“SWIM TO MY BOAT. GET IN MY BOAT RIGHT NOW.”
These are the orders we heard our guide barking at the swimmers.
A raft had flipped in the Category 3 rapids and dumped all 8 passengers into the freezing, churning water.
It was a rainy, cool day on the Arkansas River with thunder rumbling overhead. Six boats were traveling with ours.
My family happened to be in the raft with the head guide. And she was a good one.
She showed just how capable she was when the last raft just behind us in the rapids flipped and there was no time to lose.
Eight people were scattered in the river rapids, clinging to their useless raft or their life jackets and being tossed into large boulders while they hoped for rescue.
There was a young kid literally weeping and crying out for someone to please help him.
It was pretty nightmarish for a few minutes.
Our guide stayed steady; her level head never faltered.
She told us exactly what to do and left no doubt what needed to happen for us to pull every single swimmer safely into our raft.
There are times in life when sugar coating and kind words just won’t cut it. There are times that require barked orders.
Parenting can be a pretty rough ride from time to time. When you find yourself in churning waters, who will bark orders at you? Who will keep a clear head to guide you out of the nightmare?
Let’s talk if you need someone to pull you out of the rapids. As your coach, I will not hesitate to bark orders at you if it means you won’t be crying out for someone to please help you. And I promise to shout only when it is completely necessary.