The Sylas Project

My Sylas

Today you would be 6 years old. I miss you every single day and love you more than words could ever express. 😭 I always try to imagine what you would be doing at this age. I hope you’re celebrating today with God and having the most beautiful day. I hope you can feel all of our love we send you. 🎂🎈

This day is never easy. The weeks, even months leading up to it, are filled with the ache of another year without you. I wish I could stop time, just for a moment, to have one more day. One more hug. One more chance to hear your laughter and see you smile. And yet, even in your absence, your presence is everywhere.

Because of you, families who once knew nothing about water safety now understand its importance. Because of you, your little brother is enrolled in self-rescue lessons, and he talks about you all the time, even though he never got to meet you. Because of you, over 100 children have received full swim scholarships—babies who now have a chance because of the lessons made possible in your name. Because of you, our entire family is dedicated to installing pool fences locally to protect more babies.

Because of you, I found a strength I never knew existed. A strength driven by love so deep, it fuels my every purpose.

Today is hard. But today, I also want to hold onto the beauty of what your life has moved. If you’re reading this and feel called to help, I’d love your support in keeping our survival swim program going. Every dollar makes a difference. If you or your company want to be part of this mission and partner with The Sylas Project, please consider donating.

VENMO: or using link in bio

And If Sylas has impacted you in any way—if his story has led you to install a pool fence, enroll your child in swim lessons, or think differently about water safety—I would love to hear it. These stories mean more than I can say. They are a reminder that even in the midst of loss, love continues to create something beautiful.

😭🙏

👏 Shout out to grandparents who take water safety seriously! 👏

I’ve seen so many grandparents going above and beyond—calling pool fence companies, enrolling grandkids in swim lessons, and staying open to new information about drowning prevention. Your efforts don’t go unnoticed, and they make all the difference! 💙

Here are just a few ways grandparents are stepping up for their grandkids’ safety:

✅ Installing pool fences as preventative measures to keep grandkids safe when they’re visiting
✅ Taking little ones to swim lessons
✅ Supervising closely and staying within arm’s reach near water
✅ Learning CPR so they’re prepared for emergencies
✅ Using door and pool alarms for extra layers of protection
✅ Encouraging water safety rules, like no running near the pool and always asking for permission before jumping in
✅ Being open to new drowning prevention best practices even when it is different than what you were once taught.

Water safety isn’t just a parent’s job—it’s a family effort. If you’re a grandparent who has taken steps to keep your grandkids safe around water, we see you and appreciate you!

And if you’re looking for ways to get involved, it’s never too late to learn.

Tag a grandparent who deserves a shoutout! 👇

🌞 As summer approaches, now is the perfect time to start researching swim lessons for your little one. Here are some tips to help them get ready for their lessons and water safety!

During survival swim lessons, little ones as young as 6 mo are taught to float on their back as they learn to self rescue. This means they will be experiencing so many new sensations with water.

💧 Water on the face can be a weird sensory experience for them. They will need to learn how to hold their breath when water is near their nose and mouth. Then they will learn to get air when it is clear. Water may feel strange when their eyes get wet. They will need to learn to blink the water away to see again. Their ears may fill but in moments they will be able to hear again. Helping a child tolerate these sensations from early on will help their experience.

1️⃣ From infancy, allow your babies face to get a little wet when rinsing their hair in the bath. Let the water trickle a little bit over their face. 🚿

2️⃣ Don’t rush to get the towel when their eyes get wet. Encourage them to blink it away and celebrate once they do. 🥳 They got this 😊

3️⃣ Avoid introducing flotation devices. Flotation devices keep children in a vertical posture (the drowning position) and when they start lessons, they will need to unlearn these habits. I’ve heard from countless instructors that children who had previously used flotation devices took much much longer to learn their new skills. If your child does not know how to swim, the best place for them is in your arms when in a pool. A life jacket should only be used on a boat or when in or near open water.

4️⃣ Please note: it is NOT recommended to submerge your child to get them used to water on the face. Please allow a trained and certified instructor safely teach them proper breath control.

5️⃣ Talking to toddlers about swim lessons in positive terms builds confidence and sets expectations ahead of their lessons. Even if it’s been months since their last lesson. Anyone else have a toddler who makes their bath water toys ‘swim swim swim… Float’ just like the self rescue sequence 😂