To think she should have rescued her own child instead of raging at me?

[drowningyouout]

Name changed for this. Regular poster and don't want this attached to my normal user name.

Weather here crap, as everywhere, but warm enough so DS (7) and I don wellies and waterproofs and take a walk down the beach.

Wind and tide conditions are making it very rough and tide was mid height and on it's way in.

We see a mum, dad and their 2 DC's on some rocks - which as you imagine are wet and slippery.

Suddenly a wave crashes up to the rocks and one of their DC's (a lad of 6) slips and falls into the sea.

The parents are understandably in a panic and the dad starts to take the smaller DC back over the rocks towards the shore whilst yelling at the lad to swim to rocks and hold on.

I can see he's in trouble take wellies and waterproofs off yell at DS to stand back from water and go in to rescue him. The tidal conditions made swimming really difficult so I take the lad towards the rocks, calling for the mum to come help him up.

She starts saying she may slip, it's too near the water and can't I take him to shore. Out of breath and not wanting to waste it talking I get to the rocks and with great difficulty get the lad out. As I did this he slipped a bit banging his head and cutting it. I cut my shin quite badly climbing out myself as waves crashed me against the rocks.

Get to the beach and coastguard have arrived and called paramedics. (There's a beach watch thing right by where we were).

Anyway the paramedic arrive after a bit a said the boy needs to go to A&E as he has a head injury and they need to check his lungs. They dressed my shin on scene.

The boy got really upset saying he'd miss his friend party this afternoon - he was actually hysterical but I suspect it was more the shock. The mum looked up and said " well you wouldn't have had to miss it if that stupid cow had taken you to shore instead of throwing you onto the rocks"

I was quite impressed with the coastguard who replied " what the stupid cow who most probably just saved your DS' life?"

AIBU to think she should have done something herself if the way he was rescued was such a problem.

Your family will feel proud of you. The father will probably speak to the mother and 'have words' with her. Perhaps they'll try to contact you via the Coastguard. Did you identify yourself?

We're all proud of a fellow Mumsnetter.

bottle of

For she's a jolly good fellow
For she's a jolly good fellow
For she's a jolly good fellow
And so say all of us.

Yes Gurl but if you are that terrified of water / swimming you probably wouldn't be dopey enough to take your kids out onto a rocky causeway in the middle of the sea with big waves coming up round you.

This happens quite frequently near where I live and really annoys me - people are in holiday mode, guard down, having a nice time, ignoring all the signs that point out the 'danger zones' on rocks etc - and then get swept into the sea. Which is horrible - but as OP has discovered some poor soul has to then risk their own life resuing them. People do need to have a bit of water sense, especially if they don't live near the sea.

No I didn't identitfy myself. Although the paramedic had to take my details as he had to fill a treatment form out.

Haven't told my family - guess that's why I came here. Help me get over the shock and because it's anonemous.

If I couldn't swim I wouldn't take my toddler onto rocks at the waters edge.

Oh you are correct there, Angelico. I have always been very careful near water. Was brought up near the sea and have a very strong respect for the power of nature.

Yes, I have often seen very foolish behaviour by people on holiday. Used to visit Weston-super-Mare regularly and watched whilst they had to get helicopters out to rescue idiots who tried to wade out into the mud!

This makes me really tearful.

I would be so upset if someone was horrible to me like that. If I had just saved their child's life I would be inconsolable.

Thank goodness the coastguard gave you some praise!

Well done to you, OP.

WELL FIRSTLY OP, WELL DONE!! you did an amazing thing and had it been me i would be buying your flowers and replacing your trousers! and thats just for starters!

yay to the lifeguard and his quick witted response and lets just hope the mum was in shock and gets in touch with the lifeguards so they can forward an apology and a thankyou!

Gurl please don't feel bad you cannot swim. As you say you are sensible around water and should a freak accident occur people usually assist if needed.

I don't judge these parents for not jumping in - whether through swimming ability or not.

I do judge the mum for calling me a cow because her son cut his head open on a rock she took him on in the first place!

Wow! Another person here who thinks you are amazing. Think of the terrible grief you have averted and the young man who will now grow up to be an adult. Well done.

Well done you. I think I also love that coastguard.

Talk about a Good Deed for the Day, OP. Well done indeed!

OP - wow - you are one amazing person.

Ds swims and I don't so I wouldn't ever put in him a situation where he could get into trouble and I couldn't help him.

You may get a thank you via the lifeguards somewhere along the line. Well, you should get a proper thank you.

OP, I think you are incredible and those parents are complete dicks. Who the hell goes climbing on rocks by the sea on rough days never mind with 2 small children in tow? They were bloody lucky you were there and I hope that later on today they both realise that and that the mum feels thoroughly ashamed of herself for what she said to you.

I hope the mum is a mumsnetter, or she relays the story to somebody who is and they direct her to this thread.

I can only echo what others have said.

I am not a bad swimmer, but never had to test how good I am with strong waves. That is partly due to the fact that even though I can swim, I still wouldn't risk it by going anywhere near.

Well done. You should be very proud of yourself. I would be eternally grateful to you if it had been my son and would be kicking myself.

I am a very poor swimmer and uncomfortable around water. There are plenty of us out there. Doesn't mean I don't appreciate how dangerous water can be. Like most parents I exercise due caution and were I ever in the situation of that parent I would be bloody grateful for your strength and skill. You saved a life today. Never mind her absurdity. There's a little lad having his tea and going to be right now who would be in a hospital bed or worse if it wasn't for you.

What an amazing thing you did OP!! that silly woman will regret it all tomorrow, just forget her, you SAVED that boy's life today!

as for your DC watching! i still remember to this day watching my mum dive into a swimming pool to rescue somebody elses child (no lifeguard, parents awol) i always remember how amazing she loooked diving into the water, and how proud of her i was for saving that boy. it was 25 yrs ago and i remember it so clearly. I felt then (and still do) that my mum was a true heroine. and now your Dc will feel that way about you forever!

I really hope she sees this thread. Was there any sign of her being a Mumsnetter?

I would have kissed your feet.

What a stupid, ignorant Woman.
You saved a life.

Thank God you were there. The parents were behaving like idiots before the boy fell into the water.

I hope her awful awful behaviour towards you makes her feel
Ashamed every time she thinks about it - what a complete and utter idiot she is

You - you are amazing x

Omg!!!! Some parents haven't got the brains they need!!! Just read this out to my dh and we are gob smacked as you risked your life saving her son!!!!!! What if you had not been there and she hadnt the balls to rescue her own son!!! Well we know the outcome. stupid selfish idiots!! Thank god you were there and took a risk, well bloody done you!!! Hat off to you x x x

I just don't think they realised how dangerous the rocks could be. The wave that swept the boy away was unually huge compared to the others and they may have not realised how fast the tide comes in.

I'm not making excuses for them but I'd hate to think any parent would go n the rocks knowing it could be dangerous.

People walk across them all the time - myself and DS included. Just usually on dry sunny days when the tides low or going out!

I rang the local A&E, Obviously they couldn't give me any details but they did say the boy was discharged. So the good news is at least he's OK.

It's just dawned on me I know the lads name and surname from giving the paramedics details! I do wonder if I could find the school he goes to and ask them to do a water safety talk. I guess they're local because the boy was due to go to a party at the local play centre this afternoon.

Is your own DS ok? did he see all of this? Well done you. Perhaps you will get a nice card in the post from her when she's calmed down.

Jesus I probably would have punched her in the face, shock or not. Well done you for being so brave and very likely saving his life.

Good idea OP.