At the Beach
Teach your children to swim at an early age. The safest way is to enter them in swimming classes, but if you prefer to teach them yourself, ensure they are within arm's reach at all times. When they are old enough, have your children learn basic lifesaving skills.
When a day at the beach is planned, a few things to remember are:
- Choose a safe place to swim. Check for hazards on the beach and in the water-including water polution levels.
- Apply sunscreen before and after swimming.
- Learn basic lifesaving skills.
- Swim at supervised beaches.
- Never let kids swim alone.
- Never let them dive if they touch the bottom or can't see it.
- Get off the beach the minute you see lightening. Lightening can strike on the beach as well as the water.
- Swim parallel to shore, not back to it. If you get caught in a strong rip current or undertow, these tend to be narrow currents and it's possible to swim out of them but nearly impossible to swim against them.
General Water Tips
Water sports are another source of summer mishaps, which is why kids should learn to swim. However, all chilren--even those who are good swimmers--need adult supervision anytime they are in the water.
Does your child frequent a public pool or beach? Check it out. Make sure the area is clean of debris that can cause falls. Know when the lifeguards are on duty and what the restrictions are. Make sure kids know the rules too.
Surprisingly, half of all pool-related accidents occur in privately owned pools. Injuries range from minor cuts and bruises to drowning, with children five and under most at risk. Fences at least five feet tall, with self-closing and latching gates, should surround backyard pools to keep un-supervised kids out.
Never leave a child alone in a pool or pool area, even if you are just going in to answer the phone. Consider installing a phone extension by the pool, or taking a cordless phone outside with you, so you can answer it without going inside -- and can call for help quickly in case of an accident.
To protect older children from accidents, rules should be enforced, such as: no running or horseplay in the pool area and diving should be banned in above ground pools.
Even with the most careful precautions, accidents can and do happen. Be prepared for emergencies by learning CPR.
Kids and Boating
The number one most important thing with boating is insist everyone wears a life jacket, especially the kids. Just having the jackets in the boat, canoe or kayak isn't good enough...it's the same as having a seatelt in a car and not using it.
If the kids balk at wearing them, insisting that life jackets aren't cool so they don't need them, tell them that 80% of the people who die each year in boating accidents, drown because they weren't wearing life jackets. Even a child or adult who is a good swimmer can get disoriented or panicked if suddenly thrown overboard. A life jacket will keep them afloat until someome can fish them out. It will also keep an unconcious person afloat.
Teach kids to stay with the boat if it capsizes. Don't swim to shore. If you can, get on top of the boat. You will be less cold than in the water.
If your kids are heading out alone, make sure they stay within the sight of shore and keep your eyes on them.
If you are taking the kids water-skiing, or towing some one behind you in any way, make sure you always have a spotter. If there is a problem then the driver of the boat will know immediately.
Finally, be prepared for the day and you and yours will have a lot more fun and a lot less to worry about.
More Pool Tips
Do not use floatation devices as a substitute for supervision.
Never use a pool with the cover partially in place, it would be very easy for children to become trapped underneath it.
Keep patio furniture well away from the fence that surrounds the pool. This will prevent children from climbing on it to hop the fence.
Keep all toys away from the pool. When children become involved in their games they forget their surroundings and could fall in.
Remove steps from above ground pools when not in use.
Diving
Never dive in above ground pools. There are never deep enough.
Always enter an above ground pool feet first.
Always dive from the end of a diving board, never the sides.
Always dive with your hands in front of you and always steer up immediately upon entering the pool. This will prevent you from hitting the bottom or the sides of the pool.
If you are on a pool slide, never slide head first.
