Swim Lessons + Water Safety Tips

May was national Water Safety Month and with school wrapping up, we wanted to get our youngest back in swim lessons for the Summer!

Because we have a family RECreation Card with the city, we can choose from lots of swim lessons offered taught by certified American Red Cross instructors.

Did you know that Tampa offered family Rec Cards? A Rec Card with the city can get you access to all of the aquatic programs including lessons, art classes, summer camp offerings and much more! (additional fees apply depending on program) Just another reason to love TPA!

Max started swim lessons again at one of our favorite local pools, Roy Jenkins Pool on Davis Island, near downtown Tampa!

A little refresher for him and something just clicked, he was jumping off of the diving boards after a couple lessons! We spent lots of time after class practicing together, but I'm super proud of our Maxy Bear! He's turned into a little fish in just a couple of weeks!

Being the overprotective parent my oldest says I am, I won't ever let my guard down especially around water! So, that's why I was happy to partner up with The Children's Board on their Prevent Needless Deaths Campaign to share some water safety tips as a reminder for the Summer months ahead!

Did you know that drowning is now the leading cause of death for children under six years old in the Tampa Bay area. Over the last six years (2013-2018), 63 local children – enough to fill a school bus – have died from accidental drowning in our area.

This was heartbreaking for me to read, which is why I'm sharing their very helpful Water Safety Tips below.

Water safety tips for parents and caregivers:

• Stay alert. Since children drown silently, they do not splash or call out for help like an adult would. This makes it even easier for a drowning child to go unnoticed, so stay alert.
• Designate a “water watcher.” Assign an adult to keep their eyes on the child at all times when they are near water. The watcher should avoid distraction, especially by phone calls, texting, reading or any other electronic devices.
• Be within arm’s reach. When infants and toddlers are in or around water, an adult should be within arm’s reach, and close enough to rescue the child if needed.
• Pool barriers are important, but equally as important are working door locks. Make sure to lock exterior doors to prevent children from accessing pools, lakes, canals and ponds.
• Teach your child to swim. Many local organizations offer swim lessons for children.

I hope it will continue to be a fun & safe Summer! If you have questions about these tips or questions about the swim lessons offered by the city, please send me a message or you can visit Preventneedlessdeaths.com.