Why walk children by a river?

R

Rose65

Well-known Member
Location
United Kingdom
There's a two year old boy missing, who appears to have fallen into a river in Leicestershire. It's a current story on the UK news headlines and as usual gives scant details.

It's described as a tragedy, which it is. However, what was the mother doing walking him by a river at all?
I don't know the circumstances but cannot imagine the reason to be there and risk that. Two year olds will explore and know no danger but the mother ought to.
 

I try really hard not to judge people for things like this. I was pretty much overprotective of my daughter at that age, but we sure walked by the river... and even the ocean. There's never a thought of "gee, maybe we shouldn't walk here because s/he may fall in." That's living in fear and I'm sure there are dozens of things that we all do that others would be glad to judge whether valid or not.
 
Rose65 said:
There's a two year old boy missing, who appears to have fallen into a river in Leicestershire. It's a current story on the UK news headlines and as usual gives scant details.

It's described as a tragedy, which it is. However, what was the mother doing walking him by a river at all?
I don't know the circumstances but cannot imagine the reason to be there and risk that. Two year olds will explore and know no danger but the mother ought to.
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Yea, that is frustrating getting headlines like that without providing at least some of the circumstances. You say the UK does this a lot? The BBC isn't like that is it?
 

Rose65 said:
There's a two year old boy missing, who appears to have fallen into a river in Leicestershire. It's a current story on the UK news headlines and as usual gives scant details.

It's described as a tragedy, which it is. However, what was the mother doing walking him by a river at all?
I don't know the circumstances but cannot imagine the reason to be there and risk that. Two year olds will explore and know no danger but the mother ought to.
Click to expand...
I'd have to know the whole story before commenting.
 
Okay, you didn't really give the whole story, Rose... It's a rather important bit of data that the river was swollen and flooded.... and it was twilight. Is there indication that he was pushed or dumped there? They have recovered actual footage of it happening, so the story will soon come out. Sounds like we're hearing more of your news in America than you've heard.
 
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Rose, was your initial information (first post) what was reported in the media? What I'm hearing is that he was walking with his dad... with the dad *holding onto him* but the baby slipped into the river. The dad immediately went in after him but could not rescue him. I cannot even imagine the terror that man must have felt. I will not engage in victim blaming and from what I see, these parents are victims who are now without their baby. :cry:
 
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As a lad that spent much of his early years, as do many youngsters who live by the sea, next to a tidal body of water I can only say teach those kids to swim early and not be scared of water, careful yes, but not scared! Whilst salt water is much more boyant I was never 'taught' to swim, most kids by the ocean seem to just pick it up but inland creeks and streams seem to be where the problem lays.
That said my mother was not exactly pleased to see me out on a make shift raft with another lad in the middle of the sizable creek when I was about 6 or 7

Teach you kids to be comfortable in the water and to swim early......

I agree with the previous comment!, we dont have the full story!
 
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I’ dont have human children but I walk beside rivers often with our dogs. It’s a pleasant walk.
Luckily I was taught how to swim at a really early age so have no fear of water whatsoever. I’m in agreement with those who encourage youngsters to swim. When I met my husband, he didn’t know how to swim. He does now.

I hope these people are found.
 
There may be something good to be said about a rope / Leash on an aggressive tot at a rivers edge. So many adults now get distracted by their cell phones. Yesterday here is a Male Driver looking down at his phone while driving 70 mph in unbelievable heavy expressway rush hour traffic gradually slowing down. CRAZY! See it all the time anymore. Cell Addiction I say! The worst addiction cause they harm so many every year. The law should state shut off when in motion. It should automatically do that, saving messages for when not in motion.

If you live at a river you have to teach the kids not to walk out onto the ice and the speed of the current to try to keep them from
doing what kid naturally want to do. Especially young 5-6-7-8 boys. I grew up at river and creek _ active RR tracks. Once I spotted
a Rattler's skin on the tracks over the creek bridge RR style trestle. And a Red Next To Yellow will kill a fellow, I spotted out on the island Next to a old tree stumps roots at the edge. + another one next to the garden fence and Corn Field. Look before ya go! ...... (y) Some things are just plain great to know.
 
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Never having lived it town or city I suspect the outlook on many of these things is totally different between these groups both parents and kids, I will freeely admit that I know little of city life and I expect most in town are just as ignorant of country life ..... but bodies of water exist in both so......!
 
Rose65 said:
There's a two year old boy missing, who appears to have fallen into a river in Leicestershire. It's a current story on the UK news headlines and as usual gives scant details.

It's described as a tragedy, which it is. However, what was the mother doing walking him by a river at all?
I don't know the circumstances but cannot imagine the reason to be there and risk that. Two year olds will explore and know no danger but the mother ought to.
Click to expand...
There's no reason a mother can't walk near a river or lake with her children. A child that young should have been completely under her control and close supervision. That is the only way a young toddler or child should be near any water, even a pool or bathtub. I don't know the whole story, so I can't comment any further. If the child died, may he rest in peace, if not, I hope they find him safe and sound.
 
CallMeKate said:
Rose, was your initial information (first post) what was reported in the media? What I'm hearing is that he was walking with his dad... with the dad *holding onto him* but the baby slipped into the river. The dad immediately went in after him but could not rescue him. I cannot even imagine the terror that man must have felt. I will not engage in victim blaming and from what I see, these parents are victims who are now without their baby. :cry:
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I don't know what happened. It's only my own opinion about common sense, knowing that small toddlers are incredibly unpredictable, I would think carefully about walking them near obvious extreme danger.
 
I grew up on a lake from the age of four so was taught to swim that year. During the summer we swam many times a day and fished from a boat daily. There’s not enough information available but if the dad was carrying him it sounds like a tragic accident.
 
A couple of years ago, a woman and her dog went their daily walk. They don’t know who went in first since neither are alive to ask. Accidents can happen anywhere to anyone.
 
I had a close friend whose large dog drug her into the flooding Dike spillway in Evansville, Indiana ; 2021. ..... A Young guy passing by drug her out while the dog swam to the bank. Dogs just got to do what they want sometimes.
 
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