Survival Instincts That Stink

Parenting young children is a massive joy and an unending pain! Greetings Everyday Spy, Parenting young children is a massive joy and an unending pain! If you are judging me right now, that’s cool. I’m not one to sugar-coat things. While I live for cuddles, I’d happily forget every minute spent sweeping-up fresh food that got thrown on the floor, spiteful words yelled in my face, and giant tears of misunderstanding. I remember the day when my daughter was introduced to basic swimming. Parents everywhere… I hear your collective groan and I appreciate your sympathy! She had just turned 3 years old and Jihi and I wanted to get her ready for safety in the water. Her life had been all fun in the water; baths, splash-pads, floaties that gave her freedom to swim (or rather, float) in dozens of pools between Florida and Abu Dhabi. But now she was at the age where we needed to get serious about her basic water survival skills. - Nearly 800 children a year die from drowning in the US - Half of those deaths are in children under 5 years old, just like Alai - Another 2,600 are treated for near-drowning accidents Everywhere we go, no matter where in the world, we seek out a beach or a pool. For Jihi’s 40th birthday, we got both. A little corner of heaven with a private pool and some of the best surf in all of Florida. My son is our cautious child… my daughter is our [reckless rebel](. A few hours after we arrived at our vacation spot, we took the kids out to the beach. The tide was rolling in (and surfers paddling out!) and we showed the kids what 5 ft waves look like up close. My son stood and stared in awe. But my little girl walked toward them! See why we need swim classes?!?!? One of the biggest challenges my daughter has had during her swim training is the simple task of putting her face in the water. Kids don’t like to put their face underwater. It’s a common challenge for all new swimmers because it goes contrary to raw survival instincts. I realized how powerful survival instinct was as an adult training in water survival. One of the best ways to ensure your survival when abandoned in open water is to put your face in the water and use it as a way to regulate and moderate your breathing. You create a mental/physical connection between your lungs and face that will keep you focused and calm when you are trapped in open water for hours. Even after learning and practicing that skill for years, I STILL FIGHT IT. So I don’t blame my daughter’s instincts at all. But as her father and protector, I had to teach her to overcome this particular instinct. And that means seeing fear, sadness, and pain in my daughter’s face… until she finds the comfort and confidence she needs to put her face underwater on her own. We all have instincts that we trust… But that doesn’t mean we should trust all our instincts. CIA taught me the power of overcoming my own instincts. And the power others lose when they don’t. Godspeed, #EverydaySpy P.S. - [If you want to see how real-world spy skills can transform your life in a matter of days, check out the powerful]( Crash-Course and get ready for unbelievable results...]( Follow @EverydaySpy on Social Media! [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Andrew Bustamante, Founder of EverydaySpy.com, is a former covert CIA Intelligence officer, decorated US Air Force Combat Veteran, and respected Fortune 500 senior advisor. Learn more from Andrew on his Podcast (The Everyday Espionage Podcast) and by following @EverydaySpy on your favorite social media platform. This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Don't want to receive these emails anymore? [Unsubscribe]( EverydaySpy, 411 Walnut St. #20309, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043