This week on the podcast, we answer all your questions about water safety with Kidswim CEO & Master Swim Instructor, Lisa Cook. You asked and we answered!
We cover when’s the best time to introduce your child to swimming, the truths and misconceptions of dry drowning, how to deal with kids being afraid of the water, pool/ocean safety tips and pool toys. Whether you have a pool at home or visit the beach and/or community pool, you will takeaway tons of valuable information that will help your child (and yourself) become more comfortable with swimming.
A couple of key takeaways:
Age-related
Every 6-month old baby is ready to begin swim lessons (yes, you heard right!)
Lisa always recommends mommy & me classes starting out
Dry Drowning
Dry drowning is super rare (phew!) but Lisa provides us symptoms and action steps you can take if you suspect your child is experiencing dry drowning: Keep an eye on them for at least an hour after getting out of the pool, if you see signs of weakness or a abnormally bloated abdomen- call your doctor.
Always keep a cup of water by the pool to prevent your child from dehydrating
Dealing with fears
Being afraid of bathing and the pool don’t always correlate
Start swim lessons without asking too much of your child. Ease them into it and don’t put too much stress on them.
Definitely stay away from dunking your child’s head into the water
Water Safety
Always keep a phone by the pool in case of any emergency & have a raft ready in case you need to pull someone out
Take a CPR class! It’ll make a huge difference. Here's a link to American Red Cross' CPR Classes in Los Angeles
When at the beach, use the lifeguard as a resource. Don’t shy away from them
Pool Toys/ Life Vests
Puddle Jumpers are the best option, like this one: Body Glove
When you and your child is recreationally swimming and you're deciding whether or not to put them into a puddle jumper or life vest, here's a good rule of thumb:
If you have an independent child: put him/her in it
If you're handling both a toddler & baby: put the toddler in it
If you're on vacation or at a pool party/ hotel where there is a lot of activity going on: put him/her in it
You don’t ever want to have them in life vests during swim lessons
Thank you to all the Super Mamás for your questions! The winner of the kidSwim giveaway who will receive either a 50% off a six pack of lessons OR 50% a Parent-Child Class is ....
@ileana_82!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! Please contact the kidSwim office at info@kidswim.org or by phone at 1- 888-579-7946 to claim your prize.
For more information about swim lessons, water safety or any other questions please feel free to contact Lisa and her team, here:
IG: @kidswimla
Facebook: kidSwimLA
email: info@kidswim.org
Pick or Tip of the Week
Lisa shared with us a couple of the best sunscreen for kids:
Kiss My Face Kids Defense Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 Sunblock
Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50
Paulina's daughters have eczema and their doctor has advised against bubble baths BUT she found these awesome bubble pods that work perfectly with her daughter's very sensitive skin, TruKid Eczema Bubble Podz. Hooray for bubble baths!
Bricia recently finished remodeling her backyard and her tip for everyone is to invest in outdoor lighting. It makes a huge difference and will create the perfect ambience for any backyard occasion. She got her's at Lamps Plus and wrote this perfect blog post about her Backyard Remodel Journey, here.
Show Notes
Hyland's Earache Drops, Swimmer's ear
