Harvey Stays Safe Around Water

A Bedtime Story About Swimming, Safety, and Smart Choices

It was a bright, sunny day, and I could feel the excitement wagging all the way to my tail. 

“Pool day!” I barked. “Pool day!” 

My friends were coming over, and we were going to swim. 

I grabbed my towel and ran toward the backyard. 

“Wait, Harvey,” Mom called. “Before we swim, we review our water safety rules.” 

I stopped and turned around. 

“I know how to swim,” I said. 

Mom smiled. “That’s wonderful. And we still practice safety—every time.” 

Dad came outside holding something bright and snug. 

“What’s that?” I asked. 

“It’s your life jacket,” he said. “A U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jacket. It helps keep you safe in the water.” 

“I don’t need it… do I?” I asked. 

Dad knelt beside me. “Even good swimmers use life jackets sometimes—especially when we’re still learning or when we’re playing in deeper water.” 

I thought about it. 

“Okay,” I said. “I want to be safe.” 

I slipped it on. It felt snug—like a strong hug. 

Before we got in, Mom looked at all of us. 

“I will be watching you the whole time,” she said. “When you’re in or near water, a grown-up always stays close and keeps eyes on you.” 

I looked around the yard. 

There was a fence all the way around the pool, with a gate that closed by itself. 

“Why is the fence there?” I asked. 

“So no one can get into the pool without a grown-up,” Dad explained. “It keeps everyone safe—even when we’re not swimming.” 

“And the gate locks,” Mom added. 

I noticed the door to the house had a small alarm. 

“That lets us know if someone is heading toward the pool,” she said. 

“Wow,” I said. “That’s a lot of safety.” 

“It is,” Dad said. “Because safety matters.” 

Soon, my friends arrived. 

We got in slowly.
We stayed where the grown-ups could see us.
We took turns and gave each other space. 

We splashed.
We laughed.
We played. 

At one point, I paddled a little farther out. 

“Harvey,” Mom called calmly, “come a little closer.” 

I turned right away and swam back. 

“Thanks for listening,” she said. “Staying close helps me keep you safe.” 

Later, we took a break. 

Dad said, “Grown-ups also learn how to help if someone is in trouble in the water.” 

“Like how?” I asked. 

“By learning how to recognize distress and how to do CPR,” Mom said. 

I felt glad they knew what to do. 

When the sun started to go down, we climbed out of the pool. 

“That was fun,” I said. 

“It was,” Mom agreed. “And you made safe choices.” 

I thought about everything I learned. 

I stayed where I could be seen.
I listened.
I made safe choices. 

Water is fun. 

And when we’re careful… 

It’s safe, too.