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Parents are always concerned about the safety and well-being of their children. A trip to the beach or a day out on the boat are wonderful ways to spend time together as a family, but safety must always be a priority. It takes only a moment for tragedy to strike when children are unsupervised around water. Even if your kids are experienced swimmers, fun in the sun and water can take a quick turn. It’s the responsibility of parents and guardians to take the right steps to help ensure children's safety around the water.
Preparation and education are the keys to staying safe when you head out for a day on the boat or at the beach.
Ensuring that your kids have proper swimming lessons to using the right equipment like T-Tops that have adjustable width to shelter and protect children and adults, safety is always a priority.
Let’s take a look at a few ways that you can keep your kids safe on the water.
Life Jackets
It’s the law that every passenger on a boat, including children, should all be wearing life jackets. Just having jackets around the boat but not securely on your child will not help them in an emergency.
Life jackets are the most effective when they are correctly fitted for your child. As your child grows, it’s critical to ensure that their jacket still fits properly.
Life jackets should be sized by age, height, and weight.
Swimming Lessons
Taking a child out on the water that doesn’t know how to swim could turn into a dangerous situation.
Starting your children in the water young, with proper swimming lessons can help build their confidence and skill in the water.
Being a strong swimmer and having a basic knowledge of water safety can be life-saving skills.
Sun Protection
Not all dangers are beneath the waves. Spending the day at the beach or on the boat can quickly turn sour when your child becomes overwhelmed with sunstroke.
Playing in the water is refreshing but doesn’t stop the powerful sun from taking its toll. Your kids should always wear sunscreen to protect their skin as well as a hat to keep the heat off their heads.
It’s also essential to ensure that your kids are getting enough to drink. Playing and swimming in the water is hard work, and that, together with the heat, can leave your kids dehydrated quickly.
Whether you are enjoying a day fishing or trailing behind your boat on a wakeboard, the equipment that you are using for your kids should be sized appropriately.
Adult sized boards, jackets, and toys that are designed for adults and can end up being dangerous for children.
Buddy System
It’s crucial to mandate a strict buddy system for your children when they are playing around water. Make it clear that it is never ok to be in the water alone and always have a partner, friend, or parent with them when they are swimming or playing.
Every parent works tirelessly to keep their children safe. When you head out on the water for some fun, ensure that safety is a priority and enjoy some wet and wild adventures with your whole family. Stay safe!
Krystle Cook – the creator of Home Jobs by MOM – put her psychology degree on a shelf and dived into a pile of diapers and dishes instead. She is a wife and mother to two rambunctious boys, sweating it out in her Texas hometown. She loves cooking, DIY home projects, and family fun activities.
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