James Haskell has recalled an emotional moment with daughter Bodhi during her first swimming lesson
Chloe Madeley and James Haskell (Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
James Haskell has opened up about an unexpectedly emotional moment with his daughter which made him reflect on just how much trust she places in him as her dad.
The former England rugby player was discussing parenthood on the No Parental Guidance podcast when he was asked to share one of his parenting blunders. His answer centred on a recent trip with his daughter Bodhi, which began with James making a fairly basic mistake but ended with him becoming overwhelmed.
James shares Bodhi with his former wife Chloe Madeley, and he explained that the pair had previously debated how their time with their daughter is split.
He said: “I am a single parent. I worked it out, Chloe and I argued about it. I still have her 50% of the time essentially but I think she boiled it down to 38.9% of the time or something like that.”
James then recalled taking Bodhi to her first swimming lesson. Although he had organised the session himself, he admitted he had failed to check exactly what equipment she would need before arriving.
He said: “I realised that, you needed a swimming hat, goggles, I hadn’t brought any of the things that I was supposed to bring.”
James was able to buy the missing items at the venue, but the experience highlighted one of the less glamorous realities of navigating parenthood when you’re still figuring things out as you go.
He joked about the other parents potentially being much more prepared, while also admitting that some of the practical aspects of looking after a young daughter were completely unfamiliar to him.
As he helped Bodhi get ready for the lesson, however, his thoughts shifted away from the swimming equipment and towards the relationship between a parent and their child.
James described the realisation that, despite his own uncertainty, his daughter simply trusted him to know what he was doing.
He said: “This little child has infinite trust in me. She doesn’t know what she’s doing. I’m here trying to put her hair in it.”
He continued helping Bodhi with her swimming hat and goggles, but the significance of the moment began to sink in.
James said the experience made him appreciate the enormous responsibility that comes with being the person a child relies on, even when the parent themselves doesn’t always feel completely confident.
He explained: “I’m taking my daughter to a swimming lesson. I can’t believe the responsibility and I don’t really know what I’m doing.”
The emotions became particularly strong once Bodhi was taken into the swimming area without him.
James admitted: “I welled up a bit, and then she got led away into the thing, and I was just confronted with all these emotions.”
He then watched from the other side of the window as his daughter waved to him before continuing with her lesson.
For James, the incident ultimately became about far more than forgetting a swimming hat and goggles. What began as a parenting fail had forced him to confront the level of faith his daughter has in him.
Reflecting on the experience, he said: “It was just one of those really nice moments. It was a nice moment but also a stark contrast of the trust and responsibility I have, and I have no idea what I’m doing.”
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