Oh Dolly! (or How To Get a Toddler into a Life Jacket)

It was Dolly’s first day sailing on a cold overcast day in the Medway, so it was important that Dolly was well wrapped and cared for. The first toddler tantrum came when Charlotte realised that her little arms were not going to be able cuddle Dolly with a life jacket on. This had DISASTER written all over it.

It has taken 2 years to get Charlotte to wear a life jacket without her having a meltdown and here we were in the middle of the Medway moored and ready to hop in the dinghy to go back to the car and home.

A refusal to wear a life jacket would be a real problem especially given the negotiations to get it back on could take several hours, it was starting to rain, I didn’t have my wet weather gear on and there was only one biscuit left. But thankfully a light bulb moment...

“Charlotte, Dolly really ought to be wearing a life jacket so why don’t I fix her in to yours...”

Crisis averted with such speed that I was quite smug; which lasted until I got in the dinghy and Charlotte, with humour restored, just wanted “Daddy go faster”. Daddy only needed to be asked once...Note to Mummy...remember wet weather gear.