Build Your Child’s Water Confidence With a Life Vest
Build Your Child’s Water Confidence With a Life Vest
Children’s life vests are, of course, necessary when you’re boating on the open water,
but they can also be extremely helpful for young kids getting comfortable in the pool – especially if they’re still timid in the water.
Most water safety professionals do agree that it’s important to set the vest aside when it comes time for actual swimming lessons.
But for building confidence and staying safe on a regular pool day, life vests really can make all the difference.
Important safety note:
While life vests can indeed prevent a child from drowning,
they are not guaranteed fail-safes and it is still possible (though far less likely) for drowning or other injuries to take place when a child is wearing one.
Always keep a close eye on your children in or near the water, life vest or not.
Life vests help with fear of swimming
If your child is still timid in the water,
wearing a life vest can make the difference between a pool day spent crying and clinging to the wall (or to you!)
and a day splashing and swimming around with peers or older siblings.
Even just the sensation of floating in the cold water can be overwhelming for some kids.
Eliminating the fear of sinking by wearing a life vest can make the whole experience of getting used to the water easier to process one step at a time.
Extra sun protection
Some life vests are designed to give your child an extra layer of protection from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays,
which can cause sunburns and even skin cancer.
Opting for an SPF (sun protection factor) or UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) life vest enhances your child’s defense against the sun.
Of course, a life vest cannot provide sun protection for the entire body,
so be sure to use appropriate sunscreen and other safety measures along with it.
An extra layer of safety with multiple kids
Any parent of multiple children knows how anxiety-provoking it can be keeping an eye on all of them in the water at the same time.
When you’re outnumbered by kids or could be easily distracted – at a pool party,
for example – having each child wear a life vest, even if they do know how to swim a little, can give you a little extra peace of mind.
Making pool days last longer
If you’re planning a full day out at the pool and your kids are still new to swimming,
using life vests can help the day last longer.
When your child’s stamina fades a little but they aren’t ready to get out of the pool yet,
putting on a life vest allows them to keep playing in the water without getting overtired (and potentially less safe) in the water.
Shopping note:
Life vests come in a variety of styles.
Some are geared toward kids who are new swimmers and just need a little boost as they get used to the water,
while others are designed to function as life-saving floatation devices.
Take the time to find the life vest that best suits your child’s needs and is, of course, rated for their current size and weight.
written by :
Dani Merriot , blogger for babyfloaties.com