by Barbara Hall
In summer, kids and pools go together like, well, kids and popsicles, and kids and fireflies. Swimming is a natural part of a healthy, fun summer. But there are hazards. Each year in the US, more than 300 children under age five drown and even more are seriously injured — severe, permanent brain damage is a common result of near-drowning. Teach your kids about water safety to make sure their summer will be a cool splash of fun.
Before you take your kids swimming, assess your comfort level around water. If you're an avid swimmer, make sure not to send the message to your kids that they can just jump in and go like you do. Start in the shallow end, where the water is no higher than chest deep on your child.
If you're not comfortable in the water, don't convey your discomfort to your kids, but make sure there is a lifeguard or a swimming adult with you who can help if there's trouble.
Most public pools have pool safety rules posted. When you visit a public pool, go directly to one of the safety signs and review the rules with your child. Do this at least once a year, and more often if your child forgets the basics. Stress the importance of the rules, and make it clear that they cannot break the rules before their big toe takes its first dip.
If you have your own pool, or are visiting friends with a pool, discuss safety rules beforehand, even if there aren't any signs posted. If you visit friends or relatives with a pool, have the homeowner discuss his or her own safety policies with your kids before they swim.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommend these basic swimming safety guidelines:
- Before entering the pool, take your child by the hand and walk around the pool, showing him or her where the deep water is, and how it's indicated with signs, ropes and numbers.
- Never leave a child alone in or near a pool. If the phone rings or you need to go inside for an instant, make sure the child goes with you. Don't tell the child to sit by the side of the pool and assume it will happen.
- A swimming adult must be in the pool with a child at all times. If the child is under five years old, the adult needs to be within one arm's length.
- An adult who knows CPR needs to be nearby.
- Do not use a personal floatation device for safety or in place of an adult who can swim.
- Make sure there is a phone nearby.
- Remove toys and floating devices from the pool when nobody is swimming. They attract children who can fall in the pool when trying to retrieve them.
- Many of the most serious, and deadly, pool accidents are caused by diving into shallow water. All diving from the side of the pool should be prohibited. Even if there is a diving board, don't assume the water is deep enough for safe diving.
- Do not let kids run, push or goof around near the pool.
- Don't eat food or chew gum in the pool.
- Make sure babysitters, relatives, neighbors, friends and their kids know the rules and know how to be safe around water. Accompany the babysitter and your children to the pool the first time or two.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children are not ready for swimming lessons until they are at least four years old. Even then, swimming lessons will not drown-proof your child. Children need 100 percent adult supervision until they are well into their teens. At that point, enforce a buddy system with an adult nearby.
Barbara Hall Palar, a writer and editor for more than 25 years in parenting, family and children's publishing, spent half a dozen or so years teaching swimming lessons to children and non-swimming adults
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