Designated Watcher

The first tip Cartledge has when it comes to water safety is to always be with your child or have a specific watcher at all times. “Have a designated person watch the pool area with the children in it and if for some reason they have to leave they hand off the duties to someone else so that that person knows that it is their job duty.”  Cartledge says it can also be helpful if the designated watcher wears a hat that they can then pass on to the next watcher.

When swimming at a resort pool, it is important to stay with your children because not all resort pools have trained lifeguards on hand. “By law, they don’t have to have lifeguards unless they have a slide or a lazy river,” Cartledge says. When children are swimming at waterparks, it is important to explain to your child the role of a lifeguard. Cartledge says to tell children “the lifeguards are there for your safety and if they ask you or tell you to do something [or not do something], you listen to them.”

Explaining pool safety to children can seem daunting; however, Cartledge says, “just simply tell them you don’t go in the pool unless Mom or Dad is there with you for your own safety As they get older, explain to them that these are safety rules.” When teaching children about water, you do not want them to fear water rather understand how to act around water. “You want to explain the why behind things, why you don’t rough house, why you don’t go into the pool by yourself,” Cartledge says.