Swimming

Teaching a child how to swim not only provides a lifetime of fun in the pool and at the beach but also helps prevent the leading cause of death in the US for kids ages 1-4 and the second leading cause of death for children ages 5-14.  Now it is not realistic to teach a child to swim when they are barely walking, but having your child start to learn how to swim when they are 4 years old is a must. But even after a child learns to swim, it is up to us as parents to keep focused on guard-style attention on our kids when water is near. That means when kids are near water or in the pool, an adult who is not under the influence of drugs or alcohol and preferably who knows CPR should be watching and within arms reach of the swimming child at all times. AT ALL TIMES!   Remember, swim lessons don’t make kids drownproof. Even before your baby is born, installing a gate around your entire home pool with an alarm may be the single biggest safety measure that you can do for your child’s entire life, if we go by the numbers. 

Pool fence requirements:

• At least 4 feet tall

• No opening under it or between slats more than 4 inches wide

• Self-closing and self-latching gate that opens away from the pool

• The gate latch is at least 54 inches from the ground

Keep toys out of the pool when not in use and be sure to always cover and lock spas and whirlpools right after using them.