Dr. Hasan Merali [shown below] is a pediatric emergency room physician in Ontario, Canada who has treated thousands of patients up to the age of 5. In his book, Sleep Well, Take Risks, Squish the Peas: Secrets From the Science of Toddlers for a Happier, More Successful Way of Life, he shares a lot of wonderful advice for adult open water swimmers to consider – and follow.

The mindset and actions of children is relentlessly positive and action-packed with very specific immediate goals from crying, talking, and asking questions to touching, tasting, and making mistakes.

Whether you are an ice swimmer, winter swimmer, stage swimmer, marathon swimmer, channel swimmer, wild swimmer, triathlete, or novice open water swimmer, there are many actions and decisions taken by 5-year-olds that are useful and beneficial to achievement of your goals in the open water.

• having a meltdown or temper tantrum, either on dryland or in the water. But the little ones let it go, generally within three minutes. Frustration, anger, annoyance, dissatisfaction, failure, irritation, grievance, resentment, and setbacks are experienced and definitely felt…but then let go and forgotten as they move on.
• having repeated positive self-talk, either on dryland or in the water. “I can do it,” “Here I go,” “Here I come again,” “Watch me now,” “I am a [fill in the blank]”, “I am going to start…” are often repeated as the little ones venture through life. Even when they fail, or miss a ball, or get something wrong, the little ones generally don’t let failure lead to stopping. They may get discouraged…temporarily…and then try again.
• experiencing small successes, repeatedly. The little ones learn how to walk, talk, go to the bathroom, brush their teeth, write, read, and nowadays, operate digital tools and software programs. Small, incremental successes are part of their journey.
• sleeping well. When the little ones (finally) fall asleep, they are lights out, totally unstressed in deep high-quality sleep.
• constantly moving. When the little ones are up and around the house or at school or at play, they are constantly moving playfully and enjoyably, many times out of curiosity with positive energy. Unlike adults who can be quite sedentary for hours and hours on end, at work or at home, entertained or absorbed by a small smartphone screen or a larger television screen.
• being happy. When the little ones smile, laugh, talk, there is an abundance of genuine positivity, profound joy, and deep-seated appreciation. They find things funny and make others around them laugh and smile.
• being inquisitive. The little ones show curiosity, asking questions and pointing at things that make no sense to them. They seek knowledge and want to know why from an objective point of view.
• seeking short-term goals. The actions of little ones are often interspersed by bouts of self-indulgence, balanced with immediacy of wants and needs.
• using their legs. When little ones begin swimming, they often propel themselves primarily with their legs [shown above]. With adults, the fastest swimmers use their legs much more than others. Faster swimmers generate a relatively greater percentage of their overall speed to their legs than slower swimmers, no matter the distance.

Siga Rose, a celebrated coach of Penny Dean, John York, Cindy Cleveland, and over 25 national record holders over her career, is shown above with her younger swimmers at an ocean swimming competition in Southern California.

The end game for swimmers? Swim, train, recover, and enjoy life as a 5-year-old.

© Daily News of Open Water Swimming

“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline“