Just look at the joy in her smile. There is so much fun to be had in a swimming pool in summer. But fun can come at a price. Too many people, both children and adults, don’t make it out of the pool on their own. While we want fun to take our breath away, that’s not the way a day swimming should end!
When I was a child, my grandparents had a swimming pool. Every member of the family was required to learn to swim, didn’t matter if you were a child or adult. It allowed for many fun summers of family gatherings around the pool.
Another rule my grandparents had for the use of the pool was that children couldn’t go swimming without an adult present. If you hadn’t noticed – my grandparents were very focused on safety. And they were ahead of their time. Back in the 60’s and 70’s, safety wasn’t a priority because of two things; there weren’t that many pools in private backyards and accidents didn’t happen as often.
Every member of my family followed the rules and we never had an accident. Today, it is just as important to have rules for your pool or for your family when visiting someone else’s pool. Did you know that May is Water Safety Month? Here is a link to Tips from the Red Cross.
Posting pool rules is a great start, if you are entertaining during swim season. Many are available online, you can even search Etsy for ones that will match your patio decor or personalized ones with the rules that best fit your family.
Swim lessons at your nearby swim school is also a great deterrent to danger. Although, accidents do happen it is always a good idea to take every step possible. You can also designate one adult to take watch duty during a party or neighbor gathering. Take turns doing this job so everyone can have fun, but don’t forget this step.
Childhood is all about fun ~ as adults, if we set some safety rules first then the day can be filled with fun for everyone!
