Story by Sean Cate - Original Article Posted Here
Limit Trust
Exercise caution when trusting others with your children’s supervision in and around the water. Direct parental supervision should be prioritized over relying on anyone else, including lifeguards.1 Nobody is going to care more about your child than you.
Designate Breaks
Establish designated break times during water activities to make sure your children don't get tired in the water. This includes your supervision responsibilities so you stay fresh and alert.
Have Safety Briefings
Initiate regular briefings before any activities to ensure water safety is understood by everyone. Establish rules and expectations, and emphasize the importance of respecting the water’s potential dangers. Engaging with your children in these discussions will promote awareness and responsibility, but also show that you respect them with this information, which will help them rise to the occasion.
Distraction Reminders
Deal with distractions by setting regular reminders to ensure constant supervision. Be it a timer on your phone or a friend or partner also nearby, make sure you are consistently checking in with your kids if they aren't immediately nearby. You can even involve your children in keeping you accountable.
Education
Teaching your children about the realities and dangers of drowning can help enforce water safety measures. Make sure this is a healthy respect for water rather than fear-mongering though, and provide logical explanations for safety rules whenever possible.
Water Depth
Make sure your children know about water depths compared to their height. Children are not tall people, and understanding how to gauge water depth helps them make informed decisions and prevents risky behaviors. If you can stand in the water, don't dive, if you can't stand in the water, don't spend too long in that area.
Life Jackets Are Cool
Promote the use of life jackets as essential safety gear. Encourage children to see life jackets as a positive and engage in fun activities while wearing them. Until your children are strong enough swimmers, take the guesswork of water safety out of their hands and keep it safely in yours.
If You See Something, Say Something
Empower your children to be active participants in water safety by encouraging them to report any concerning observations. Train them to be vigilant and responsive to potential dangers. The only thing better than your child being safe is making sure other children are also being safe.
“Hey, Watch This…”
Be aware of any cues indicating risky behavior, like the phrase "Hey, watch this." Use these moments to discuss safety and reinforce the importance of making wise decisions around water.
How to Get Away
Sometimes the danger is coming from what else is in the water, rather than he water itself. Teach your children how to escape from potential dangers like being grabbed by struggling swimmers. Make sure they know the "Suck, Duck, Tuck" (suck in air, duck your head, tuck your limbs) method and emphasize the importance of personal space.
Bottom Line
Water safety is a collective responsibility that requires proactivity and vigilance. By using these tips parents can be much more assured of a much lower risk of water-related accidents. As parents, we must ensure our children’s safety during aquatic activities. Stay informed, stay vigilant, and prioritize safety above all else.
Sources
- “10 Water Safety Tips From a Mom Who Investigates Drownings.” Her View From Home. Natalie Livingston.
- “10 WATER SAFETY TIPS BY A MOM WHO INVESTIGATES DROWNINGS.” More Time Moms
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