Reply #106: Wow, I hadn't thought about that kind of risk and fear,

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or actually, risk and confidence. That's downright heroic -and you know what would have happened to those kids. The rule of thumb we used in cold water boating for hypothermia for adults was 5/50, 5 minutes until you loose coordination and can't help yourself, and 50 before you loose consciousness.

God, I can remember now using that line "mom, it's not what you think.", but it was never heroic and it really was what she was thinking.

I know bad things can happen, or rather, they do happen. But now that I think about it (the teachers called it idle daydreaming), you're the brave and heroic one for biting your tongue and holding your breath at each new escapade. That's where the courage and the confidence and the trust starts and it sounds like you're being well repaid.