Accidental drowning in the family pool is a cause of death that parents can prevent. If you have a swimming pool and if you have children, one of the things you need to do first and foremost is to teach your chidlren to swim. Whether you teach them yourself or whether you work with a certified swim instructor, a child who is unafraid of water and who knows the basics of swimming is going to be safe.
We cannot stress this enough, but no matter how well your child does in the water you can NEVER leave him or her alone for even one second. Even a child who knows how to swim would be better served to wear a life vest in the water. When a child is accustomed to wearing a life vest everytime he or she is in the water will find it second nature; make wearing a life vest part and parcel of being in the swimming pool — no argument.
Pool Hacks For Parents Of Young Children
Keep in mind that not all children will take to your swimming pool. If a child is introduced to the swimming pool at a young age chances are he or she will love it as much as you do, but there are some children who are scared of the water, no matter how much you love it, and forcing them into the swimming pool may make it so they never get the enjoyment you do.
Take it slow. Don’t force them into the pool. Make swimming pool time fun for everyone.
Here are some hacks for parents of young children to make pool side even more enjoyable.
- Bring snacks to the pool that can stand up to water. Teething biscuits, for example, will stand up to soggy water. Your child won’t be gnawing on a biscuit in the water, but if she’s splashing around poolside, this treat will hold up to water!
- Let your child choose a favorite blanket or towel and let them know they need to stay on that blanket or towel at all times. This makes it easy for you to always see them and letting them help choose what they will lie upon just might keep them in place.
- If you’ve tried to get your child accustomed to the pool and he just wants nothing to do with it, pick up a kiddie pool or two, place them poolside and fill one with sand and one with an inch or so of water. Let them get in and play there; they may feel more comfortable in a smaller body of water than they do inside the family swimming pool.
- Before you head out to the swimming pool, let your child pick out and put on her life vest. Leaving the life vests in the house assures your child has it on before you even get poolside. You don’t want to be chasing children around poolside trying to get their life vests on, having them on before you even open the swimming pool safety fence makes it safer for everyone.
- If you’re teaching your child to swim don’t say, “let’s go for a swim lesson!” Don’t make it seem like work or a learning experience. Make it seem fun. “Let’s go play in the pool!” is a better message. Make sure all time during lessons is fun. If your child is cranky before you get in the water, he will be cranky in the water. Scrap pool fun at that point and do something else. Go into the pool when your child is in a great frame of mind and make everything you do fun.
Everyone into the pool is a cry that will be heard across the country regularly this summer. When you jump in, have fun, be safe and build happy family memories!