It’s no secret that Little People, Big World fans can be downright critical of Audrey and Jeremy Roloff.
And it’s not necessarily unfair. Whether they’re promoting dubious products or endangering their kids, Auj and Jer broadcast every mistake to a massive social media audience.
But if we’re going to call out their errors, we also might as well note when they do something right.
Not only are they taking steps to keep their kids safe, but Audrey was thoughtful enough to include a trigger warning — for a very smart reason.
1-year-old Radley and 3-year-old Bode have been swimming, Audrey Roloff shared on Wednesday, May 31.
Well, Bode seems to be doing more active swimming. Radley is learning to float, with assistance and even — for short periods of time — on his own.
Audrey revealed that she is using Infant Swimming Resource as a self-rescue program. Essentially, if a kid — or even a baby — falls into a body of water, they can keep themselves afloat long enough for a parent to rescue them.
As ISR teaches kids, they should flip onto their backs and float. It takes time and patience, but they can learn this life-saving skill.
Audrey also advised her followers about the content that she was posting. “If this is triggering for you in some way, here is your warning to not watch the next story!” she cautioned.
The next story showed Radley floating on his own on his back. Though water did cover his face a couple of times, he did a fantastic job! And, of course, multiple adults were present the entire time.
“Yes, yes, yes, go, go, go, oh my gosh that was so good! Wow!” Audrey cheered on her youngest child as he floated.
She revealed that he had learned to do this after only two weeks of training.
No grown-up holding him. No little flotation wings on his arms. That his hard work for his little body, but he’s doing it! And while this will hopefully never come up, this could absolutely save his life one day.
Obviously, it’s great that Audrey and Jeremy’s kids are learning vital survival skills.
It’s not like they’re being abandoned in the woods to forage or anything like that. For the record, that would be a horror.
Learning to float on your back can save a child — or an adult — for vital seconds or minutes that someone would need to rescue them. If someone is physically and developmentally capable of learning, it’s a good idea. You don’t need to live near a beach or go to a pool for this to save your life.
Additionally, Audrey did the right thing by including a trigger warning.
The term “trigger” has been deliberately and maliciously bastardized into simply meaning “enrage” or “upset.” But that is not the term’s meaning.
When a combat veteran hears fireworks and their entire endocrine system goes into high alert as their body prepares to fight or die, they’re not distressed or ideologically opposed to fireworks. They have PTSD, and the firework sounds have triggered them.
OCD, disordered eating, and more can all include triggers. As can various anxiety disorders, including phobias.
Someone with a debilitating fear of drowning might be triggered by an image of an infant floating on their back. Such a person might be unable to shower for a while. Someone with trauma of nearly drowning, by accident or in an act of violence, might feel similarly.
It’s great to remember that, for all of Audrey’s various mistakes, she is not one-dimensional. There is a real compassionate and insightful side to her that she sometimes does not show to all of her fans.
Audrey Roloff Teaches One-Year-Old Radley to Float on His Own, Offers Trigger Warning to … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.