 It's that time of year again. The kids are off school, the summer months seem to stretch from here to eternity and since being accused of boring your children is the equivalent of the Nuremberg trials we suggest you get out there. Enrich your children's live
- take them on interesting day trips to the zoo or the aquarium and become the most popular parent in Shanghai.
While you get ready to don your shorts and summer dresses, lather yourself
(and your children) in sunscreen and head out into the blazing sun, we want to help you out by giving you some tips to keep accidents from interfering with your fun.
Safe Swimming Advice
Most of us love to swim and while water can be a great source of exercise, relaxation and fun, always treat it with respect and caution. Adults cannot be too vigilant in their supervision of children around water. In most children-related drowning deaths a momentary lapse in supervision by an adult or carer is cited as the main culprit. It takes only a few minutes for a child to drown. According to the Mayo Clinic Health Research Centre, more than 75% of kids who drown in neighborhood pools are out of sight for less than 5 minutes! So if your kids will be hanging around a pool this summer, please take the following recommended precautions:
- Fence it in.
All backyard pools should be fenced separately from the house and the gate should be fitted with a self-latching self-closing device.
- Install Alarms.
If your house is one of the surrounding walls of the pool, install an alarm so that every time someone enters the pool area an alarm goes off. Ensure the alarm can be heard inside the house.
- Cover it Up.
A cover can act as a safety barrier when the pool is not in use.
- Consider an Above Ground Pool.
The height of surrounding wall acts as an entry barrier.
- Don't leave toys floating in the water.
Floating toys left in the water can tempt a child to jump in the pool.
- Keep your eyes peeled at all times.
Never leave the pool area unsupervised.
Natural Bodies of Water
A day at the beach is a welcome retreat from soaring temperatures. However, unlike swimming pools, natural bodies of water pose extra hidden threats to both parents and their children. In lakes, rivers and oceans, swimming conditions are unpredictable. Depth is hard to measure in natural bodies of water because water currents can alter quickly and cloudy water can conceal jagged rocks. To help you make safe decisions about swimming outdoors, here are a few useful guidelines.
- Never swim alone.
Teach children never to swim alone or without adult supervision.
- Always wear a life jacket.
A personal flotation device is a must when children are riding a boat, fishing or hanging out near a river bank.
- Jump before you dive.
The first descent into an unknown body of water should always be feet first.
- Stay in designated areas.
At the beach, no matter how experienced you may consider yourself, always swim between flags.
- Never ever drink alcohol and swim.
Alcohol and water do not mix.
Toilets, Bathtubs and Buckets
While on the subject of safety around water, we should also mention the common household items that can lead to an accident for infants or toddlers. As you have probably heard, babies can drown in just 1 inch of water so always be sure to:
- Supervise bath times.
Never leave the room with a child in the bath. If you must step out always take the child with you.
- Cover toilet lids.
A curious top heavy toddler can easily tumble head first into the toilet.
- Store buckets properly and safely.
Empty after use and do not leave outside where they can accumulate water.
- Cover hot tubs.
Fit your outdoor hot tub with a fastened cover. Make sure that there are no gaps around the perimeter that a small child or toddler could fall through.
- Learn First Aid.
If the unthinkable happens resuscitation can be a life saver. Child first aid is different from adult first aid so it's important to know what to do in different situations.
Now that you have been armed with the correct safety information, make sure that you inject some fun into your summer activities. Summer is such an important time in a child's lives and will remain in their memories for all of their adult lives. So go ahead
- get out there and feed their curiosity, give your kids a taste of how to be safe while having fun. Here's to a summer full of happy memories!
 |
| |
|
