water safety kids

[autism1024]

do your kids ever use a life jacket or arm floats or swim vests when swimming, in lakes, rivers, pools, while boating or fishing, yes or no

 

[Speedling]

Always.
On the dock as well unless i am carrying them into a resteraunt or something. Hold hands as well if they are walking usually.
My kids are smart and can swim without a jacket but i don't think they would have their bearings if they fell in.
Ages 6, 4, 2.
We also wear them in the pool.

 

[autism1024]

Always.
On the dock as well unless i am carrying them into a resteraunt or something. Hold hands as well if they are walking usually.
My kids are smart and can swim without a jacket but i don't think they would have their bearings if they fell in.
Ages 6, 4, 2.
We also wear them in the pool.

very smart what kinda life jackets

 

[itsdgm]

Our 3 kids are teenagers now. They've always worn the neoprene style life jackets (seem most comfortable) in the boat and jumping off rocks.

Over the years we've brought many families to the lake for a week with us. One trip we brought a family of four and stressed to the parents that all kids will have life jackets on while in the boat and that ours will have life jackets on all the time (with the possible exception while eating lunch with us on the beach in a chair).

Once we picked a cove, I dropped anchor in about 3' of water (seemingly shallow enough for the kids to play in), secured the boat and the kids began to play. I noticed that our kids were still in their life jackets and the other kids (about 5 & 7) weren't, their parents just decided to take them off. 3-5 minutes later my daughter asked where the 5 year old was because they had been playing on an inflatable raft (built for 6-8 adults to lounge on). I looked down from the boat and saw her standing on the bottom with her nose pointed straight up about 1/2" below the water. Thankfully, my daughter noticed right away, thankfully I was close by, thankfully she was ok.

Read the link on this site about what a drowning looks like. A lot of drownings occur within arms reach of help. I've learned a lot from that experience and I'm writing this so that hopefully you will too. Nobody's perfect, thankfully we all got a second chance that day.

 

[OCMD]

When you are teaching your kids to swim, or when they are hanging on or around the boat, they should absolutely not be wearing water wings. Water wings and similar devices serve only to create a false sense of confidence for the kids, and for the parents. Your kid will end up with more false confidence in the water, rather than that which is needed, which is skill. Water wings hinder progress when you are trying to teach a kid how to swim. Your kid needs to get comfortable with the idea of floating, and how your body naturally reacts to being in the water. Your kid needs to get used to floating face down, in a swimming position. Your kid's last memory of the water must be one where he swam without any flotation device at all. He should leave the pool with an awareness of what his true swimming skills are like. This is the time worn method that swimming professionals put forth. Don't use these crutches. Now, as for being on the boat? Absolutely your kids should wear a Coast Guard approved safety device, i.e. a life vest of some sort. Not floaties or water wings which will easily slip off. Being on a boat is a different story from having your kids jump around in a pool, lake or ocean wearing water wings. Don't let them. Let them get used to being in the water without a crutch. When they are young, constant vigilance by the parent is required. Soon, they will be swimming like fishes.

Here is an interesting read, which kind of confirms what I knew,from teaching kids how to swim years ago as a lifeguard.

http://allamericanmom.net/neverusewaterwingsintheswimmingpool/

 

[Ronnie]

A few thoughts based on my experience. For my son I've always taken him to the store now on line and let him choose his life vest, I've found that he is not only more likely to wear it, he actually goes looking for it as soon as we get the boat into the staging area before we launch. Also do what you say and the kids will too. That is, kids are less reluctant to put on a vest if I do it aw well. So before I tell kids, my own included, to put on a vest I put one on myself.

 

[MattFX4]

I have a 19 month old and he has his vest on at all times. The only time it comes off is to change diaper, clothes, or maybe to just let him cool off for a minute while mom holds him (only if boat is not moving, and anchored in a cove). He actually fell off the back of the boat this weekend. Him and mom were on the swim platform and he was playing with a toy. He dropped toy in water and bent over to pick it up. Mom turned her head the other way for 2 seconds, and he fell right in head first. Did a flip underwater and his life jacket brought him right back up, head right side up, and on his back as intended. It only takes a second for something tragic to happen.

 

[0627Devildog]

I have 3 boys. . . .7, 5, and 8 months. Life jackets are a must in and around the docks, and on the boat. For my older 2 we actually use puddle jumpers like the ones below.

For my littlest guy we have an infant vest.

 

[billyb]

My girls are 11 and 9. They love the water and can swim like fish. I still make them wear a life jacket anytime on the dock or boat.

The oldest keeps asking me when she doesn't have to wear it anymore...I keep,telling her as soon as she can swim from one side of the cove and back without one (probably 200 yards-I know I couldn't do it).

I agree with Ronnie and let them pick out their own vest for the exact same reasons.