Child Water Safety Tips

In less time than it takes you to run in and answer the phone, your child could drown.  That is a scary thought but is made much more real by looking at the staggering statistics of children who drown each year.  Water safety is something you have to think about for people of all ages, not just children.  Your teen is just as much at risk as your 5 year old.

An infant in your home could drown in your pet’s water bowl.  When it comes to water hazards there are many to choose from.  Bathtubs, half empty buckets, toilets, wading pools, swimming pools, lakes, streams, spas, hot tubs and frozen water all are dangerous venues. 

Teaching Your Children about Water Safety

As soon as your child can understand, you should begin to teach them about water safety.  Things like learning to float and basic survival skills in and around water are things that will stay with them for the rest of their life.  Your young children should always wear a life vest around water.  This will keep their head up in the event of a submersion.  When boating, the whole family should wear life vests or life jackets.  Encourage safety by being a good example yourself. 

Explain Water Safety Rules to Your Children

When your kids go to school or a friends house they are expected to and do follow rules.  Keep the same tone around water.  Talk to your kids about expectations and the rules they should follow and usually they will respond.  Warn them about being around water during a thunder storm. 

Explain the dangers of rough housing in and around pools.  Tell them a story about someone badly injured by diving head first into a pool so they will remember not to do so.  Point out hazards like diving boards or platforms and encourage them to find as many as they can see.  If you are at a lake or river be clear on the rules and tell them why you are making the rules. Most importantly instill in your child that they are never ever to swim alone….not in a puddle, creek or pool. 

Basic Safety Tips for Lakes, Ponds, Rivers, Pools & Swimming Holes

If you live in a climate that is perfect for swimming year round or seasonally then keep in mind some basic safety tips.  Lakes, ponds, rivers or local swimming holes may be your favorite spot to take a dip, but make sure that you know what dangers lurk under the surface. 

Shallow areas, deep drop offs or rocky ridges can be dangerous if you don’t know they are there.  If your child is overly tired or has just eaten encourage them to rest before swimming.  Swimming takes a lot of energy and they could end up fainting or with muscle spasms. 

Never Let a Child Swim Without a Life Jacket

Make life jackets a must for kids that don’t know how to swim.  If your young child is swimming set boundaries of how far out they can go without a flotation device. Encourage them to avoid platforms or diving areas and tell them repeatedly to never swim alone.

This way it will sink in.  Tell children never to use mattresses or tubes to take them into areas where they can not swim or stand.  Flotation devices are not reliable and often give young children a false sense of confidence around water.

A Pool Fence Makes Good Neighbors

Lastly if you have a pool or visit one frequently make sure it is barricaded by a fence that is at least 4 feet on all sides.  Remove the pool cover completely before allowing anyone in the water and keep safety hooks and flotation devices as well as a brightly marked telephone poolside in case of an emergency. 

Swimming pools should also never be built under power lines to your home.  The depth of your pool should be marked appropriately on the edge and by a float line so young kids can recognize deeper areas. 

Careful Around Contaminated Water

As appropriate, never swim in water that looks or smells to be contaminated with bacteria.  If you are unsure about the quality of the water forego swimming and have it checked out by a qualified professional first.  You risk much by swimming in contaminated water.

The rule of thumb for swimming activities always is to never leave anyone unattended in a pool.  It is a deadly and costly mistake that you could easily regret.  Swimmers of all ages need to be constantly supervised with eye contact maintained at all times.  Following these rules and teaching your family how to enjoy swimming and water safely will help make your family water smart.