ISR - It's that time again.

I just finished up Lola's registration for her ISR refreshers.

So, naturally, it's that time of year where I must express how important ISR is for children.

If you'd like to hear the whole story and what brought us to ISR, why Lola does ISR, and why I'm so passionate about it, watch the video above. If you feel compelled to donate to the ISR scholarship fund, please do so. You will save lives.

It's getting warmer, which brings the potential for playing in the water and pool time. I could go on about what an amazing program ISR is and how it has saved lives and will save lives. I could tell you that ISR is NOT simply a swimming lesson. It's a SELF RESCUE program, teaching children to save themselves if they fall in any body of water be it a pool, a pond, or a fountain.

I could brag on Lola learning to float at the age of six months old, screaming almost all the way because she's a screamer. I could also tell you that it really didn't bother me because a screaming child isn't a drowning child because drowning is silent.

I could go on. But instead I'm going to tell you about a three year old little girl that died yesterday. She drowned at a family get together.

This particular story, being one of the first drownings of the season, punched me in the stomach a little harder than most. I think maybe because I was watching it on our local news and I just gave a story to that very channel featuring the story. Additionally, this network runs an entire series every summer about water safety.

But then I remembered that many people, maybe even hundreds see our story or stories on the news and don't really think about it after the fact because it could never happen to them or their child. Because they watch their child. It's okay. That's what I thought, too.

This thing about "spreading the word" makes us feel better but I'm not sure it can really connect unless you accept that human error is a real thing that nobody of which nobody is immune.

The news story that accompanied the piece about the drowning death interviewed another woman who spoke about her child almost drowning (thankfully, the child turned out to be okay) and it happening surrounded by adults at the pool. Her child simply slipped under the water. Silently. The news story finished up suggesting that sometimes too many adults around the pool gives a false sense of security because everyone thinks everyone else is watching the children.

So therein lies the mission I'm on to spread the word about ISR. There is human error in this world, people. It's with me, it's with you, it's with us all. Despite knowing about barriers, despite knowing CPR, all it takes is a minute. Maybe the same minute you reply to a facebook status or read this blog post.

Consider giving your child the skill of saving themselves no matter what happens. Barriers can fail - children are crafty and can get over and under barriers - adults supervision can lapse, floating devices can deflate.

I'm not saying all of the above mentioned methods of water safety aren't important. Please, don't misunderstand me.

I'm just saying consider giving your child the skill to save themselves no matter what.