Pool Safety for Summer Fun
Beating the heat by splashing around in a refreshing pool is a classic summer pass time for the whole family. Whether you're relaxing poolside or floating around the waves, here are some water safety tips from the American Red Cross to keep your kids safe and happy.
1. Use Touch Supervision: I think this is the best method for keeping infants and toddlers safe around water. Touch supervision is when an adult is in reachable distance of their young child at all times. Using this method ensures that children will never be left alone at the pool.
2. Proper Equipment: This can be a fence around your pool that separates the pool from the house or the yard to make it difficult for children to enter the pool area unattended. This can also mean rescue equipment, such as shepherd's hook or a life preserver.
3. Avoid Floaties: Many people use arm floaties for children who are not good swimmers. These are not the best to use because they restrict arm movement and provide a false sense of safety. It is best to use a life jacket or teach your child how to swim without assistance.
4. Buddy System: Using a buddy system ensures that your child is never alone while swimming. It is also a great way for your child to have a playmate while swimming!
5. Establish and Enforce Pool Rules: These rules can be wide ranging and include things like no running, no rough play, and one at a time on the diving board, for example.
Joan Lunden truly exemplifies today’s modern working woman. An award-winning journalist, bestselling author, motivational speaker, successful entrepreneur, one of America’s most recognized and trusted television personalities, this mom of seven continues to do it all. As host of Good Morning America for nearly two decades, Lunden brought insight to top issues for millions of Americans each day. The longest running host ever on early morning television, Lunden reported from 26 countries, covered 4 presidents and 5 Olympics and kept Americans up to date on how to care for their homes, their families and themselves.