{"id":390,"date":"2019-04-22T11:12:04","date_gmt":"2019-04-22T15:12:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/?p=390"},"modified":"2023-10-16T12:10:21","modified_gmt":"2023-10-16T16:10:21","slug":"water-safety-guide-for-parents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/water-safety-guide-for-parents\/","title":{"rendered":"Water Safety Guide for Parents"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-flat ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/water-safety-guide-for-parents\/#How_to_Practice_Water_Safety_with_Your_Child\" >How to Practice Water Safety with Your Child<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/water-safety-guide-for-parents\/#What_Youll_Learn_in_this_Article\" >What You\u2019ll Learn in this Article:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/water-safety-guide-for-parents\/#Be_an_Alert_%E2%80%9CWater_Watcher%E2%80%9D\" >Be an Alert \u201cWater Watcher\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/water-safety-guide-for-parents\/#Practice_Life-Saving_Skills\" >Practice Life-Saving Skills<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/water-safety-guide-for-parents\/#Evaluate_Your_Pool_and_Spa\" >Evaluate Your Pool and Spa<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/water-safety-guide-for-parents\/#Drains\" >Drains<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/water-safety-guide-for-parents\/#Barriers_and_Alarms\" >Barriers and Alarms<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/water-safety-guide-for-parents\/#Promote_Water_Safety_Awareness\" >Promote Water Safety Awareness<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/water-safety-guide-for-parents\/#Want_more_tips_on_being_an_awesome_swim_parent\" >Want more tips on being an awesome swim parent?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Practice_Water_Safety_with_Your_Child\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #003366;\">How to Practice Water Safety with Your Child<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>With May being <a href=\"http:\/\/apsp.org\/nwsm\/Consumers\/Kids-Safety\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Water Safety Month<\/a> and summer around the corner, it\u2019s important to freshen up on water safety tips to ensure safe and happy swimming. According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.poolsafely.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/2018-Submersion-Report-5-10-18.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2018 report<\/a> by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, drowning is the #1 unintentional cause of death for children between ages 1 to 4, with 85% of fatal deaths from 2013 to 2015 occurring at a residence.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t let these statistics deter you or your young swimmers from having fun at the pool\u2014with just a few precautions, everyone can achieve water safety. After reading this guide, you can share it with friends and neighbors to help promote awareness for poolside safety.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Youll_Learn_in_this_Article\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #003366;\">What You\u2019ll Learn in this Article:<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#water-watcher\">Be an Alert \u201cWater Watcher\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#life-saving\">Practice Life-Saving Skills<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#pool-and-spa\">Evaluate Your Pool and Spa<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#water-safety-awareness\">Promote Water Safety Awareness<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"water-watcher\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Be_an_Alert_%E2%80%9CWater_Watcher%E2%80%9D\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Be an Alert \u201cWater Watcher\u201d<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This is a no-brainer: always supervise your children whether they are in or near the water. A designated \u201cWater Watcher\u201d should be on alert, with no distractions to keep them from paying attention to the water. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.redcross.org\/get-help\/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies\/types-of-emergencies\/water-safety.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">American Red Cross<\/a> recommends staying within arm\u2019s reach in order to react at a moment\u2019s notice, and keep a phone close by in case you need to call 911.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a difference between <a href=\"http:\/\/www.watersmartbroward.org\/resources\/responding-to-a-drowning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">responding to a drowning victim<\/a> and a distressed swimmer. Active drowning victims may be vertical in the water, but unable to tread water or move forward, or they may press down with their arms at their sides in an attempt to push their heads above water. Inactive drowning victims are often motionless on the surface or bottom of the water. A swimmer in distress may be trying to swim, but making no progress. Distressed swimmers can quickly become drowning victims, so you\u2019ll want to prepared to react accordingly.<\/p>\n<p>If you see a distressed swimmer, throw equipment such as a life ring or flotation device, or reach with a pole or even a broom\u2014<a href=\"http:\/\/apsp.org\/Portals\/47\/Red%20Cross%20-%20Water%20Safety%20Tips.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">but do not go in<\/a>! Distressed swimmers will grab onto you in panic and may hinder your ability to swim, putting both of you in danger.<\/p>\n<p>Drowning victims must be immediately removed from the water. If you are trained in CPR, begin doing it with rescue breaths and call 911. If you aren\u2019t trained in CPR, call 911 first and they will instruct you on what to do next.<\/p>\n<p>Keep toys and other pool equipment stowed away when not in use and out of your children\u2019s sight.<\/p>\n<p>And remember: if a child goes missing, check the water first. Every second counts.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"life-saving\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Practice_Life-Saving_Skills\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Practice Life-Saving Skills<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Teaching children to swim at a young age, even as an infant, is an essential skill they\u2019ll have for a lifetime. If you haven\u2019t yet, think about enrolling your child in local swimming classes during the summer and practice with them at home. There are plenty of additional <a href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/4-reasons-your-child-should-learn-to-swim\/\">benefits to learning how to swim early<\/a> beyond water safety. Of course, learning to swim yourself is just as important!<\/p>\n<p>Learning to perform CPR is also a helpful skill in the event of a poolside emergency. You can check out this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.redcross.org\/get-help\/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies\/hands-only-cpr.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">how-to video<\/a> from the American Red Cross or search your local area for hands-on classes. Regularly refresh yourself on this skill to fully prepared for an emergency.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"pool-and-spa\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Evaluate_Your_Pool_and_Spa\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Evaluate Your Pool and Spa<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Part of water safety is creating as safe of an environment as possible for your young swimmer. Check the following areas of your pool or spa to make sure they\u2019re childproof and encourage a safe swimming environment.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Drains\"><\/span>Drains<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>While a majority of public and residential pools installed adhere to the <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Blotter\/story?id=5428982&amp;page=1&amp;page=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Virginia Graeme Baker Pool &amp; Spa Safety Act (VGB)<\/a> passed in 2008, it\u2019s important to regularly check the condition of drain covers before anyone enters the water. According to VGB, drains must be covered with curved seals to prevent forceful suction and entrapment. Flat cover designs and cracks in drains can be dangerous especially for children. In general, regularly remind your children to stay away from drains.<\/p>\n<p>Remember the rule: <em>\u201ctwo is better than one.\u201d<\/em> When it comes to installing pool drains you can also implement devices and systems to further prevent drain entrapment. If you want more information on making sure your pool and spa is VGB complainant, here\u2019s a helpful guide from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.poolsafely.gov\/simple-safety-steps-series-ensure-all-pools-and-spas-have-vgb-compliant-drain-covers-and-teach-your-children-to-stay-away-from-drains\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PoolSafely.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Barriers_and_Alarms\"><\/span>Barriers and Alarms<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Installing barriers such as pool nets and covers around your pool or spa are great for preventive safety. These help to prevent young children from entering the pool area without supervision and gives you ease of mind. Ideally, pool barriers should be 4 ft. or taller and should have self-closing and self-latching gates.<\/p>\n<p>You can also install pool and gate alarms, which alert you when they detect movement entering the pool area.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"water-safety-awareness\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Promote_Water_Safety_Awareness\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Promote Water Safety Awareness<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Now that you\u2019re equipped with some water safety tips, share with your family and friends! Especially when visiting other pools, it\u2019s important to give everyone the roundup so that in the event of an emergency, all adults can be prepared to take action.<\/p>\n<p>You can help promote National Water Safety Month by taking the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.poolsafely.gov\/pledge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pool Safely Pledge<\/a> and be sure to share your pledge on Twitter with #PoolSafely.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Want_more_tips_on_being_an_awesome_swim_parent\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Want more tips on being an awesome swim parent?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Learn how to be the best swim parent ever in <a href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/5-tips-best-swim-parent-ever\/\"><strong>our blog post<\/strong> <strong>here<\/strong><\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to Practice Water Safety with Your Child With May being National Water Safety Month and summer around the corner, it\u2019s important to freshen up on water safety tips to ensure safe and happy swimming. According to the 2018 report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, drowning is the #1 unintentional cause of death<a class=\"button\" href=\"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/water-safety-guide-for-parents\/\" title=\"More\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":391,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[65,64],"class_list":["post-390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-swimming-habits","tag-swim-parents","tag-water-safety"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=390"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/390\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":395,"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/390\/revisions\/395"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/391"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swimmirror.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}