According to statistics, tragedies involving children tend to go up during the summer. One of the main reasons for this is that many times, this is the season where children encounter large bodies of water. Unfortunately, these encounters sometimes end in tragedy.
Here’s how you can make sure your children having safe, enjoyable time around all bodies of water, including the pool and the beach.
Learn CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)
If you have children, this should be a natural skill for you to have. Your local Red Cross or YMCA is always offering certification courses. We aren’t endorsing this as a replacement for real courses, but there are many reputable organizations out there who have videos on YouTube if you want to, at least, familiarize yourself with CPR before your next trip to the backyard or the beach.
Teach your kids to swim
The Red Cross and the YMCA also have swimming classes for young children. You should enroll them as soon as they are physically able, around three or four. They also have classes for parents with babies, but these are mostly for socialization.
Try to attend pools and beaches staffed by lifeguards
When you arrive at the pool or beach, try to station yourself near a lifeguard so that your children are swimming within sight of the lifeguard at all times. This is by no means a substitute for your watchfulness, however. By doing this you are only guaranteeing that there is at least another set of eyes on your kids.
If there is no lifeguard present, at least make sure there’s someone in your group that knows CPR, and that they are responsible for watching the younger children.
Make your pool kidproof
We recommend not having a pool if you have a young family, but if you do, lock it up and equip would-be entry points with motion alarms. Every pool should have a fence with childproof lock on it. Some parents even go as far as equipping the doors that lead to the outside with motion alarms as well. All it takes is a minute for tragedy to strike.
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