Safety help on swimming

[TownsendLife]

Let me say upfront, our whole family can swim and I grew up swimming and have no particular fear of water. We love swimming pools, the beach and going to the river.

 

That being said, my husband has a friend who lives on a lake and owns a couple paddle boards and small canoe. When we go over, I like to insist that our three girls (14, 11 and 10) wear lifejackets, unless they are just diving off the dock and right where we can see them. I have reminded my husband of this several times and it always seems like a source of contention. He says I just don't like lakes, but I know of too many drownings in lakes through my life in particular.

 

Cut to today, I come to pick up the husband and kids and find him on the deck with his friend and the girls along with their friends about 200 yards out in the middle of the lake (far enough away we can't tell who's who by their faces). They have a paddle board and a boat, but aren't near them at all, they are just swimming around enjoying themselves. The lifejackets are on the deck and there is no way we could swim out to them in time if something happened. They had been at the lake for about 5 hours playing and exhausting themselves before I showed up.

 

I don't know what to do, am I over reacting? Am I just badgering him because I think he doesn't take swimming or water safety seriously? I can't be there all the time and I know when I'm not, they probably aren't being closely watched or made to wear life jackets. My husband's friend doesn't make his kid wear one. I know he will say that the other kids don't have to wear one.

 

Be honest, am I overdoing it or what should I say? He will pay me lip service if I say something, but I don't think he will do anything differently.