Kids love puddles, they love water balloons, they love water guns, they love water… period. Anything to do with water, kids love. And pools are no exception. If they see a pool, they’ll come running.
Photo by Roxanne Minnish
But you’re still placing the towels and making sure you’ve got enough seating for the whole family, your back is turned, and you still haven’t even placed any sunscreen, nor have you placed the water wings on your younger child, who doesn’t know how to swim yet.
You turn your back, and the kids are GONE.
You panic, scan the area quickly, and see both of them running towards the pool. The older one knows how to swim, but the little one doesn’t. And since the younger child copies pretty much everything the older one does, it’ll jump in the pool 100%.
You shout, you run, and in all that panic, you slip and fall.
A happy and relaxing family time can swiftly turn into a disaster. But luckily, there’s a lot that you, as a parent, can do to help minimize the chance of an accident happening.
Let’s dive in! (not literally)
What to Look for Around Water
Kids will be kids, and while with a bit of supervision, we can prevent them from doing something dangerous, there are still lots of dangers around (or in) water that you should check before you let your kids go and have fun.
Before you let your kids go crazy in the water, take a pause and look around to see what kind of place you’re dealing with.
Every spot looks fun at first, but it’s the small details that tell you whether it’s safe.
Signs/Supervision
Lifeguard, lifeguard, lifeguard.
If you notice there isn’t a lifeguard, that means that you always have to be there. 100% the time. Not even a second can pass without you looking, especially if the place is crowded.
If you notice there IS a lifeguard, but they’re fiddling with their thumbs or scrolling on their phones most of the time, you can treat this as the lifeguard not being present. Sure, you won’t rely on a lifeguard 100%, but it’s an extra layer of safety – at least it should be. Stay alert either way.
If you notice any signs, read them. They’re there for a reason. Sure, they might be there to protect the company from liability, but if a sign is there, there’s a high chance that an accident happened in the past, and that’s the reason the sign has been placed there, telling you what NOT to do, or what to look out for.
The Surroundings
Take a look around the area. Is there uneven ground or slippery algae? A shaky dock? These can all be problematic before anyone even gets in the water.
Also, lakes and rivers sometimes drop off fast, but you won’t notice it from shore until someone is already in too deep.
Barriers/Access
Take a look at the gates and fences to see if there’s a pool or a closed-off area.
Does the gate actually latch? Is the fence high enough? A safe setup means the kids are not as likely to slip in when you turn your back for 2 seconds.
You’ll also want to get familiar with the laws in the state you’re in because they all treat accidents a bit differently.
For example, Illinois usually sticks to broad negligence rules and gives public places more legal protection, so a Chicago drowning accident lawyer will have a harder time proving blame than one in Miami.
The reason is that rules are stricter for property owners in Florida.
To make the complex stuff less complex, Florida makes property owners do more (regulations, requirements, etc.) in order to keep people safe around water, while Illinois property owners get more leeway.
It’s easier to prove a drowning case in Florida than it is in the state of Illinois.
Water Conditions
Look at the water itself.
If it’s clear, you can see what’s under the surface. If it’s murky, you can’t see hard rocks and sharp rocks as well. In moving water, the current might be stronger than it looks, and all it takes is a small pull for the child to be caught off guard.
Natural spots sometimes have algae or wildlife that can make things even more unpredictable.
Maintenance
If the place isn’t well taken care of, you might find things like broken glass or other sharp/pointy objects around. So if you notice that, be sure to scout the area first.
Rusty and/or wobbly installations – all these are potential dangers and accidents waiting to happen. Just imagine your child climbing on a broken ladder and then falling and breaking their arm. That wouldn’t make for a fun family trip now, would it?
But even if you notice only small things missing or small things not being taken care of, then you can safely presume that there might be bigger issues – you just haven’t noticed them yet.
Conclusion
A parent is never just a parent. A parent is the cook, the responsible adult, the guardian, the teacher, the example, etc.
When you go on a family trip, the parent also becomes an (unofficial) lifeguard. Everything depends on you to be cared for – snacks, towels, toys, phone chargers, etc., etc. The list goes on.
Quick (and frequent) checks help with that. And as you could’ve seen in the article, these checks can also save lives!
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