Summertime is Here. Water Safety a Must!

Safety issues for children of all ages are on every parent's mind. After all, with all the free time summer offers, we all know there are an unlimited number of problems a young child can encounter, with or without a parent present. Pools and drowning accidents are first to come to mind.

What? You work all day, so now your more frightened while leaving your children in the care of another teenager. Yes, talk about high blood pressure. Yikes!

Safety in the Water

Water safety is uppermost on everyone's mind as summer rolls around. If families reside in southern states where the sun shines year round, pools are usually encased in a wire fence. But that doesn't stop the unfortunate accidents that happen to too many young persons each summer. For folks who reside in the north, pool time is greatly reduced, thus elaborate fencing and safeguards may prove too costly to the average family, particularly if only a two months worth of swimming is the upper limit of getting a money's worth out of the high cost of putting wire paging totally around a pool. And even if you do, we still here of downing accidents each year even under the most watchful eye. So what's a parent to do?

Well, for sure, if you are investing in an in-ground or above the ground pool, you will also want to invest in the proper caging or fencing. If you can find a contractor who can do both, you surely will safe some money. Typical swimming rules should be written out and posted on the refrigerator for all to see. Perhaps the following suggestions will help, but by all means go ahead and add to the list. Or modify it to meet your family's needs.

SWIMMING RULES APPLY TO POOLS AND BEACHES ALIKE

1.) Adult Supervision: Absolutely no young person is allowed in the pool without permission and without an adult poolside.

2.) Buddy swims: Teens should never swim alone in the ocean or the pool regardless of how good a swimmer they are. They must always have a buddy partner with them.

3.) No heavy meals one hour before swimming: Of course, everyone should wait at least one hour after eating before attempting to swim.

4.) Use plenty of sun-tan screening: Regardless if the sun is shining brightly or hiding behind clouds, a pre-determined sun-tan lotion should be readily applied, and applied again after much sweating or swimming.

5.) Babies need extra care: Light skinned persons, and especially babies need a strong -based sun-tan lotion as of course, they tend to burn quickly. Remember, an infant's skin is so sensitive that even a few minutes in direct sun is enough to cause serious burns.

6.) Bathe after swimming: Given the tremendous chance of picking up a germ or two, everyone should shower or bathe directly after returning home from the pool or the beach….just to be on the safe side.

7.) No teasing or bullying around the water: If you have older siblings who might tend to tease younger or more fearful siblings, by all means inform him or her strongly on how terrifying an unexpected push or shove into the water is to someone who is already frightened of water or too timid to jump in. Remember, not everyone was meant to enjoy the water and swim like a fish, so it is important to respect the other party's boundaries; yes, even if the fearful one is a sibling. Just because someone is in the family, it gives no one a right to harass or even terrify them by bullying.

8.) Life saving skills: Teach your children safety rules if anyone is endangered unexpectedly. It wouldn't hurt to have a few drills prior to swimming events as well. Sign up your older children for a safety precaution class, Red Cross chapters offer many classes on first aide, infant CPR and adult CPR as well. Children remember and can act responsibly at an early age, so do not underestimate your child's ability to grasp the details of a training session.

RULES FOR PARENTS: Yes, you get them too!

1.) Check out your child's floating devices. If they were stored from last year, be sure there are no leaks or damaged areas that might endanger your children. If the equipment is old and dried or doesn't fit the child properly, then by a new one.
2.) Provide a whistle for your child placed around a cord or coiled wire or clipped to their bathing suite. If they are in distress, they can at least alert a passerby.
3.) As soon as you arrive at a beach setting with the family, even if your children are two years of age, review the swimming rules, in an age appropriate manner naturally, as all need to be reminded least the children get caught up in the moment.
4.) The next one should happen automatically in any family but it applies to helping a child who might wander off or worse yet, whom a malicious adult might accost.
a.) Consider having a800 number to your home, they cost about $5 a month. Your child could call for help regardless if he or she had any funds to call.
b.) Develop a secret code word that could be recognized as a call for help even if someone else is present near him or her. It should be a word that only you and your child know, so that no one else could penetrate the message.
c.) If you could afford it and if your child is old enough get a cell phone with a speed dial to another number at home or on your personal cell phone.

No doubt, you could develop more rules on your own, given circumstances unique to your family. In the meantime, modify and add to this list as needed, it is well worth the effort. In fact, you may wish to download this list from the website and review it with your children at the next family meeting. It is sad to say, we live in a society in which children can be harmed in any number of ways. To make our children feel secure, let them know the rules and consistently reinforce them.

Let's keep our children safe. Oh yes, and have some memorable good times for the summer. After all, isn't that what family is all about? So long for now...

Dr. Felicia the ParentCoach
F. Felicia Ferrara, Ph.D.
Psychology Services
The Consultation and Evaluation Center
813-259-0303