This is a special guest post that is near & dear to my heart.
Cheeks is starting swim lessons this week through his camp.
Kids and water do not always mix well. Far too many kids drown every year because they did not know how to swim. Ironically, too many parents are unaware of how young their kids can learn how to swim. Putting kids in swim lessons at a very young age can help them to become good swimmers early in their lives. The more kids that know how to swim, the fewer drownings there will be.
Helping Kids Overcome the Fear of Water
The best thing that any parent can do is to introduce their babies to water early. If they are accustomed to being in the water while being held by someone they trust, then they will become accustomed to water. Of course, there needs to be a healthy respect for water and the dangers it can pose, but a child that fears the water will not remain calm in an emergency situation when or if they need to. If your child already had a fear of the water, it is time to help them through that. The best thing a parent can do to help with this is to place them in a situation where they feel safe in the water. This usually means they need to get them in the pool when there is no one else in there. They need to feel they have the complete attention of their parents. It is also helpful to have calm water around, hence the need to get in when no one else is in the pool. Work with them on floating on their back. Of course, another way to help them is through professional lessons on swimming and water safety.
Translating Lessons to Safety on the Lake
Taking swim lessons at the local swimming pool is one thing, but it is important to help your child learn how the skills they learn there can translate into safety on a lake or at the ocean. These are places where the water will behave a little differently. Make sure your child understands how water works in these situations. Teach them why it is important for them to use a life jacket when on a large body of water like a lake or the ocean, despite knowing how to swim.
Taking swim lessons at the local swimming pool is one thing, but it is important to help your child learn how the skills they learn there can translate into safety on a lake or at the ocean. These are places where the water will behave a little differently. Make sure your child understands how water works in these situations. Teach them why it is important for them to use a life jacket when on a large body of water like a lake or the ocean, despite knowing how to swim.
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