Dutch children aren’t interested in diving into channels, are they?

There are no fences anywhere near channels…

Once upon a March day our family went for a walk. It was a warm day, almost 16 degrees. We were dressed in jackets, and our son, obvious, was wearing a hat. While we were crossing the bridge through the channel, a small boat with three little children has sailed under us. Boys were not dressed in t-shirts, or anything else. They were absolute alone in a small boat sailing through the channel. There were no adults except us shocked by this scene of three townish Mowgli’s.

We had lived for six months in the Netherlands. I had been sure that I have seen everything, and couldn’t be surprised. But the country still does that now and then.

From my first day in this land, the question bothers me is why there are no fences around channels here. It is so easy to fall into them. Become a food for fishes. Why are kids not interested in a potential game?

I started to dig for information. The more I learned the better I understood that it is not result of intimidation, or fear, but plod of society. Besides, accidents happen.

According to Statistics Netherlands, 83 people died, including 9 children under 15 years old, in 2015. Numbers haven’t changed since 1996. Exception was in 2000 when 107 people drowned. Meanwhile, children’s deaths have reduced, 32 (in 1996) to 12 (in 2005). It haven’t got higher for 10 years. People drown not only in channels. I’ve found a few examples on nltimes.nl. It could be accidents in a swimming pool, or a bathtub. But sometimes horrible accidents happen around the channels. For instance, in August 2016, two kids, 5 and 6 years old, was playing and fell into channel water. Bystander rescued one boy.

By searching for information about the anti drowning work, I have found the organization called ZonMw. As I understand, it studies the social issues and puts forth ways of solutions. In particular, in 2011 they found that babies and toddlers are in the risk zone and died from drowning more often than others. Immigrants from eastern countries are also in more danger. ZonMw suggested informing parents about the necessity of more thorough control for children near water.

Nowadays, there are few companies offering survival swimming lessons for one-year-old’s babies and toddlers. Dutch system includes A,B,C diplomas for children. Swimming lessons start when kid turns 5. But, according to a brilliant, helpful group called Amsterdam Mamas, you should put your child on a waiting list when he or she turns 4. It gives more chances to start lessons on time and get a diploma when a kid turns 7.

Now, with all this information, I don’t feel like my heart misses a beat when I see children without adults in a boat in the middle of the channel. It is much easier to trust your kids if you know that they are prepared.

P.S. I had written the post before hot spring days came. I have seen a lot of children and adults swim in channels. Of course, not in downtown.