Let's talk summer water safety and what it means exactly
DISCLAIMER: Hey reader! Please know the Goldfish Swim School is a valued partner of theCityMoms. Because of this relationship, we occasionally share sponsored content we feel could be valuable or interesting for your family, like tips for keeping your family safe around water this summer. So grab your suit and towel and read on…
The season for families to be in and around water is upon us – It’s oFISHally summer! With warm weather and vacations, spending time at the pool, lake, or ocean is one of summer’s many highlights. It’s important to have fun, and be safe while doing it.
The hard facts: According to the Centers for Disease Control, drowning is the leading cause of injury death in children 1 to 4 years of age and the third leading cause of unintentional injury death among those 5 to 19 years old.
Goldfish Swim School wants you to enjoy your summer – safely. That’s why we love our Goldfish instructors, who use trust to incorporate water safety skills into each and every lesson. Water Safety Expert and Area Manager of Gold Fish Swim School, Andrew Joseph, gave us a few tips for parents and kids who likely haven’t been dipping their toes in the water for a few months.
Summer Water Safety Tips for Parents:
Put your cell phone away: A child can drown in the time it takes to send a text message or answer a phone call. Put any distractions away when you and your child are around water.
Never leave your child unattended: Water is everywhere whether you are near the lake or ocean on vacation, in a neighborhood pool, or stomping in your local creek. A drowning child usually cannot cry or shout for helps o never turn your back on your child around water.
Designate a Water Watcher: Assign a Designated Watcher, so there are never questions about which adult is responsible for watching the child(ren).
Have an emergency plan in place: Start a conversation with your kids about water safety and share tips with them bout what to do if they fall into water. Call paramedics immediately, even i fate child appears okay physically. Learn infant and child CPR. Keep rescue equipment, a phone, and emergency numbers nearby.
Start swim lessons early: Enroll children in swim lessons as early as four months old. Last year, the AAP released updated recommendations to prevent drowning in children. These guidelines reinforce the benefits of starting swim lessons at a young age and indicate swim lessons can decrease the risk of drowning for children as young as one year. Teach children water acclimation and aquatic survival skills designed to help them survive should they reach the water alone. Goldfish Swim School has 3 Indiana locations in Carmel, Fishers, and Greenwood and offers year-round, perpetual instruction to children ages 4 months to 12 years old.
Conversations with caretakers: If your child goes to a friend's house to play, ask the adult what kind of activities they will engage in, and specifically if they will be around water, and make sure the children are supervised. When traveling to relatives' and friends' homes, ensure gates and doors leading to water are locked and closed.
Practice safety skills at home: While practicing water safety at the beach or pool is absolutely crucial, it's just as important to practice water safety at homes this is where more than 70% of child drowning accidents occur. It only takes as little as two inches of water for someone to drown, meaning common household objects like bathtubs, toilets, or even buckets of water can be a drowning hazard.
Through awareness and education, we can all do our part to change the staggering statistics surrounding drowning and create a safer future for our families.
LOOKING FOR MORE KIDDO CLASSES?: Check out our Top 10 Classes for Babies
You can find additional resources to expand you and your child’s knowledge on water safety. Goldfish Swim School offers FREE, fun and interactive W.A.T.E.R. Safety presentations for local elementary schools, daycares and other community organizations to teach more kids about the importance of water safety, how to avoid potential dangers in and around water and what to do during various water safety situations.
Talk to your pediatrician, practice water safety at home and consider signing your child up for swim lessons as a way to help them develop a healthy respect for the water and build life-saving skills that will give them the confidence they need to safely swim.Swimming can be one of the most enjoyable parts of summer, so while your family is out enjoying the nice weather, keep safety in mind and of course have fun!
MORE INFO: Goldfish Swim School is a premier learn-to-swim facility dedicated entirely to infants and children, ages four months to 12 years. They have three locations in the greater Indianapolis area: 271 Merchants Square Drive in Carmel, 11581 Geist Pavilion Drive in Fishers, and 1675 West Smith Valley Road in Greenwood. Lessons are offered in a child-friendly environment on a family-friendly schedule. Visit goldfishswimschool.com or call {317} 810.0790 for additional details.
Psst… CityMoms, this is the perfect time to use our exclusive Goldfish Swim School Perk! Enroll in lessons and receive waived registration fees, two free family swim passes, and a goody bag including a GSS towel, goggles, and more. Peek the Hive for more perk details.
