Safety Tips and Rules for Kids at the Pool

If the kids are playing at the park, you want to keep them safe. But when they are playing at the family swimming pool, and you add the inherent risks of water – there’s an additional level of concern about safety. Here are some things to consider about keeping the kids safe while they’re in the water:

They will never swim alone. If Mom slips into the house to fix lunch for the kids, that’s long enough for a child to inhale a big gulp of water, panic, and get into trouble. It just doesn’t take very long for pool accidents to happen. That’s why the kids must always be watched when they’re swimming. Who would want the community pool to be without lifeguards? It is the responsibility of the parents to make sure someone is always watching the kids. Here are some great resources with more information:

• http://www.safekids.org/watersafety
• http://blog.poolproducts.com/swimming-pool-safety-building-layers-of-protection/
• http://www.safekids.org/tip/swimming-safety-tips

There must be clear rules for using the pool. A great idea for establishing the rules is to have a meeting before opening up the pool in the spring. The family can go over what is expected, and remind the kids about the rules. Those safety measures will be similar to ones the kids know from the community pool, so they will have an idea of what is expected, but it’s always best to be clear. This will include rules like:

• No running. This is an easy rule to understand, because of wet patches around the water which could cause an injury.
• No pushing people into the pool. A child could react to being pushed, try to reach the side, and injure an arm.
• Go feet first in the shallow end. Don’t dive head first into the pool in shallow water must be emphasized.
• Don’t bring glass around the water. A broken tea glass is a cut foot waiting to happen.

Establish consequences. The kids who have been to the community pool in the summers know that if they misbehave, the lifeguard will pull them out of the water. Let your kids know that something similar will happen. They will be first told that a rule has been violated. If they ignore it again, they can be pulled out of the water for a few minutes. If the behavior continues, they will be sent inside the house. The thought of sitting in the house, listening to everyone playing out at the pool, will get the attention of your kids.

The rules apply to visitors. If the kids from down the block come to play and don’t abide by the rules, it negates the safety measures parents are trying to maintain. When any of the neighbor friends come over, first establish their level of swimming ability, then mention that they will be expected to go along with pool rules. If necessary, pull a child out for a few minutes just like you would your own. The lifeguard at the pool wouldn’t say “Oh, he’s not my kid, the rules don’t apply to him.”

Secure the pool area. The pool was so much fun when Mom and Dad there, that it could be a temptation to go back out and play. A pool fence with a locking mechanism can take care of this problem. The fence should be at least 4 feet high, chain link is not recommended, and not have anything that could be used for a handhold. Now the parents control access to the pool, providing a more safe swimming environment.

There’s a sense of pleasure watching the kids laughing and splashing in the family pool. There’s a sense of satisfaction knowing you have provided them a safe pool environment.

Kaitlin Gardner started AnApplePerDay.com to further her passion for a family friendly, green living lifestyle. She is married to her college sweetheart and lives in Pennsylvania. She and her husbandenjoy going for long hikes, to get out and enjoy nature. She is working on her first book about ways to live an eco-friendly, healthy, natural life.