Fear of Drowning

Our kids take showers, not baths (weird, maybe), but showers. They stand in the water for a few minutes then I open the door, wash their hair, soap up their bodies and let them rinse off. I never have to check and make sure Owen rinses his hair, he always does (he’s got boy hair, it’s easy) Brooklynn on the other hand has her work cut out for her. I always let her try and I always have to rinse it after she is done. Last night same routine, but I let Owen stay in the shower too long taking more then his share of the hot water. By the time we get to the “I have to rinse Brooklynn's hair” part of the event the water is pretty cold. So I need to make it quick.  I know she’s gonna complain and I’m gonna ignore her and get her in and out as fast as possible. I held her in the water rubbing her hair until the soap was out all while she was screaming.

I quickly turn the water off and see she is sobbing, she sobs “Mom, it felt like I was drowning, please hold me”. I almost collapsed. I couldn't belieive I had done that to her. 

Not knowing Brooklynn, one might not know why this would be so tramatic.  Most kids don't know what it feels like to drown, Brooklynn does. 

Late summer 2008 Donn fished Brooklynn out of the bottom of his parents pool, reviving her with CPR and we spent that night and the next day in the ICU at Childrens Hospital.  I assumed, falsely, that I was carrying the baggage of the experience but she had done the wonderful 'bounceback' that kids do.  Apparently not.  And I just put her thru the most tramatic experience of her life again... GUILT!