Not knowing how to swim

I grew up swimming. I can't remember a time I couldn't swim. I took my children to learn to swim, and they are good swimmers, as I think it's a life skill and water sports are fun as hell. I was a life guard in high school and even surfed the meager ass waves on the gulf coast of Texas.

The reason I bring this thread up is because my 67 year old mother in law doesn't know how to swim to even save her own life. This came up recently because my wife and I are shopping for a house and we both want a pool. My wife mentioned that her mom, who pretty much nannies for us, cannot swim and is worried that she will drown; so she is having second thoughts on the pool. She isn't worried about the kids as they are strong swimmers. My wife Isn't the strongest of swimmers but she can survive in the water if she needed to.

How can you go through life not knowing this one important life saving skill? It baffles my mind. I grew up with dudes that had no formal swimming lessons and we would surf and swim in the ocean.

 

It's an old person thing. My girlfriends grandma has never been behind the wheel of a vehicle.

 

I guess but even back then didn't kids want to play in water like us? Kids can teach themselves how to swim. I don't get it, my parents know how to swim and they are about my MIL age. It's fucked up man.

 

Fisherman back in the day never learned how to swim. Always thought that was incredibly dumb.

 

Swimming should be instinct. Everyone can do it. Anyone who can't swim, can't do it because they tell themselves they can't. It's all in their head.... Unless they are handicapped or something

 

I was lucky enough to grow up with a pool, so I was always in the pool at a very young age. My middle school also had a pool so we actually did swimming in PE in 6th grade.

 

I worked on a lobster boat for a while and you'd be shocked how many fishermen say they don't know how to swim.

A guy drowned one day right next to the docks. Fell off the dock and couldn't swim well enough to make it a few feet to the shore.

 

There's no swimming pools or lakes in the kitchen, bro.

 

I'm bringing my 4 year old to swim lessons this year and I feel like I'm a slacker starting him too late.

 

No. It's never to late. He is still at a good age to learn. Just keep at it and keep going to the pool.

 

so now you know how to off her and make it look like an accident

 

This was a big deal in Milwaukee for a while - lots of kids drowning in parks and rivers. Why didn't these kids know how to swim? Well, for one - you need access to a pool, also, someone willing to run the classes - such things are not that common in the inner city.

It got bad enough that the cops that were recovering the bodies of these little kids began paying out of their own pockets for swim lessons for anybody that wanted to take them.

I'd have thought that anyone that wanted to join the Navy would know how to swim - well guess what?

 

yes 67 years old she grew up in a different time.
My Grandmother never learned to ride a bike.

Why is your wife worried about the pool? If your children can swim what reason would her mother have to go into the pool? Or worried she falls in?

 

Many sailors in the days of sailing ships couldn't swim.

 

It's not instinctual for humans. That it isn't underscores the importance of teaching children how to swim. Humans and the other great apes are among the very few mammals which can't instinctively swim.

 

I never learned how to swim I chicken out during PE class.

Looking back at it I wished I have forced my self to learn as it is fun to be in the pool specially during super hot summers in the tropical jungles.

 

Tell your mother in law to stay away from the ppol = Problem solved.

Unless she lives with you and is delusional...which leads to my next question...

Is she a MILF?

Spoiler

pics or gtfo this didn't happen

 

Cops volunteered to pay for swimming lessons how nice.

Would love to read a story I will google that up

 

My reason: a lack of consistent access to water in which to learn. Can't really learn to swim if you've got nothing to swim in.

 

I can swim well enough to save my life that's about it.