Does Your Child Fear the Pool?

Here are five pool tips to help them overcome their fears.

Children commonly see a swimming pool as a mysterious body of water.  It scares them because they may not know what to do around it. This fear can lead to injury and sometimes even tragedy. But, it doesn’t have to be that way.

With these pool tips, parents and pool owners have the power to teach children that the pool is nothing to fear. While accidents can always happen, knowing how to avoid them and how react to them can make all the difference. Here are some things to pass along to children.

• Build confidence. In order to get rid of their fear, a child has to become confident in the water. You can show them there’s nothing to be afraid of by moving around in the water yourself. Also, getting professional swimming lessons by an American Red Cross certified instructor will help teach children the proper movements and that the pool is nothing to be afraid of.
• Don’t Panic. If a child should fall into the pool or lose floatation, it’s important not to panic. While this may be easier said than done, teaching them to catch their breath and get their heads above water is key. A certified swimming instruction can provide some valuable pointers.
• Show the pool is fun. Kids like to have fun and if they realize they can do that safely in the water, their fear will lessen.
• Wear a life jacket. Although arm floaties and water noodles may be fun, they won’t keep a child from drowning. Have them wear a U.S. Coast Guard certified life jacket to protect them if they don’t know how to swim.
• Respect pool rules. This means no running around the pool and closing gates and latches to avoid anyone from accidentally falling in. Teach them that if the rules are followed, there is less likelihood of an accident.

By doing these things, you can help teach children that the pool is nothing they need to fear. By respecting the pool and its rules, everyone can have fun and be safe. As a parent or pool owner, your obligation to keep swimmers of all ages safe is to have safety mechanisms in place. This means installing the proper pool fence among other things. To learn more about installing a pool fence at your home contact Protect-A- Child Pool Fence at 772-398-3400.