Summer Safety Part 2

Summer is just around the corner.  My sister Anya and I have been doing summer safety talks at pre-schools and for Mother's Clubs.  Boy are we ready for a break from school and schedule.  We want to frolic and play and travel.  And of course our kids want to be in the water constantly.

Here are some more reminders for summer safety:

Around the pool:

• Remember, lifeguards should be considered an extra set of eyes...no one will watch your child as closely as YOU...especially at pool parties where adults are often distracted.
• Wear a "Water Watcher" bracelet or a necklace as a physical reminder of who is in charge of watching the water.  A simple rubber band around the wrist or a fun Hawaiian lei can do the trick. When the water watcher needs a break, they must find a replacement and "pass the baton" to another responsible adult.

Different Bodies of Water:

• Standing Water is water that does not move.  Some of these bodies of water can be colder (or warmer) than La Petite Baleen water.  Some of them may be darker, deeper or shallower.  It's important to discuss depth, clarity and temperature with your child before swimming in them.  Examples include:
• Lakes
• Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs
• Ponds

• Moving Water can be the most dangerous body of water.  In addition to temperature, depth and clarity difference, moving water adds the element of power.  Discuss how waves and currents work and how to stay in a safety zone.  Life jackets are always recommended when swimming in moving bodies of water.  Examples include:
• Beach/Ocean
• Rivers, creeks and streams
• Whirlpool bathtubs and hot tubs

Please explore this link, there is a wealth of information.  

http://www.swimforlife.org/

Have fun and be safe this summer!

Summer Safety Part 1

It's already mid May and this week at LPB was our annual Summer Safety Week.  Your kids, who are red ribbon or higher, got to learn, discuss and act out life saving techniques and safety rules.  Since parents are not the ones in the water getting our "safety talk", the next two posts will discuss some of the things we cover and would like parents to remember during the summer swim and travel months.  This is for ALL parents, even if your baby is only 2 moths old.  It is never to early to keep safety in mind.

What is Summer Safety Week?
La Petite Baleen has been running our "Summer Safety Week" program for 20 years in an effort to refresh our students and parents with safety tips before the summer months.  The program includes age appropriate rescue, survival and safety skills for all bodies of water.

What are my kids learning?

• Never swim alone (even a good swimmer never swims alone!).  Even preschoolers can understand and grasp this #1 rule.
• Never swim to a drowning person.
• Get help/Call 911
• Throw something that floats.
• Survival floating and treading.
• Different bodies of water.

Travel Tips:

• When renting a vacation home/condo, ask about whether the swimming pool has a gate or safety feature before booking.  Friends of ours once rented a house where the pool actually went through the living room!  And they had 4 kids under the age of 4 staying with them!  I wouldn't have been able to sleep that's for sure.
• Discuss what types of water your child will be swimming in (lake, rivers, etc.).
• Remember that children may not swim quite as well on vacation as they do in lessons (colder water, deeper/darker water, etc.).  Don't expect them to swim like they do for their swim teacher.  They might just want to play or are used to fins and a structured class environment.
• Always wear life jackets when rafting or boating.  Kids at LPB get a chance to practice what this feels like.  It's awkward to be a good swimmer and to have a life jacket making you super buoyant.  

At Home:

• Double check all bathrooms/toilets.  My youngest baby loves to "swim" in our toilets and it freaks me out and is disgusting.  Not safe!  keep the lids down and the doors closed.
• Never leave a child unattended in the bathtub (even for a minute!).
• Baby/wading pools, buckets, etc. in the yard should be drained immediately after use.
• Be certain that all pools, hot tubs and ponds have safety fences, covers or nets.  We always triple check that our hot tob is locked.  

Reminders:

• All parents and caretakers should have current CPR certification.
• Always apply sunscreen 30 minutes prior to swimming outdoors and really every hour.  I personally like to use the Target brand (Up & Up) cream sunscreen and lather it on before we head to the lake or pool.  Once we arrive, I give the kids a spray of sunscreen before they get in.  Double coverage!  And we re-apply when they get out for snacks every hour with the lotion/cream sunscreen.

to be continued.....