To not let my DS swim in the river?

[BBOA]

Same thing comes up as soon as the sun's out. DS says all his friends are going swimming in the local river so why can't he? Every year I remind him of at least one of his friends who has spent 5 days with V&D and the boy who was hospitalised with some hideous bug caught from the river. (Friends daughter was a day away from hospital only last week post river swim). Don't want to be a killjoy as back in the day I did swim in rivers myself, but that was before certain pesticides were banned so they probably obliterated every living thing in the river! He's 14. Should I let him get on with it and let him learn a lesson or am I right to stick by my guns? I personally would have just done it without making a fuss but thankfully he still does what he's told.... Well for now anyway!

We live near a river and my kids grew up swimming, paddling, turning over stones to watch fish etc in it. It's a very 'clean' area though, and they weren't allowed in without an adult while they were small.

I love a quick dip in what we call the 'swimming hole'. Bobbing about watching the sun through the trees - it's lovely. But you do have to do your risk assessment and keep your wits about you!

Every year teenagers and young adults die swimming in rivers, reservoirs and old quarries. That would be the main reason I'd stop him.

I agree with @billybagpuss. If he is going to do it - learn how to do it safely. I take my kids to the sea and occasionally rivers. (I'm actually more wary of rivers as I think there are more hidden dangers....but actually I've done a few sailing courses where we look at tides etc so I'm more confident I understand the risks with sea swimming. And we would never go in if I didn't know the tide direction and local conditions. Still it's not risk free ...nothing in life is. But you need healthy respect for the environment.