Bath Time Observations

[xerostar]

When I introduced my 7 year Thai old stepson to the swimming pool,

I noticed he had a real problem with getting water on his face or in his eyes.

At first he refused to consider dunking his head underwater.

He saw other (Aussie) kids jumping into the shallow end of the pool and

having a good time, so he decided to do the same. He came up gasping

and immediately wiped the water off his face in a panic, swiping the water

downward with his hands.

With more experience he gradually became more water tolerant and

eventually managed to swim and play in the water without worrying about

water on his face. He is now taking swimming lessons.

The other day I was given the rare job of bathing our two year old daughter.

After the baby shampoo was applied, I began using a cup to rinse off her

hair. To my amazement she began to gasp and wipe the water off her face,

just as my stepson had done years earlier.

With the second cup of water she began to cry.

My wife came to the rescue and leant her back and poured water over her

hair without getting a drop on her face.

I agree that's the correct method for a newborn, but for an active 2 year old?

I concluded that this must be a Thai method of bathing children and that is

how my stepson had become so fearful of having water on his face and

now we are going to have the same problem with our daughter.

When you consider so many Thai children drown, it should be a matter

of early training to get children used to water in this way.

Having the ability to control breathing and how to exhale through the nose

can be the start of learning how to survive in water.

It's a big step from controlling breathing under a shower to being totally

immersed in water but I think it's a start.

You've probably seen videos of babies being taught to swim at an early age

and they learn almost by instinct what to do.

What do you think?

[MikeyIdea]

Yes, I have exactly the same observation and yes, it is rediculous to see how Thais treat 2-3-4-5 year olds like newborns thinking they are doing something good while in fact they are doing totally the opposite

My daughter clearly learned to swim slower because of it but mummy refused to accept that being afraid of getting water in her face had anything to do with learning to swim

Many Thais still protect their children from drowning by making them afraid of water, a meter of flooding isn't going to change that habit, nor is rational reasoning. It is going to continue for another one to two generations

Edit: I did tell my daughters mother about treating a 1-2-3-nearly 4 year-old like a newborn and, yes, it made no difference at all. She still continued to do this and many other totally useless things. Idea was over a year old before she got a drop of water in her eye the first time...

Regardless of it helps or not, I still think that the mother should be told of the negative side-effects of over-protecting, perhaps starting with other kids and how quickly they will learn to swim first and then comparing that with that our daughter and how slow she will be. Maybe it can cut a year off

Good Luck

Edited November 15, 2011 by MikeyIdea

[dave111223]

So after 2 years you decide it's about time you lent a hand gave your daughter a bath? You then realized, to your chagrin, your wife has been doing wrong!

I think it's best that you sit her down and explain the importance of being a good parent; including how to properly bath a child.

[samran]

My daughter is 5 years old, and can swim and has been taking swimming lessons since 6 months of age. She has blond hair, blue eyes and is as white as the Irish.

She also hates getting her face wet during bath time, especially during hair washing.

There goes your theory I'm afraid.

Edited November 17, 2011 by samran