During the summer, deaths and injuries around swimming pools skyrocket. The victims of these drownings and injuries are almost always young children-- toddlers, preschoolers and elementary-schoolers who venture into the water without proper adult supervision or adequate safety precautions. My own three-year-old daughter has a healthy fear of swimming pools, which I am grateful for. I feel confident that she knows the rules for safe swimming. Still, I watch her like a hawk every time we are near water.
Here are a few common-sense safety precautions that you can take to ensure your preschooler's safety during the swimming season. Simple rules and regulations can keep summertime fun safe for everyone involved.
1. Teach fear.
This may be controversial, but I'm happy to say that my daughter is terrified of being anywhere near a swimming pool by herself. The grisly realities of water-related injuries may be unpleasant, but preschoolers need to know them. I feel no hesitation in telling a three-year-old that she would drown if she jumped into the water without supervision. I believe that this fear is both healthy and constructive.
2. Don't count on floaties.
"Floaties," which fix on a preschooler's arms to support her ability to swim, have a warning label for good reason. Many parents will leave young children unsupervised for short periods of time, trusting that the accessories will keep their kids safe. However, they provide a false sense of security. In the five minutes that it might take to answer the phone while your preschooler swims in her floaties, a simple accident could cause her to submerge and drown. Give your floatie-lifted child the same amount of attention that you would give a free-swimming preschooler.
3. Encourage buddy-swimming.
Preschool-age children are not ready to swim without adult supervision, but it's good to start teaching them to always swim and play with a companion. Even when an adult is watching, kids benefit from swimming using a buddy system. One child can quickly alert an adult if a companion is struggling, and the two can learn cooperative play as they learn to swim.. As an adult, I still choose not to swim without someone nearby-- simple accidents can be addressed promptly only when another responsible person is present. Now is a good time to instill good general safety guidelines.
4. Get professional lessons.
If you can afford it, and if your preschooler swims frequently enough to benefit from them, it may be worthwhile to hire a professional swimming coach or counselor to teach your child to swim. Many summer camps and school systems offer swim lessons as part of a specialized curriculum. If your child has a physical or learning disability, nonprofit organizations in your area may offer swimming lessons for free or at a discount. These can help to ensure your child's general safety at the pool-- but remember that even kids who know how to swim can become victims of tragic accidents.
5. Secure the pool. Many swimming pool accidents happen because parents leave a door unlocked and young kids wander outside unsupervised. Preschoolers, who can not yet be trusted to remember or follow rules, can easily drown in swimming pools left open. Under all circumstances, a pool should be kept behind a locked gate that children can not enter without adult supervision. If at all possible, a stable pool cover-- not one that a child can fall into-- should also be secured over the pool whenever possible. In most cases, simple guidelines can prevent tragic accidents.
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