Summer just started and we’ve already been spending a ton of time in and near the water. I remember as a kid how much I loved pool days and I am so glad that the girls have followed in my footsteps and are total water babies themselves.
With pool season in full swing, I knew how important it was to put the girls in swim lessons and I could not be happier that I did. The girls started taking swim classes a month ago at Aqua-Tots Otay Ranch and they have made AMAZING progress. Arianna is starting to swim on her own already and Natalia is learning how to hold herself up in the water. The girls are so comfortable with their instructors and I love how they offer a complimentary class to all new students.
When Ari was little, we had a scary situation where she walked right into the pool, not realizing that she didn’t know how to swim. I had to jump in after her and scoop her out of the water. The water can be very dangerous and it’s so important as parents that we teach our kids about water safety, stay attention when our kids are in the water and enroll them in swim classes at a young age.
There are many things you can do to teach your kids to swim smart this summer and I partnered up with Aqua-Tots to provide you with essential swim safety tips this summer.
- Talk about boundaries. Teach your kids what they can and can’t do when in and near the water and talk to your older kids about keeping an extra set of eyes on their younger siblings to ensure they are safe too. An adult should always be present and attentive when kids are in the pool
- Locate lifeguards. When visiting a public pool or beach, locate the lifeguards with your kids. Remind your kids about water safety and what to do in the case of an emergency. We always work to find a spot near the lifeguard as well for extra caution.
- Buddy up. Make sure your child is always swimming with a buddy and teach them to look after each other. My husband and I take turns with who will be in the water with the kids so one of us can look our from the side, while the other is hands-on playing with the girls.
- Depth check. Before letting your kids jump into a pool, you should first do a depth check to see how deep it is. This will also help you set boundaries as to how far you’ll allow your kids to go. This is especially important when on vacation at a hotel pool, or in water you’ve never been in before.
- Pause poolside posts. Social media and text messages can wait. It’s important to be alert and attentive when your kids are in the water. Accidents happen too quickly and undivided attention should be your top priority.
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