We went swimming this morning with friends. We haven't been since our holiday last October but apart from being a little hesitant at first, Emily soon began enjoying herself. It helped having her friend P there, who is very confindent in the water. However...as emily became more at ease (i wouldn't go as far as saying confident) she didn't stay so close to me but was getting out , walking round and sliding in off the side with P. I was stood watching them. I'd just watched Emily jump in, then turned to P while emily walked off to the steps. I can't really remember what happened next as it is a bit of a blur but i was looking for emily while simultaniously noticing this child swimming (as i thought) underwater. I started to panic because i couldn't see her, then it suddenly hit me that it *was* emily. She had tripped on someone's foot and gone under. This had made her panic and she couldn't right herself. I felt (and still feel) so AWFUL that this happened. It was all so quick, really scared us both. She didn't calm down at all until we had got out of the changing rooms and kept going over it again and again telling me how she was trying to call to me for help but she couldn't :o(
As it had been so long since our last visit I should have gone through with her what you need to do if you go under but i didn't, and now feel like I have really let her down. It is such an obvious thing and i didn't do it.
I doubt whether she will go near a swimming pool ever again.