkjretired]

This tragedy will certainly have the cruise lines looking at their age policies for these types of activities. 4 years old without any direct supervision seems awfully young to be in a wave pool if you ask me.

 

Disney had a similar situation and almost immediately instituted life guards at the pools. Suspect that may be the next move.

[MizDemeanor]

Disney had a similar situation and almost immediately instituted life guards at the pools. Suspect that may be the next move.

 

A productive solution that has taken far to long IMHO for too many cruise lines!