Swimming pools are great fun, and they can make the summer fly by in a flash. Water safety is imperative, however, to ensuring that no accidents happen in or around the beach in your back yard.
Swimming pools are wonderful for keeping cool in the summer. They are convenient and fun for kids of all ages. However, it is important to teach children the value of staying safe near water. It is estimated that 300 children drown each year, and nearly every drowning death can be prevented by following a few safety precautions.
It is of primary importance that all swimming pools are supervised by a responsible adult every single time a child is nearby. Many drowning deaths occur because a child wandered outside and decided to play in the water. Since swimming pools are so alluring, extreme caution must be exercised when children are present. One way to deter children from the water is by erecting a fence or other protective barrier. While it may not keep them completely out of harm, it will at least slow them down and perhaps grab the attention of an adult.
Another way to keep children safe in and around swimming pools is by teaching water safety. Tips like "always swim with a buddy" and "no horseplay" go a long way towards preventing unnecessary injuries and deaths. While goofing off in the water is not always dangerous, it really should be monitored and reigned in when necessary.
Perhaps the greatest way to reduce and eliminate these tragedies in the water is to encourage all parents to enroll their children in swim lessons. Swim lessons are offered by parks and recreation departments, swim clubs and aquatic centers. Children can begin learning to swim as infants, and gaining some confidence in the water may help quell some curiosities about water as well as help them gain confidence in what to do in an emergency.
One last safety tip that deals with children and swimming pools relates to the sun and not the water. It is imperative that every child wear sunscreen while they are in the water. Sunscreen must be reapplied every 80 minutes, even if it is waterproof. Protective rash guards and swimwear are terrific, but any exposed skin should be protected.
A backyard pool can be a source for a lot of great summer fun and memory making. Taking a few precautions ahead of time can greatly increase the fun that is had, as anxieties are quelled. Talking to your kids about water safety may not seem like a lot, but it can really go a long way to making a difference.
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