A mother sparked debate for throwing her young child into a pool for a “surprise float test.”
TikTok user Jordan Raskopoulos (@jordanrasko) duetted the mother’s viral video, which currently sits at 74 million views, to ask the question that seems to be on many other viewers’ minds: “What happens to the babies who fail the test?”
TikToker Simone Christensen (@simonecchristensen) posted the original video in March. In it, she throws her child into a pool during an alleged swimming lesson.
@jordanrasko ♬ original sound – Jordan Raskopoulos
“Watch my 14 month old pass her surprise float test!” the overlay text reads. In the video, the baby flails in the water for a few seconds before floating on her back, passing the alleged test. Raskopoulos doesn’t seem to be the only viewer concerned for the baby’s safety. In follow-up videos, Christensen replies to comments calling her out for traumatizing her child.
“She absolutely loves her swim lessons! The test only happens once!” she wrote in one of the videos.
“This looks really so sad…look at that baby’s face. You could be creating her to fear water than have fun,” a comment on Christensen’s video reads. Christensen replied with a video showing her daughter floating with a smile on her face. “You’re right. She looks like she really hates it,” the overlay text read.
According to Christensen, the child goes to swimming lessons at the Utah Swim Academy three times a week. “She’s fine Karen. She is very cared for and vigilantly watched child,” she replied to a comment.
While many viewers expressed their anxiety and horror while watching the child sink beneath the water, others applauded the mother for her initiative.
“As an ER nurse… this could save so many kids. Start them early,” one viewer responded.
“Everyone needs to understand. If she had no swim training she would DROWN. I rather my baby/child know how to save themselves, instead of them dying,” another user wrote.
The Utah Swim Academy’s website claims each program is specialized for the child and teaches toddlers survival skills. “We take a careful approach to personalize every lesson for all of our students’ needs,” the website says.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Christensen and Raskopoulos via Instagram direct message for this story.
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