Does Your Child Know How to Swim?

5/31/2013

If not, it is never too late for lessons...
Never to late to save a life!

I remember hearing on the news last year that a parent had to watch their child drown because neither of them knew how to swim. Heartbreaking and avoidable. Too many things in life are out of our control, but teaching a child how to swim is something that is in our control. If access is the issue, please seek help from a YMCA as they provide scholarships on a needs basis.

Recently, I heard some astonishing statistics on the news and I think it is worth sharing. If this information reaches one person to teach a child to swim then I consider it a true blessing and that I’m not writing this blog in vain.

According to the American Red Cross and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children younger than 5 and minority children drown in pools at an alarming rate…

Government data also shows that African-American and Hispanic children between the ages of 5 and 14 are at a high risk of drowning.

African American children between the ages of 5 and 19 drown in pools at rates five times that of white and Hispanic children that age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data from USA Swimming indicates that 70 percent of African American children and 62 percent of Hispanic children cannot swim, making them more likely to drown.

The American Red Cross offers other steps people can follow to help keep youngsters safe around the water and they include:

Constantly supervise children when they are near water. Many children who drown in home pools were out of sight for less than five minutes and in the care of one or both parents at the time.

If you have a pool, secure it with appropriate barriers.

Never leave a young child unattended near water, and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water.

Avoid distractions when supervising children around water.

If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.

Similar stories in the news:
http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/22451163/dc-swimmer-hoping-to-inspire-with-8-mile-trek-in-potomac-river#axzz2V4yXvbl9

MUST SEE VIDEO (AN INFANT SAVES THIER LIFE)

Do you know of other resources to help parents who have difficulty affording swimming lessons? If so, please share!

40 Comments

Christine

6/2/2013 12:07:29 pm

Thanks for sharing this information. It's important to get the word out so that all the senseless drowning a can be prevented.

Yvonne Brown

6/3/2013 12:55:54 am

Thanks Christine! It is something I am very passionate about.

Faiz Alam link

6/2/2013 08:32:07 pm

swimming!! i am going to swimming pool daily in these summer vacation with both my child... and this post help me a lot...

Carolin Blackburn link

6/2/2013 09:10:44 pm

Interesting article.
My girl is 7, but she can't swim yet!! This summer I need to teach her

6/3/2013 12:57:13 am

Thank you for your response Carolin! It means so much that you put thought into this! I wish you a happy and safe summer! Best wishes to you and your daughter!

Veronica link

6/2/2013 09:25:55 pm

Thanks for this post. Great information. Really alarming stats.

6/3/2013 12:58:40 am

Thanks for your comment Veronica! Yes, they are very alarming.

Rob link

6/2/2013 10:51:57 pm

My kids were taught at an early age how to swim. But we did have an instance when a child came to my inlaws to swim, many years ago, jumped into the pool, and then said i can't swim.. I had to jump in with my niece and pull her out. its a scary situation to be in.

6/3/2013 01:00:19 am

Thanks for your post Rob! That is a scary situation to be in!

Dominique Goh link

6/2/2013 10:57:21 pm

My kids too learn swimming at the YMCA and have learn many water skills through their learn to swim program. I highly recommend learning swimming with them too.

Don Purdum link

6/2/2013 11:02:08 pm

The statistics are startling that you posted. I did teach my kids how to swim when they were young and I'm glad I did. It's so important, but many parents don't have access to a pool or the resources (ie time or money) to give towards swimming. Are there resources to help them?

6/3/2013 01:01:56 am

Thanks for your response Don. This is exactly why I created this blog, to see if there are resources to help people learn about help. So glad your kids know how to swim!

6/2/2013 11:05:23 pm

My kids too learn swimming at YMCA and they love it. I find they have picked up many skills from their swimming lesson there.

Deanna Heiliger link

6/2/2013 11:13:13 pm

This is a scary thought, what a tragic thing for these parents to lose a child like that. I taught all 4 of my daughters to swim when they were little...I think it is so important, as the statistics show!

6/3/2013 02:05:20 am

Thanks for your post Deanna! Very scary indeed! A parent's nightmare. So happy to learn that your daughters know how to swim.

Deborah link

6/2/2013 11:18:01 pm

Drownings in Arizona are very high because it gets so hot here and many homes have pools. Kids are drawn to the water. You often hear about small children wandering into a pool and drowning. All children should be taught to swim.

6/3/2013 02:08:35 am

So sad to hear about what happens in Arizona. Florida has similar issues on top of alligator deaths. I recently learned that many deaths occur in Florida by an incognito alligators at the bottom of the pools. Such a scary thought.

Brad link

6/2/2013 11:37:56 pm

This is a great article and perfect time to get this information out!

6/3/2013 02:09:12 am

Thanks Brad! I thought it was a perfect time too! Very relevant!

Loretta link

6/2/2013 11:48:53 pm

I've taught babies how to swim, and little kids even. It's important to have fear released in order to learn as an adult. This is easily accomplished with SimplyHealedTM.

Tina link

6/2/2013 11:54:09 pm

I am a non-swimmer. Yes, I live in Phoenix and I don't swim. I have a fear (instilled when I was a young child). BUT my daughter is a fish. Why? Because I wasn't going to do that to her. So, when she was 16 days old her dad had her in the water with him. When she was a year, I signed us up at the YMCA and yes, I got into the water with her and she had her first lessons. I never gave up on the fact that she needed to know how to swim (although there are different schools of thought about when a child is realy "pool proof"). In my case, if I fell in, she could save me!! And I never never never never let her out of my sight for one second when we were in the backyard. And the pool had a fence and a locked gate. You can never be too safe, only too sorry.

6/3/2013 02:10:22 am

Thanks for the thoughtful post Tina! I commend you for being strong for your children instead of passing down your fear of which it seems you overcame! God bless you and your family.

Heather Petersen

6/3/2013 12:01:23 am

Thank you for this post. It is so important to know how to swim. I have a friend that teaches swim lessons from her home and if a person can't afford to take lessons she tries to work something out with them.

6/3/2013 02:11:09 am

Thanks for your post Heather. God bless your friend for working with the less fortunate.

Julie High-Kowal link

6/3/2013 12:41:13 am

Everyone should know how to swim!!! Can't say it enough! My kids will always know especially since we live on the lake!

6/3/2013 02:12:05 am

Thanks for your post and support of swimming Julie! Did you kids learn how to swim in a pool or lake?

Jacob Colman link

6/3/2013 12:43:13 am

In my opinion, swimming is best exercise for children and everyone should learn it.

6/3/2013 02:13:25 am

When I was a child, my father made sure we were active in the Y with swimming. He once told me that he would give me a dime for every lap I did. Needless to say, I swam all day long!! Good memories!

Jason Valasek link

6/3/2013 02:27:07 am

still single and no child but this is great advise. thanks for sharing

6/3/2013 07:01:35 am

Thanks for your post Jason!

Mike link

6/3/2013 04:02:59 am

What a timely warning. I remember reading once that a small child can drown in just a few inches of water. Scary stuff, unless you're prepared

6/3/2013 07:02:12 am

Thanks for your response Mike! So scary it is!

Meli link

6/3/2013 04:25:38 am

Living in AZ with all the pools, etc, I knew this was very important, so when my children were quite small, I made sure they had lessons and became competent swimmers. Thanks for the great post.

6/3/2013 07:03:19 am

Good for you Meli! More importantly, good for your children!

Terry link

6/3/2013 05:11:22 am

Frightening statistics. It was mandatory for my kids to get the basics in swimming. Two tolerated my request -one became a fish ! We have a summer cabin by a lake so it was important. BUT I still require all passengers in our boat to have their lifejackets ON and watch my granddaughter like a hawk at pools or lake as she is fearless.( as many toddlers are ).. Thanks for a good post.

6/3/2013 07:04:24 am

Thanks for your response Terry! I applaud you for your efforts! Good job!

Dov Shapira link

6/3/2013 05:52:02 am

Every year kids drown in pools and some adults as well.
All my kids know how to swim and so do I since I was four year old.

Wendy | Around My Family Table link

6/3/2013 05:54:23 am

Learning to swim is so important! Thanks for sharing.

Kelly

6/3/2013 09:28:40 am

Heartbreaking to hear this... Definitely important to teach your children at a very young age how to swim..

Jennifer Clay link

6/3/2013 11:32:46 am

This always scares me. I saw a video a few months ago of a baby who was like 15 months old (somewhere around there) who knew how to swim. It was a technique of them twirling their body around and then just floating on the water until somebody got them out the water. I think it is very important to make sure that your children know how to swim.