bettyandbob Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Remember, just because there's a lifeguard doesn't mean you can focus on your book/magazine/smart phone. Remember, just because your 5 year old made the club swim team and is the most amazing athlete ever, swimming up with 8 year olds, etc. does not mean he has the maturity and judgement to be without your supervision during recreational swimming. Remember, lifeguards are certified at age 15. That could be an exceptionally mature 15 year old watching your kids or an exceptionally immature 15 year old. Either way, he's inexperienced at his job and when the pool is crowded he may not be zeroing in on your child. Please keeps your eyes on your dc. Better yet, get in the pool and build some great memories together. 21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 Bumping because I think this is very important. Also, if your dc are not good, strong swimmers, get them into lessons. One day they will be teenagers and going places and making decisions without you. Get them into swimming because one day they may be spending the afternoon hanging out by the local lake and not wearing a life jacket because they know how to swim a little and life jackets look stupid. If you aren't comfortable swimming. Get yourself into lessons and be a good example. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Agree!! A summer ago, my then three-year-old was taking swimming lessons at the Y. Her instructer was very attentive and there were two lifeguards watching the pool. She starting going under and couldn't get up. She was directly below the lifeguard, where the instructor asked her to stay. If I hadn't gotten the lifeguard's attention, it is doubtful the instrutor or lifeguard would've seen her in time. Terrifying!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Drowning is silent. There is no dramatic thrashing about. We have friends who lost a child to drowning. Their backs were turned for just a moment, she got off the boat and sank. There was no noise. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Also, those smaller backyard splash pools have enough water in them to drown a child. The parent needs to be the diligent lifeguard and not allow distractions to remove their focus from their children. Unattended, filled backyard splash pools without fencing makes me scared. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hikin' Mama Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 I agree! I was always either in the water with the kids or watching the kids like a hawk. Even a great lifeguard simply can't watch every child every second. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Thank you for the reminders! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriedClams Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 I'm going to add t this article too...the author is a former USCG rescue swimmer... Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning In 10 percent of drownings, adults are nearby but have no idea the victim is dying. Here’s what to look for: http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/family/2013/06/rescuing_drowning_children_how_to_know_when_someone_is_in_trouble_in_the.html 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Could not agree more. An acquaintance lost their 6 year old at a pool party where there were many lifeguards present and this kid was a strong swimmer. The child was dropped off by a parent. I am a pretty free range parent. But NOT when it comes to kids under about 12 and water events. Being trustworthy in the water is as much about judgement and maturity as it is about swimming skills. The kids that are swimmers but have no fear are high risk! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeWillSoar Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Good reminder! Once I had to go into the pool fully dressed to rescue one of my boys. He could swim but tired out when he got to the middle of the pool, and I could see he was struggling and starting to go under. It was a really little hotel pool, and I was right there but I didn't expect that. Scary story--Another time I was visiting my sister and we took our kids to a water park. Her son took off (he was maybe 5) while she was attending to her infants. I asked her where her son was and we both started looking, scanning the pool. We saw a little hand pop up out of the water and go back under. He was right by a lifeguard who was in the water but didn't see him. My sister yelled and another mom then was able to pull her son up out of the water. If it had been just a few seconds more, we might not have seen him come up and he could have drowned. This was a pool for younger kids too but there was a deeper end with a slide and that's where he was. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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