Just like helping someone to make a decision to wear their own PFD by encouraging them to try putting it on while swimming, parents should try to hold their child up while both are swimming. It ain't easy. I don't always wear a PFD while in surf, I don't always wear a PFD while swimming in open water (or a pool), but my kids ALWAYS wear a PFD while boating, in the lake, or even swimming in a pool. Kids with low body fat sink FAST. I've seen both of my daughters sinking in 3' of water. I was right there, but both of us were plenty scared. Now it's a rule they always wear a PFD...and their own confidence level is much higher with the additional flotation anyway, so they request to wear their PFD's--I never have to make them. And except for the pool, I wear a PFD right alongside them--both to give myself better buoyancy to help myself while I help them swim, and to be a good role model. I resent laws, especially ones designed to protect me from myself. (Laws to protect minor children from ignorant parents are a good thing, IMHO) I know when and where to wear my PFD, and I will often wear one even when a "well-meaning" law wouldn't require one. Shawn On Tuesday 17 October 2006 03:22, Chuck wrote: (snip) > But about Kids! Two states still do not require children to wear pfds. > Twice in the past two years fathers have gone fishing with a son > that has fallen overboard. In both cases, the fathers jumped in to > save their sons and in both cases father and son went to the > bottom. Tell me that it is ok for fathers to take their sons to the > bottom with them because we must preserve our god given freedom > of choice no matter who pays the price! --------------------------------- Get your email and more, right on the new Yahoo.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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