Now that the weather is starting to heat up, pools across the globe are getting filled and shedding their winter covers. But while cooling off and relaxing by the pool can be enjoyable, in a few scary situations, your fun plans could turn deadly.
To help ensure that you never have to find your child floating unconscious while they should be swimming, here are three things you should teach your children about pool safety.
Only Be Around Fenced Pools
The best way to keep your children safe near pools is to keep them away from the water when they’re not meant to be swimming.
One way to do this is to put a fence around the pool. Ideally, Peg Rosen and Pamela Kramer, contributors to Parents.com, share that this fence should be fully enclosed and unclimbable. So before you allow your child to go to someone else’s house who has a pool, make sure you ask the parents about the fence around their pool. And if it doesn’t fit your standards, you may want to discourage or disallow your child from being there. Not only could this save your child’s life, but it could keep the home owners from having to deal with potential lawsuits as well.
Create A Walking-Only Rule
Being around a pool can be dangerous even when you’re not in the water.
As people get in and out of the pool or water splashes up, the area around the pool can get very wet and slippery. So to help your child keep from slipping and falling or otherwise hurting themselves, Dr. Karen S. Romero, a contributor to KidsHealth.org, recommends that you create a walking-only rule for your children whenever they’re around a swimming pool. In addition to this, you should also teach your kids to avoid any pushing or rough-housing that could cause themselves or others to get hurt as well.
No Swimming Without An Adult Present
Whether your child is a toddler or a teen, it’s never a good idea for them to swim alone. In fact, Cincinnati Children’s shares that, ideally, your child should only swim when there’s an adult there giving the swimmers their complete and undivided attention. If this can’t happen, your child should refrain from swimming. And, when you’re the adult in charge of supervising swimmers, make sure you put your phone and any other distractions away so that you can be on the lookout for anyone that might be struggling or needing additional help while in the water.
To help keep your kids safe while they play in the water, regardless of their age or swimming ability, consider implementing some of the tips mentioned above as you teach your kids about pool safety.
