Tips to keep kids safe at Maryland swimming pools
Maryland parents should ensure their kids are ready for pool time in the months ahead. A few tips go a long way in keeping kids safe from unnecessary harm.
Summer time brings time in the pool in Maryland and elsewhere in the U.S. While parents may look forward to cooling off and enjoying time with their kids in the water, not knowing a few simple safety tips could put kids in danger. While the seasons are still in flux, there has never been a good time to learn more about pool safety for young swimmers.
Have a conversation with kids
One of the most ideal ways to instill the importance of pool safety for kids is to have a frank conversation about the dangers that pools and open water present. For instance, kids should know to never go into a pool without an adult present. Kids often focus more on the joy of swimming rather than the danger, usually because they do not fully understand the dangers involved with swimming.
Install locks on windows and doors
Parents should also ensure that they install sturdy locks on all windows and doors that lead to a pool area. Even better, locks should be high enough that kids cannot reach them. Children may not be aware of the many perils surrounding swimming pools, but they are often smart enough to unlock a door or window to get access to a pool. Besides installing high locks, sealing up access via doggy doors is another necessary safety precaution.
Put up a pool safety fence
Besides locks on doors and windows, installing a pool safety fence makes for another effective drowning deterrent. With a safety fence, parents can section off the pool from the rest of the backyard, allowing kids to enjoy playing without mom and dad worried that they may wander into the pool unsupervised.
Ensure that an adult watches children in the pool
Of course, parents cannot go wrong by making sure an adult, preferably one who knows how to swim and perform CPR, watches over kids while they splash around in the pool. Taking this one step further, the person watching the kids should have her or his full attention on the little swimmers the entire time, which means not looking down at a phone or otherwise engaged in distracting behavior. Using public pools or becoming a member at private swim club may also be beneficial as such locations often have paid lifeguards professionally monitoring swimmers.
Teach kids how to swim
Related to the tip above, kids can lessen their overall risk by knowing how to swim. Not only can knowing how to swim make time in the pool more enjoyable, but it can also eliminate much of the fear that kids may have about drowning. Swimming lessons give them the confidence necessary to keep from drowning and not being afraid of the water.
Unfortunately, the above tips are not an ironclad guarantee against all pool mishaps for Maryland parents. No matter if it is a swimming pool accident or injury, consulting with an experienced legal advocate afterward is a good idea.
