ALKHOBAR, 13 March 2003 — It was Feb. 28, 2003, a typical Friday evening on a compound in Alkhobar. A dinner party was in progress. The atmosphere was relaxed. Men and women laughed and chattered in their own little groups. The children played outside. Suddenly a small girl came in screaming. Someone had fallen into the swimming pool.
By the time the adults got to the pool, which was a little distance away, someone had luckily rescued the child. An eight-year-old boy had been playing near the deep end of the pool. He had fallen in and his seven year-old sister jumped in to save him. Neither knew how to swim. Luckily for them, some other children raised the alarm and a passing adult pulled both of them from the pool.
The parents and the other adults were shocked. None of them were aware that their children were playing by the pool. They only knew that all the children were outside. There was no adult supervision.
A similar thing happened a few years ago at a party in Jeddah. Everyone was chatting madly when suddenly a little girl walked in, shivering and crying hysterically. She had just fallen into the swimming pool but had been luckily rescued by a teenager who was a good swimmer.
The little girl had been playing with her friends by the pool. None of the parents were aware where their children were. There was no adult supervision.
The story of six-year-old Abdul Rahman did not have a happy ending. Unfortunately, he drowned. On June 20, 2002, he was playing by a swimming pool with his ten-year-old brother, Rehan. Rehan and his friends were playing hide-and-seek in the water and Abdul Rahman naturally joined them. In an attempt to hide himself, he moved into deep water, realized the problem and called for help. Rehan tried to save him but gave up when he realized he himself was about to drown. There was no adult supervision.
Abdul Rahman’s father told Arab News, “My message to parents is that we should not expose our children to unnecessary dangers. We should know where they are at all times. We should not leave them unsupervised, especially by swimming pools or near busy streets.”
It is immediately apparent that in none of the cases above was there any adult supervision. The children were allowed to play in a pool without guidance or supervision. Swimming pool accidents can be avoided with a little care and common sense. Young children who do not know how to swim should not be left unattended.
Many parents, thinking they are doing what is safe, allow their children to swim with a maid supervising. Once in the water, the children do as they like, refusing to listen to the maid. If a child were in any danger, the maid would hardly be useful since a majority of them do not know how to swim. Swimming lessons from a certified instructor would be wise for children who have access to pools. These instructors not only teach one to swim but also how to save oneself and others.
