For parents with toddlers that want to include them in the fun times around a swimming pool it is crucial to exercise precaution around the pool area. To keep them out of harm’s way, consider the following 5 safety tips intended to ease your mind, while assuring you of a trouble-free and secure pool.
1. Teach Toddlers to Swim
Toddlers between ages 1 and 4 are very inquisitive, as this stage in their lives is characterized by rapid growth and mental development. In case your toddler exhibits readiness to take his or her first dip, then the parent should weigh in on the matter and teach them to swim. However, you should consider a few aspects before making this decision. For instance, is the child frequently exposed to the pool to warrant teaching them to swim? In addition, are there health concerns that would hinder the child from learning to swim, such as allergies to pool chemicals or the risk of contracting infections?
2. Invest in a Pool Fence
An open pool area is a safety hazard. The toddler’s urge to explore their surrounding can cause them to sneak into the pool area unnoticed, which would expose them to drowning. Installing a pool fence around the pool area is an ideal way to safeguard your kids or your neighbors’ kids who may try to venture into the pool. Moreover, the pool fence that you invest in should provide a clear view of the pool at any given time, so that parents or older siblings can keep an eye on the pool. The pool fence should also not consist of slats that children can use as braces or support to climb into the pool area. The ideal pool fence would a mesh pool fence that childproofs your pool.
3. Enforce Strict Pool Rules
The safety of your pool is contingent upon following clear rules. For instance, discourage the use of tricycles poolside. Additionally, keep toys away from the pool areas as kids may trip on them and get injured or accidentally fall into the pool. Toddlers should also be discouraged from running around the pool, as the risk of tripping increases. Moreover, discourage younger kids from diving into the pool, especially the shallow end or aboveground pools. Generally, the pool’s safety depends on how well the kids adhere to set rules and your rigor in enforcing them.
4. Close and Constant Supervision
Parents should lay a lot of emphasis on supervision while children are in the pool area. The Center for Disease Control documents that a majority of pool accidents occur within a five-minute lapse in supervision. Thus, adults should constantly supervise children around the pool and avoid distractions such as phone calls. If need be “touch-supervision” in the pool can safeguard your kids.
5. Learn CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a very handy first aid tool in case a child drowns in the pool. Learn how to do it correctly. In addition, the parent should be a competent swimmer, whose skills can be critical to safeguarding their kids’ lives.
Eventually, responsible adults should closely supervise toddlers at all times while they are in the pool area. What’s more, even if the kids have already learned to swim, it does not serve as a foolproof way of preventing drowning. Thus, as a rule of thumb, supervision and a raft of other safety measures would provide a holistic approach to ensuring your kids safety. Also, invest in a pool fence today, as a starting point in deterring kids from the pool area and securing it.