The pool is the most sought-after place in summer. If there are kids in the family, it’s the ideal place for the whole family to have fun and enjoy a hot afternoon. But all the fun comes with its own perils. We’ve listed down a few top tips to make sure everyone’s happy at the pool with no accidents or emergencies.
Make sure everyone has a floatation device on. Yes, even if your child knows how to swim. It’s sometimes impossible to keep an eye on all the kids all the time at the pool. Floats keep your kids safe.
Kids should never go unsupervised at the poolside. Sometimes a single parent has to handle 3-4 kids and at these times floats provide primary protection. Sometimes even craps can cause accidents. Of course, most pools today have an official lifeguard.
Learn CPR. Sounds simple, but is most useful. Someone who knows CRP is most valuable near the water.
Make sure your kids are enrolled in swim lessons. Even if they are not fully-into swimming, they will learn pool-manners and pool-rules. For instance: washing before and after a swim, not getting into water without their floats, behaving themselves and not manhandling other kids in the water.
Pack a snack. Yes, kids do get very hungry after a swim. So unless you want to manage a cranky child, keep the eats ready.
Plan a companion, even if it’s another parent with their set of kids. Kids often want to use the toilet or eat at the poolside. It doesn’t seem right that the whole family has to go to the toilet when one of them has to pee. And anyways two eyes are better than one at the pool.
A floatation device doesn’t guarantee safety. Many times floats deflate and kids are usually tired. So even if they are all wearing floats, make sure you stay close to keep an eye.
Ensure that your kids are primed in on safety rules. They should follow your instructions when at the pool. They must be ready to leave even if one of them is tired. Tell them that you can always come back the next day.
A phone is the biggest weakness at the poolside. Consider not bringing phones to the poolside. Anyways you can’t swim while holding them.
When in a big group, remember to count heads occasionally. This keeps everyone in check.
Happy summer!