Everly Strong

Today has been 2 years since you spread your wings and left us, we miss you every day sweet Evie Bug. Always in our hearts and minds.

There is no right way to grieve; but more importantly, there is no *wrong* way to grieve. Your feelings are valid and normal - we see you ❤

Dear friends, whatever today means to you, we are thinking of you and wishing you a gentle day. 🌺

"Light is still finding you, pouring strength into you moment by moment."
- Morgan Harper Nichols

We are so excited to announce The Fox’s Den Childcare’s first fundraiser! We are using the proceeds we earn to purchase a memorial for our new playground in honor of our beloved and dear Everly who passed away in 2021. She will forever be remembered by her Fox Den family! Please consider scanning the QR code below and ordering these delicious butter braids and pretzels to show your support. The fundraiser ends Friday, May 2nd. Please share!

Please use this link to order: https://store.myfundraisingplace.com/SelectProducts/a9ee71c6-f71b-461e-954d-8607e77cee41/2480551

🦋

Want your child to be safe and skilled in the pool this summer? Summer sign-ups are now open!

Infants will learn how to independently rollback and float on their back and maintain that float until rescued.

Toddlers and older children will learn the swim-float-swim sequence meaning yes, they will learn how to actually swim!

Email me at [email protected] for info on how to claim your time-slot!

This was shared with us today and it’s spot on. We love you always and forever Everly Elizabeth Mowry until we meet again 🤍🤍🤍

YOU DON’T JUST LOSE SOMEONE ONCE
You lose them over and over,
sometimes in the same day.
When the loss, momentarily forgotten,
creeps up,
and attacks you from behind.
Fresh waves of grief as the realisation hits home,
they are gone.
Again.
You don’t just lose someone once,
you lose them every time you open your eyes to a new dawn,
and as you awaken,
so does your memory,
so does the jolting bolt of lightning that rips into your heart,
they are gone.
Again.
Losing someone is a journey,
not a one-off.
There is no end to the loss,
there is only a learned skill on how to stay afloat,
when it washes over.
Be kind to those who are sailing this stormy sea,
they have a journey ahead of them,
and a daily shock to the system each time they realise,
they are gone,
Again.
You don’t just lose someone once,
you lose them every day,
for a lifetime.
Credit: Donna Ashworth

Truly a gift - to remember someone's person alongside them

Wishing you a gentle weekend, friends

These winter months, after the holidays have wrapped up, are often thought of as the "quiet months." ❄️

What provides you comfort during this time? Share with us below.

It's okay ...

There is no right or wrong way to grieve.

Of course we need to be watching the children while they are in the water. BUT don’t stop watching them after swim time is over. The minutes and hours after swim time is done is the time when they are most likely to want to go to the water and get back in. Just because you said no more pool time doesn’t mean they won’t try to get back to it if they can. This is not the time to let your guard down!

For my locals

Friendships, Water Safety & Life Lessons Socialize safely at Goldfish!

Another mom was added a few days ago in our non fatal drowning group. This always breaks my heart because I know exactly what she is going through. Her daughter was released and the fear of chest congestion was weighing heavy on her mind. I cannot describe the fear you are left with the days after a non fatal drowning. I didn't leave my son's side for weeks. He was seen 4 times post accident with in a month after, so I was sifting through paperwork to send her an idea of what Andrew endured those days after and I came across this.

It made me sick to my stomach. Literally.

I thought this was teaching Andrew.
I thought he was being taught to swim.
I thought supported back and front float was enough.
I thought blowing bubbles was fun.
I thought bobbing to chin level was enough.(Of course he would be scared to put his face in the water longer than 3 seconds!)
I thought moving five yards along the pool side while holding on was great.

Most of all, I thought this was teaching Andrew to survive. I thought this was water safety.

I was SO wrong.

He graduated to level two lessons less than a month before he was found in the water. The only thing this taught him was to enter the water independently. He knew how to enter the water and he had been taught "supported float" in swim class.

He entered the water Aug 10th, 2005 at four years old, like he had been taught. He thought he would float, like he had been taught.

It breaks my heart. He was taught to drown. He was NOT taught to survive.

If your child's swim class lessons look similar to this, they are not the right lessons!

From all of us at Waites, we are wishing you a gentle and peaceful weekend.

Mother shares story of son's drowning to inspire others to enroll children in swim lessons According to the Centers for Disease Control, in the swimming pool, African American children between the ages of 5 and 19 are five and a half times more likely to drown than white children.

shared via Zoe Clark-Coates

And repeat.