Lala was a sweet little girl with big, curious eyes and a love for adventures. She especially loved water—bathing, splashing, and swimming. Whenever she saw a puddle, she had to stomp in it. Whenever her parents mentioned a trip to the lake or pool, she would jump up and down with excitement.
One sunny afternoon, Lala’s family decided to go to the community swimming pool. Lala was over the moon. She wore her favorite pink swimsuit with little strawberries on it, and she packed her floaties, goggles, and towel into her duck-print backpack.
At the pool, everything seemed perfect. The water sparkled like diamonds under the sun. Children laughed, splashed, and jumped. Lala, holding her dad’s hand, stepped carefully into the shallow water. She loved the feeling of cool water on her legs.
But then something unexpected happened.
While she was trying to swim like the big kids in the deeper part of the pool, a wave from someone jumping in splashed into her face. It startled her. She accidentally swallowed a bit of water and started coughing. Then her feet slipped off the pool floor, and for a second, Lala couldn’t feel the ground. She flailed her arms and kicked her legs.
“Daddy!” she cried, her voice panicked.
Her dad heard her and rushed over. He scooped her up in his strong arms and held her close.
“It’s okay, sweet pea. I’ve got you,” he said gently, patting her back.
But Lala didn’t feel okay. Her heart was pounding fast, and her cheeks were wet—not just from the pool, but from tears too. It had only been a few seconds, but it had scared her more than she wanted to admit.
They sat on a lounge chair, wrapped in a big towel. Lala clung to her dad like a baby koala.
“Do you want to try again later?” her mom asked with a kind smile.
Lala shook her head. “No more swimming today.”
They didn’t pressure her. They just let her rest and watched the clouds float by. Eventually, they went home. Everyone thought the day was over.
But for Lala, something still lingered. That scary moment in the pool had shaken her up. That night, as she brushed her teeth and slipped into her pajamas, she kept thinking about what had happened. She felt nervous and unsettled.
“Will the water get me again?” she whispered to her stuffed bunny.
She hugged Bunny tighter and snuggled into bed. Her mom came in, kissed her forehead, and turned off the light. The room was quiet, the stars twinkled outside, and Bunny kept her company.
But in the middle of the night, something unexpected happened.
Lala opened her eyes and felt something cold and wet. Her sheets were damp. Her pajamas clung to her skin. Her heart sank.
“I… I peed the bed,” she whispered, horrified.
She sat up, frozen. Her eyes welled up with tears. She hadn’t done that in a long time—not since she was a toddler. What if her mom got mad? What if her dad was disappointed? What if her friends found out?
She didn’t know what to do. Her stomach twisted with worry.
Finally, she tiptoed out of bed, walked quietly to her parents’ room, and gently shook her mom’s arm.
“Mommy?” she whispered.
Her mom blinked and sat up. “Lala? What’s wrong?”
“I… I peed the bed,” she said, her voice cracking.
Instead of getting upset, her mom pulled her into a hug.
“Oh, sweetheart,” she said, rocking her gently. “It’s okay. Sometimes our bodies get confused when we’re stressed or scared.”
“I didn’t mean to,” Lala sniffled.
“I know you didn’t,” her mom said, wiping away her tears. “It’s not your fault.”
Together, they changed the sheets. Lala put on clean pajamas. Her mom brought her a glass of water and tucked her into bed again.
The next morning, Lala still felt a little ashamed. She sat at the breakfast table, poking at her cereal.
Her dad noticed. “What’s up, sweet pea?” he asked.
“I had an accident last night,” she whispered. “Because of the pool. I think I got too scared.”
Her dad nodded. “You had a rough moment. It’s okay to be shaken up.”
Lala looked up. “Really?”
“Absolutely,” her dad said. “When something scary happens, it can stay in our hearts for a while. But it doesn’t last forever.”
Her mom added, “Sometimes when our emotions are too big for our minds, they come out in other ways—like in dreams, or even in bedwetting. But it doesn’t mean you did something wrong.”
Lala blinked. That made sense, in a strange way.
“Will it happen again?” she asked.
“Maybe, maybe not,” her mom said gently. “But even if it does, we’ll be here to help. You’re growing, learning, and healing. That’s what matters.”
Lala felt a small smile tug at her lips.
That afternoon, Lala and her mom sat down and drew a picture together. Lala drew herself in the pool with big floaties, a smiling sun above her, and a calm face. She added her dad next to her, holding her hand.
“This is next time,” she said. “Next time I’ll stay in the shallow part until I feel ready.”
Her mom kissed her head. “That’s a brave plan.”
The next few nights, Lala was a little nervous about bedtime. But she kept Bunny close, and her parents gave her extra snuggles. One morning, she woke up dry. Then the next, and the next. Her confidence grew.
And one weekend later, she surprised everyone.
“Can we go to the pool again?” she asked shyly.
“Are you sure?” her dad asked.
Lala nodded. “I think I want to try again.”
Back at the pool, Lala stayed close to the edge at first. Her dad held her hand. Her heart still fluttered a little, but she was determined. Slowly, she splashed, kicked, and smiled.
And when she floated with her floaties like a little starfish, she grinned up at the sky.
Lala had been scared, and that was okay. She had an accident, and that was okay too. What mattered most was that she felt loved, understood, and brave enough to keep trying.
And that made her feel like a real swimmer in her heart.
