Can you believe it is summertime already?! My kids are super excited to participate in all the summer activities we usually cram into those few precious months of summer vacation. One of our favorites is to head to the pool or the beach. Whether you are heading out the back door to your own pool, to the local YMCA down the street or the beach a few hours away, you need to practice summer water safety. When we are visiting the YMCA or the beach, I never think about how important the role of the lifeguards are. These are the folks who are there to protect us while we are splashing and swimming nearby. Before you head over to the water, you may want to refresh yourself on these summer water safety tips for your family:
Summer Water Safety Tips
- Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.
- Do not allow anyone to swim alone.
- Makes sure that everyone in the family knows how to swim. Your local YMCA offers great swimming lessons from experienced instructors.
- For younger swimmers, make sure they wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets.
- Do not let anyone play around drains and suction fittings.
- Wear SPF appropriate sunscreen and apply as instructed.
- When swimming in natural bodies of water, be aware of cold temperatures, currents and underwater hazards.
- Leave the alcohol at home as it impairs judgement and your reflexes.
Whenever my family and I plan to have fun in the water, we go over these rules. It ensures we are all on the same page and everyone will stay safe. Even though we all know the rules, I am thankful for all those people in the workforce who keep us safe when we are enjoying ourselves in the water. One of those people is Justina Pratt, who
works in the Safe Start Program as a water survival instructor for infants and young children 6 months to 6 years. This program in Florida is very specialized and is the only program like it in the country. The program includes 17 instructors who teach at 24 pools who have gone through an 8-week training process through ISR (Infant Swimming Resource) where they also learn a lot of medical information, and important skills on how to interact with children and families in this environment.
For Justina, this program is personal because not only did she survive a near drowning herself at 18 months, but in 2013, one of her two sons (3 at the time) fell into the water while fishing off of dock. He immediately rolled onto his back and saved himself because the training he received in the program. Justina has taught over 250 kids through the program and spends 5-6 hours in the water each day teaching. Justina is very passionate about the program and loves her job because it’s so rewarding to make a difference for even one family. You can see Justina’s story as part of the 1 in one hundred million Web Series from Kronos. The 1 in one hundred million series profiles ordinary people in the workforce and tells their stories. Each month, Kronos releases a new video focused on one occupation, like a firefighter, a nurse, a union electrician, and more.
“1 in one hundred million” is a site devoted to sharing the personal stories of people who do the many important and too-often unrecognized jobs upon which we all rely. From our very first days, Kronos solutions have always focused on the work that people do. That’s why we’re proud to celebrate these special individuals who reflect the character,the commitment, and the passion of today’s workforce. Kronos has tens of thousands of customers worldwide, Kronos is the leader in workforce management solutions. Kronos helps their clients manage time and attendance records, worker’s schedules, absence records, HR and payroll, hiring, and labor analytics solutions and services. For more information, visit kronos.com.
Andrea @ pool service company says
Swimming training is a good idea for kids. Some heartbreaks can be prevented if children know how to swim.
Racquel says
We usually go to the small lake my parents live on and break the kids in slow.
gingermommyrants says
Swimming is one of my kids favorite pastimes in the summer. We never let them go to the pool alone. I always make sure there will be a qualified lifeguard on duty.
Ann Bacciaglia says
These are great swimming safety tips. We just moved into a condo that has a pool. We will have to follow these tips this summer.
dawn says
I love these tips. I also love the great pics. Thanks for the share..
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dawn
Debbie says
I have seen some videos that show really small babies being taught how to flip themselves in the water. It’s fascinating and I wish more people would start that early.
candice says
these are great tips. with three kids ages 4 and under water safety is high on my priority list. my oldest takes swimming lessons, but I still watch her whenever she is anywhere near water.
ourfamilyworld says
Those are great tips. I wish more people left the alcohol at home and watched their kids more
Aubrey says
This is a neat program. We don’t always notice the people behind the scenes. Water safety is important. It doesn’t take long to lose someone to water incidents.
Marina John says
Great tips, thanks for sharing! That’s amazing that she survived drowning at 18 months AND her son knew just what to do when he fell in. Water safety is so important!
Vera Sweeney says
These are great tips for water safety!! It is hard to believe it is summer time already.
Andrea Kruse says
We started Swimming lessons at our local Y earlier this Spring. I hope we can fit in some more classes. It is definitely an appreciated job here. We live near a big river and learning to swim is essential.
Valerie says
These are all perfect tips! People need to remember the dangers of water!
Liz Mays says
Justina sounds like an awesome person who cares a lot about water safety. It’s great to know there are people like her out there.
Shauna says
These are great tips… All of my kids are very good swimmers, yet I still will not allow them at the pool by themselves. I always watch like a hawk… you never know when something could happen…
Libby's Library says
With this program, do they teach children how to get out of different types of water situations…such as pools, lakes, etc.? We raised all our kids in Florida and made sure that they all learned to be efficient swimmers at a very early age, but supervision is KEY! Great post.
Dee Mauser says
It’s a good idea to have some sort of fence around the pool or your yard when you have a swimming pool because you never know when a young child may wander into your yard and decide to climb or jump in.
kristin says
With water season here, water safety is important. Our kids have been swimming since babies, but we never take our eyes of them when they are swimming. But we also do not hinder their curiousness, so they love swimming in the ocean.
Kathy says
Great tips. I’m always very careful when my kids are going swimming. I always make sure I’m right along with them. I know it’s very important especially when they’re little.
lena says
So true. I need to educate my kids before we go back to the pool and beach
Seattle Travel Blogger says
I have seen some people doing some of the dumbest things when it comes to swimming pools or lakes. People should really take water safety more seriously. I think your tips are great and huge step in the right direction!
Dawn says
These are such important tips. Since I moved to Florida, I’ve heard all kinds of stories about watching out for some crazy stuff. Like not getting to close to ledges in the water. Alligators hang out there! O_o
Mama to 5 BLessings says
Living in Florida constantly around water. These are very important tips. There are way too many drownings.
Robin Rue (@massholemommy) says
These are all great tips. I watch my kids like hawks when they are in the water.