Parenting Pearls

The Jewish Home | JUNE 23, 2022 Parenting Pearls Pool Safety

By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

The weather is warm, and the kids can’t wait to get into the pool. Many of our readers are ready to jump in right along with their child. Even among all the many amazing camp activities, a good swim ranks high.

Swimming is an excellent low-impact exercise. It’s a great way to cool off on a hot day and just overall fun to do. I know my kids aren’t the only ones who enjoy playing with their friends in the water, which also makes it a great way to socialize as the sun beats down.

The pool is also, in many ways, one of the riskiest parts of camp. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes to give your child all that fun in the water while keeping them safe and happy. As parents, one of our responsibilities is to teach our children water safety. This goes along with teaching our precious charges how to wear a helmet, buckle their seatbelt, and look before they cross the road. Sadly, even strong swimmers have drowned.

Drowning can happen in seconds, chas v’shalom, and drowning victims don’t appear as they are portrayed in movies. Take a few minutes to see videos that accurately show the signs of drowning. It’s better to be prepared and daven you never need to use it. I hate to sound like doom and gloom, but with a few safety precautions, the pool can remain the amazing activity your child looks forward to.

Securing Your Water

Any standing water needs to be kept closed and inaccessible to others, especially children. If you own a large size pool, then you most likely are aware of this and have proper fencing surrounding your property. Even if only responsible adults live in your home, you don’t want to risk neighborhood children accessing your swimming area, chas v’shalom.

Kiddie pools need to be watched or emptied when not in use. Even if the pool is marketed specifically for children, it doesn’t mean it is intended for use by unsupervised youngsters. You can’t take the chance that any child – yours or a neighbor’s – will chas v’shalom wander into your pool when you’re not present. Even if the pool is small, it’s still standing water.

Nobody should ever swim alone; even my lifeguards know they need a buddy. This includes pools, mikvaos, lakes, the beach, or any body of water. You should never go into any water alone; your daily shower is the exception. The beach (and similar bodies of water) is significantly riskier than a pool; if you don’t see a lifeguard, then don’t go in.

Floaties, water wings or any of these other items are not proper flotation devices, and they are not a substitute for proper supervision. Adults should never leave little ones alone in the water, relying on these items. No device ever replaces parental supervision, and some of these floaties increase the risk of drowning, chas v’shalom. Trust me, if they could have found a way to replace parents being responsible for something, it would have happened a long time ago. Coast Guard approved life vests are helpful, in addition to appropriate supervision.

Parents, as wonderful as we may be, are not a substitute for a certified lifeguard. Only permit your child to swim when a certified professional is present. If you’re arranging a pool party, then it’s worth the effort and money to hire a lifeguard or two to ensure the party goes smoothly. You can have a hundred parents on deck; it doesn’t mean a single one of them is properly supervising the swimmers or knowledgeable of the signs of drowning.

Lifeguards as Leaders

I’m proud to be the mother of two lifeguards that take their job very seriously. They went on to complete the more advanced WSI training after receiving their initial certification, all to give their swimmers their very best. I can personally testify how aware they are of the responsibility they have when they’re watching your child. Lifeguards, despite frequently being young, are trained to take their duties seriously.

I know some of the adults that train our local lifeguards, and they, too, are aware of the major responsibilities their lifeguards-in-training are going to face. They ensure that each of their pupils is well prepared for what being a lifeguard entails and the duty they will have.

They may be young, but they are the experts at the pool. Feel free to point them out to your child as you enter the facility. Your youngster should know they can go to the lifeguards for any emergency or problem. Their training includes first-aid and most emergencies.

Children need to know to listen to the lifeguard – especially when they don’t want to. When the whistle blows that annoying sound, it’s lifeguards alerting the swimmers or getting their attention. Children should not bring their own whistles to the pool. If the lifeguard says to do or not to do something, then it’s to your child’s advantage to listen. They may think the lifeguard is just there to ruin their fun, but many poolside injuries could have easily been avoided if the swimmers had simply followed directions.

You would think it would be obvious but, sadly, good middos are not always present. It needs to be stressed that it’s unacceptable to distract a lifeguard or block their view. Yes, it’s happened that children have intentionally prevented the lifeguards from watching their charges and ensuring the safety of all swimmers. Such behavior risks others and can’t be tolerated.

If they disagree with the lifeguard (or want to protest their innocence), they can speak to the lifeguard after shift or another lifeguard not currently watching the pool. They cannot argue with a lifeguard who is currently standing watch.

The pool is always closed whenever there is any hint of lightning. It’s annoying, but it’s imperative that the pool not be used for at least 30 minutes after the lightning ends. Kids –and some adults – often get upset by the pool rules but the regulations are there for a reason. It’s up to us as parents to make clear to our children the rules of the pool and how to keep themselves and others safe.

Water Fun

Not everyone has a pool in their backyard, and there are plenty of options for water fun outside of camp hours. Sprinklers are an option for kiddie waterplay for parents that don’t want to deal with pools. You can use your home sprinkler and water the grass simultaneously for a great time-efficient way to have fun. Cedarhurst Park, Grant Park, and Beach 30th Street Playground in Far Rockaway are among the local locations that have sprinkler facilities. Please consult your own rav for halachic guidelines surrounding public sprinklers.

Baruch Hashem, we have the CCRP Pool (located on the Darchei Torah campus) that offers separate swimming hours and a tznius-dik way to get in your water activity. My children have not only enjoyed the water fun, but they’ve also made great friends to enjoy splashing with. The pools are fully staffed with professional lifeguards to keep all our swimmers safe and happy.

With a few simple measures we can do our best to keep everyone safe and happy. The summer and swimming are what make some lifelong memories.

Have a wonderful summer and enjoy all the fun that comes with it!

Sara Rayvych, MSEd, has her master’s in general and special education. She has been homeschooling for over 10 years in Far Rockaway. She can be contacted at RayvychHomeschool@ gmail.com.