Physical S.P.I.C.E.S. of Life
May 29, 2007
Where I live in Hervey Bay the beach is protected by Fraser Island. Hence, there are no great waves or swells thumping onto the beach as in other parts of our fabulous coastline. Let’s face it Australia does have the most fantastic beaches in the world.
Whilst sitting sipping a coffee on our favourite beachside bench my husband observed a family group – you know Mum, Dad and three toddlers, all maybe 5 years old and under. They were all playing in the sand and paddling in the ocean enjoying the sunshine and one another. After a short while the Mum did something that caused my husband to be surprised. She just wandered off and went for a walk up the beach, leaving her husband to look after all three toddlers.
“What is so amazing about this?” I asked. Well my husband thought how lucky we are to live in a part of the world where one parent can easily look after three toddlers in the ocean. He recalled similar trips to the beach when he and his brothers were young and it took at least two sets of very watchful eyes to ensure none of them were swept away in the strong currents or buried under huge dumpers (translated as whopping waves that dump you onto the ocean floor).
Yes, our beach is safe, at least there isn’t the constant threat of a forceful ocean.
Not all beaches offer such safety. Let me share a story told to me by workmate. One of her friends had separated from her husband – yeah, I know, it happens. On a typical access weekend Dad took their child to the beach for the day. Unfortunately, the child did not come home to Mum – in a tragic accident, he was drowned. Imagine being the Dad, having to live with the guilt of this tragedy. Imagine having to go back to the child’s Mum with this devastating news.
Imagine keeping such a watchful eye on your children at any beach, that you limit the possibilities of any such story being told about your family!
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Copyright © 2007 
That poor family. It must be one of the worst things to have happen, to lose a child in a preventable accident.
It still amazes me that so many children die through backyard drownings. I appreciate that it happens quickly and that parents can’t have an eye on their kids all the time but for drowning to be one of the greatest killers of children in the developed world is not very protective developed.