10 Things to Increase Your Child’s Water Safety Right Now

For those of you who have been following the infant posts as well as all the Parts and Pieces about the pro’s and con’s for starting your child early, thanks for hanging in there and reading. The topic is ladled with controversy and opinions, especially having to do with the statement the American Academy of Pediatrics made found here about children not being developmentally ready for swimming lessons until age 4. And so the topic goes around and around …

I’m going to keep it simple today by listing 10 Things You Can Do Right Now to Increase Your Little One’s Water Safety. We are defining Little One’s as any child under 4 years of age.

1. If you own a pool, buy a 4-sided secured gate and keep the gate closed.
2. If your neighbor owns a pool with a gate, ask them to keep the gate closed. This idea was brought up to me yesterday by a swim client. Unfortunately, the mom cannot get the neighbor to close the gate. Go figure. In this case, make sure your backyard fences are more secure.
3. Don’t leave toys around or in the pool. It encourages attention.
4. Always enter the pool first. Then allow your child to get in after you. I understand if they are so young you need to hold them.
5. Always leave the pool last.
6. Encourage climbing out of the pool. If age appropriate, of course.
7. Use cues. No one jumps or swims to you until you say 1~2~3! or Ready~Set~Go!
8. Learn infant CPR. You can learn this on-line in an hour for $30. Go to CPRtoday.com.
9. Practice back floating.
10. Practice submersion, or going all the way underwater.

I started a new Mommies-in-Motion class this week with a wonderful group, and we began the first class by talking about all the infant swim controversy. I was asked by one of the moms if I agreed or disagreed with what the American Academy of Pediatrics philosophies.

Obviously, I understand where the academy is coming from. But obviously, I also agree with parents becoming very involved with swimming lessons at an early age. A safe water plan is a lifestyle agreement the family lives out together on a daily basis. An instructor might only get 20-30 minutes of your time twice or perhaps just once a week, depending on the type of lesson or class you sign up for. To quote the academy, Remember, teaching your child to swim DOES NOT mean your child is safe in the water.

I also received a well-written comment about this issue from Cheryll Boissevain, who is the Aquatic Program Manager at the Osher Marin JCC and owner of the swim school, Swim with Cheryll. Check out the comment here.