Ever been kicked out of a baby-and-me fitness class? I have. I even cried in public when it happened. Also, I felt like an ass.
Want to know why I was kicked out? Because I wouldn't leave my four month old baby floating by herself in a baby boat while I swam halfway across the pool. For real. Frances couldn't even sit up on her own at that point. The fitness instructor told a sleep-deprived, stressed-out new mom that she wasn't welcome in the class because she wouldn't leave her daughter alone in a swimming pool.
Now, I'm all for being a laid-back mom. I'm ok with my daughter eating dirt, climbing trees, scraping her knees, licking the dog, biking too fast. But I will never think that it's ok to have a young child more than an arm's reach away in a pool. (There is a reason that the Canadian Lifesaving Society's first water-smart tip to is to "Always Stay Within Arm’s Reach.")
After ten years of lifeguarding, and another ten as a whitewater kayaker, there is no way that I will ever compromise when it comes to water safety. I've pulled out more than enough drowning infants and toddlers with my own hands over the years; I will do everything I can to help prevent my daughter from ever needing the assistance of a lifeguard.
The reason I'm writing about this now is that I just ran into the instructor who kicked me out. She was friendly. I was friendly. But I will never forget the day that I was berated for standing up, in public, insisting on protecting the safety of my daughter.
(I'd still recommend the Baby Weights fitness class if you're a St Albert mom. Or a water fitness class anywhere, really. I had a hissy-fit at the management at this pool, even after the instructor apologized and asked me to come back, so this particular horror-story should never happen to another mom. Water aerobics really is a good way to keep fit if the instructor doesn't behave like a complete jackass.)
