HOW TO practice water safety

My family is surrounded by water yearlong here in Charleston, South Carolina. And when I started to have children, the topic of water safety became a high priority for me. Even if you do not live at the the beach or have a pool, I believe it is a topic all parents should make a high priority. 

As scary and upsetting as  the topic of drowning is, it has to become part of the ongoing parenting conversation and your child will end up near it at some point, whether on vacation or at someone else's home. Taking swim lessons is a great start to ensuring comfort around water and ensure your family has safety measures in place.  Here are some of my favorite tips for enjoying splash time and staying safe!

1. ALWAYS ask permission before entering the water.
2. Put away your phone to ensure zero distractions. 
3. Walk, don't run. The number one pool safety rule is to never, ever run near a swimming pool.
4. When everybody's watching, nobody's watching. That's why safety organizations urge parents and caregivers to take turns being on official "water-watching duty" in group-swim situations (example birthday parties, neighborhood gatherings, etc).
5. Listen to instructions and obey pool rules.
6. No diving in the shallow end.
7. No roughhousing.
8. Use slides properly.
9. Don't play around drains and covers.
10. Never swim alone.
11. Sun safety is part of the deal.
12. Use pool safety equipment properly.
13. Empty water from buckets and other containers immediately after use.
14. Use toilet locks to prevent the drowning of babies and toddlers. Do not leave young children alone in the bathroom.
15. Never leave young children unsupervised in the bathtub.
16. Avoid using infant seats in the bathtub due to a tip-over risk.
17. Whenever children under age 5 are in or around water, an adult – preferably one who knows how to swim and perform CPR – should be within arm's length, providing "touch supervision."
18. When everybody's watching, nobody's watching. That's why safety organizations urge parents and caregivers to take turns being on official "water-watching duty" in group-swim situations (example birthday parties, neighborhood gatherings, etc).