Water Safety Tips
Carrie Bland is a Certified Professional Nanny of nearly 13 years, toddler mom, and water safety advocate. After having her son in 2020, she realized that even after years of competitive swimming, lifeguarding, and coaching, she had some intense anxiety when it came to taking him around the water that first summer. So she dove back into learning new tips and tricks to share with the nanny community, mainly on her Instagram @carriethenanny, and has been talking about it ever since.
Additionally, Carrie mentors nannies through a variety of services on her website and also locally where she lives in Indianapolis by planning play dates and nanny events for networking, socializing, and training opportunities with her support group, Circle City Nannies.
8 Top Water Safety Tips
1. First and foremost, this is honestly the biggest tip — enroll your children in swim lessons TODAY. Swimming is a life skill that can literally save a person’s life. When you’re looking for a class or an instructor if you’re not going the ISR (Infant Swimming Resource) route, you want to clarify that you want an emphasis on survival skills. Rolling onto their back to float. Kicking to the wall. Holding onto the wall and moving to the ladder or stairs.
2. Assign a water watcher. When you think everyone is watching the pool, no one is watching. If you’re hosting a party or a get together, rotate water watchers or hire a lifeguard. Water watchers need to be sober and they need to be adults. Children cannot watch other children.
3. Have as many barriers in place as possible to prevent a child quietly sneaking out into the pool. Pool covers, a fence, locking gates, and door alarms (on the doggy door too!) are all necessary if you’re a homeowner with a pool.
4. Drain the water away when you’re through with play. It takes only 2 inches for a child to drown. Empty the tub and make sure the plug is out of reach, the water tables, and the kiddie pools too.
5. Know the signs of drowning – it is not always splashy and loud like it is in the movies. It can be, but other times it is quiet. The person (child) is in the vertical position with their arms straight out and they might not be able to get their mouth above the water.
6. Not all drownings are fatal. There are some with a quick enough rescue that there is no damage to the person. Others involve severe brain damage. If you come across someone who has experienced a drowning incident, give them 2 rescue breaths before continuing CPR.
7. Floaties give children a false sense of security. They are marketed as a learn to swim aid and make parents and caregivers believe they are necessary for learning water skills. They are not. They do not. Lifejackets are absolutely necessary for being on a moving watercraft and specialized floats like puddle jumpers are approved for walking on boat docks and pool decks. None of these have been approved for swimming in pools.
8.Choose bright swim suits to stand out in the water. Blues and greens blend in, so find other options like red, orange, yellow, and pink. If you’re unable to find a suit with those colors, throw on a bright swim shirt and have the added benefit of sun protection.
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