Practice kicking and floating in the bathtub in the cold months

It is important that your young child not forget to swim during the cold months.  There are lots of things you can do in the bathtub.  Look at my dvd for ideas.

Teach your babies to go under the water.  Have your child put the babies under the water counting to three...

 


Put all her favorite baby dolls (or action figures) in the tub and teach them to float.  Then, have your child float too!

She doesn't like to float but will soon like it more!

You can teach your child the meaning of kicking in the water.  If your child gets used to kicking in the tub, he will kick on his belly in the water so much faster.

 

how to teach your baby to swim (under 7 months)

Here are the proven instructions to teach babies to go under water if under 7 months using the air in the face reflex:

Blow like a gentle gust of wind onto the baby’s face.  You can see your baby take in a gulp of air and/or make a funny face – do this several times before you go in the pool to see if your baby still has this reflex. (This reflex is usually lost between 4 and 9 months)

Follow these steps in the pool:

• After the baby is comfortable and playful in the water, hold the baby under the arms facing you, and make eye contact with your baby. 
• Count to three to set the signal,
• blow quickly on your baby’s face
• watch your baby make the funny face
• smoothly and gently lower the baby’s head completely under the water for one second
• When you raise your baby, wipe your baby’s nose so that not even a tiny water bubble will go into the nose. 
• Give your baby a hug to your chest so that the baby will blow out and not swallow any air.  Skipping this step may cause the baby to develop a hard tummy.  This may become a big burp, and may even lead to throwing up.  
• Immediately distract your baby with a toy.
• Do this about 5-10 times a session if the baby doesn’t show any discomfort.
• Extend the time under the water to up to 5 seconds pulling your baby toward you for a short glide as you step back.
• Place your hand gently behind your baby’s head gliding your baby to another person.
• Scatter underwater practice with practice on the other skills as instructed on the dvd, and playing with your baby.
• Enjoy your time together!

The Family Review Center gave the Seal of Approval to my Learn to Swim dvd!

Offering Honest Reviews on Awesome Products Another GREAT Product !!! Learn to Swim with Miss Bea - A Nadar con Maestra Beatriz -dvd REVIEW ID: 1002466 SRP: $24.95 AGES: 4 mo+ COMPANY: SwimBea Productions WEBSITE: www.swimbea.com DESCRIPTION: Hundreds of parents have used Miss Bea's unique activities  and games to teach their children how to swim. You want the best for your child and you want to start from the baby's first bath! You want to do all you can to make your child not only water safe, but to love the water. Teach your child the basic swimming techniques with this swim lesson DVD for infants and children... You have a brand new baby and want to have your child love the water! You also want to make your baby water safe. Or, maybe your child has not had many water experiences and you want to prepare your child for swimming lessons. Miss Bea's Learn to Swim DVD will help you and your child prepare to get in the water with confidence. Visit Miss Bea's Blog Here REVIEWER NOTES: By following Miss Bea's easy instructions you as a parent or teacher can teach children how to swim, effectively and confidently. She is so easy to follow, which allows you to be in command of the situation from the moment you step in to the pool. Using simple little games and water activities that show them how to hold their breath, have fun and maneuver their body in water, children quickly lose their apprehensions (if they have any) and learn to get around in the water and swim. Watch the video and allow your child to watch it as well. This will enhance your lessons with them as they view other children what you will be encouraging them to do. Whether your child has never stepped in to a pool before, or they have had lessons but still need to improve, this DVD is for you! DVD is about 35 minutes long and teaches in both english and spanish. I fully recommend this one and encourage you to get them in to the pool early in life, before fear steps up to the plate. Water safety is so important, as we hear of so many children drowning each year. Please be sure your child knows water safety rules and learns how to swim at a very early age. You can do this! You need to do this. They need you to do this. They need to do this.

Miss Bea says: "Thank you Family Review Center!"

Swim with the Pumpkins in October

October is the month of pumpkins but don't forget about swimming!

So, swim with the pumpkins!

Don't forget all the fun and skills that you learned over the Summer!  I you didn't learn how to swim, you have all year to prepare yourself for next Summer!  

There are lots of swimming lesson programs for babies!  Don't be afraid of the public pools.  When you take a child to a public pool, check the pool temperature to make sure it is not too cool.  Also after the pool, shower the baby/child to remove the pool chemicals.  Otherwise the public pools are very safe, especially in the off season when there are fewer people in the pool.

Best Practices for parents and swimming lessons

Parents, you teach your own child to swim?  It's not easy!!!

Parents, you want your child to enjoy swimming but when you get serious about swimming lessons your child may fuss or cry, not because he is afraid, but because he won’t want to follow your instructions, he’ll want to play! Or, your child may be uncomfortable with the noise, the water temperature, or even the way you are holding him.  Don’t let it get you! Keep a calm, gentle and fun attitude.  Your child will sense your mood and react to it.  Sing a song, go for his favorite toy, promise a treat, let him dunk you and make funny noises!  You can do it!!

Don't wait "until he is ready", your child needs this life skill now!!

Before you get in the pool:

• Watch these Learn Swim with Miss Bea dvd sections several times
• Become familiar with the positions for holding your child when practicing the kicking, the digging, and the back float.
• Have the child 2yo+ watch the dvd also; comment and ask questions.  They love it!
• Take your child to a pool at least once before the swimming lessons start and practice in the bathtub – make a friend that has a pool if necessary!  You don’t have to put the child under water but play with pouring water on the face.
• Kids will do anything for the teacher.  Tell your child that you are the teacher helper
• Describe to your child what he will be doing, no surprises!
• If the child has water experiences, do some of the same fun things you usually do in the pool.  Try not to behave differently or the child will get anxious.  (Let him use the floaties some of the time.)
• Have the child pour water on your face, or have the child dunk you. Have the child dunk his toy also. It’s fun for them!
• Know that each child is different and not all the kids will progress at the same rate.  Some will cry and some not. Ignore the crying while being sympathetic.
• Offer the reluctant child a treat for after the lessons each day.Have a calm, gentle and fun attitude at all time.  Your child will sense your mood and react to it.
• The more you prepare before you get serious with swimming lessons the faster the child will learn how to swim and be safe in the water.

 Parents, have you ever tried this?  What are some of your experiences?

Is your child addicted to swimming with goggles?

Whenever you see anyone swimming seriously, you see them with goggles.  Why is that?

What are the advantages of using goggles when swimming?  The main reason is obvious, to see better!  But kids swim without goggles and don't seem to mind the water in their eyes.  When they are little, they swim and open their eyes.  It's only the older kids who are amazed when they see a little one with their eyes open and no goggles under the water.

When the child gets older and accustomed to using goggles, they may get to the point that they think they cannot swim without them, and that could get to be a dangerous place to be! 

In my early years of teaching I saw several children jump in the pool without their goggles or fall in the pool without them, panic and not be able to get to the side of the pool.  Since then I insist that my students swim some of the time without goggles.  I tell them that I understand that it is uncomfortable and hard to see but that they need to know that they don't need their goggles to swim.  And they so easily forget.  

We parents are responsible too!  How often do we remind them to put on their goggles?  In fact so much so that we help them subconsciously believe that they can't swim without them.

Most people think that it's the chlorine that hurts your eyes but most often the ph balance of the pool is the culprit.  As a former backyard pool owner of many years, it was a challenge to keep the alkalinity balanced for a sparkling clean pool.  (When we changed to a salt system it was much easier!)

Whenever we go to the pool or we plan swimming lessons for our kids we naturally think of goggles.  But which kind to get?  Many times I was tempted and bought the cheapest ones available but, not a good idea! 

No, I am not going to make it easy for you here and tell you which ones to buy or where to buy them.   There are lots of swim stores on the internet and local shops that sell some very good ones.  There also are very many types and fits for different ages and faces, you will have to try several probably before you find the type that you like.  Just look at this display of images of goggles

But remember, don't let your child get addicted to using goggles!  Periodically have your child get a toy from the bottom, swim to the side, and to you realizing that goggles make swimming more fun.  They are not a necessary tool  to make him a safe, accomplished swimmer.

Just after publishing this post I got an email from Finis - a company from whom I bought goggles for the kids and some new fins.

So here is a reason for the NEW BOLT goggles: to reduce drag and increase speed!!

Drowning doesn't look like drowning

It is so upsetting that there are just so many needless drownings of children and adults during the summer!  A child or teen may not be able or willing to seek help.  If we can recognize certain visible signs of distress, we may be able to become alerted and prevent a drowning situation. 

What are some signs?  Public pools have rest time for their swimmers. How can we tell if a child needs to get out of the water and rest?

We must always keep our eyes open to all activity in the pool.  Drownings occur most often when we are distracted.  In this drowning incident, the father went inside to dry off "for a minute" and when he returned to the pool area, his child was in the bottom of the pool!

Here is an article about how to recognize drowning:

Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning . So what does it look like?  

"Drowning is not the violent, splashing, call for help that most people expect. ... drowning (does not) looks like (what you see while) watching television. If you spend time on or near the water (hint: that’s all of us) then you should make sure that you and your crew knows what to look for whenever people enter the water. Until she cried a tearful, “Daddy,” she hadn’t made a sound.  Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning (television) prepares us to look for, is rarely seen in real life."

Here is a video about an ocean near drowning experience.

 Drowning Signs aren't like the movies 

"Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:

• Head low in the water, mouth at water level
• Head tilted back with mouth open
• Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
• Eyes closed
• Hair over forehead or eyes
• Not using legs – Vertical
• Hyperventilating or gasping
• Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
• Trying to roll over on the back
• Appear to be climbing an invisible ladder.

So if a crew member falls overboard and everything looks OK – don’t be too sure. Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning. They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck. One way to be sure? Ask them, “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all – they probably are. If they return a blank stare, you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them. 

And parents – children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why."

Use the Learn to Swim with Miss Bea dvd to teach your child to grab the wall and be saved!

Zaven's Wishes - One Year later

Nine year old Zaven Sears drowned one year ago after sneaking into a country club pool.  His parents have started a foundation to provide swimming lessons and teach life-saving skills.  Children who would not go for swimming lessons are being taught how to survive and help others in a water emergency!

The Zaven's Wishes Foundation's mission reports the following statistics:

An estimated 5,000 children ages 14 and under are hospitalized due to unintentional drowning-related incidents each year; 15 percent die in the hospital and as many as 20 percent suffer severe, permanent neurological disability.
National Safety Council

19% of drowning deaths involving children occur in public pools with certified lifeguards present.
Drowning Prevention Foundation

The majority of children who survive (92 percent) are discovered within two minutes following submersion, and most children who die (86 percent) are found after 10 minutes. Nearly all who require cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) die or are left with severe brain injury.

I believe that even children who are afraid of the water should be taught basic water saving skills.  I don't think parents should wait until their child is "ready."  That child will not have a chance to survive!

Since the majority of children are discovered within two minutes following submersion, children who know how to hold their breath (even if they can't swim) have a greater chance of being rescued without suffering effects of water intoxication.  It is so easy to teach a child how to hold their breath.  A parent can do it in the bathtub and from the baby's first bath!  But parents have to be told and taught!

Also, children should practice opening their eyes under the water without goggles.   A child who can swim may panic if the goggles fall off because they think they need them to see under the water!

I learned this while teaching hundreds of children to swim!  How can we get the word out?

What is the best age to learn to swim?

What is the best age to learn to swim?  I think the better question is, when is the best time to learn to swim?

Many people wait for the Summer months to learn to swim.  What about the rest of the year?  If you don't take your child to swim during the rest of the year, your child will forget what they have learned!

Parents say, "My child was swimming last year!"  Learn to swim and keep on practicing during the year.  Go to a pool at least one a month and you be your child's teacher!  There is always more to learn.

I think that swimming starts from the baby's first bath!  I bought my baby grandson a swim neck ring and he loved it.  I still held him a little but he had so much more freedom of movement than when you are holding him.  Here we are in a Jacuzzi, perfect for babies learning to swim!  Have you ever heard of the swim neck ring?  It is not very popular in the USA.

This article and video from the BBC describe that any age is a good time to learn to swim and that there are so many benefits to learning how to swim!  20% of adults don't know how to swim.  The article shows babies learning to swim and some seniors learning to swim and be safe in the water.  The best time to learn to swim is as young as possible!!

How to put your baby under the water for the first time!

Mommy and daddy have been pouring water on my face every time they give me a bath.  Lately I noticed that they must be using a bigger cup or something because I'm having to hold my breath a longer time!

I loved the first time we went in the pool, even though the water was cold at first!  Mommy held me and I played with my bath toys and she poured water on my face just like in the tub.  I also practiced floating on my back, but I don't like that!! 

 They put my legs into a floaty and I liked the feeling of not being held but only for a little while.  I like it better when they play with me.
I love going to the pool but was so surprised when I found myself under the water!  What was that!  I choked for a second.  Wow!  Now I had to be more careful of what was going on.  Were they going to do that again?

This time I heard the signal for the water - I didn't hear it before!  I was ready when I was put under the water but I still sputtered some.  I guess I better learn to like it if it's going to keep on happening.  What she's going to put me under ten times!  Wow!  I'm getting so good now, I can tell, and am ready!

Soon she is gliding me to her.  I could see her under there!  How cool is that!

I like kicking and digging, splashing with my arms and legs and especially splashing my mimi in the face because she makes funny noises and blows bubbles when I do that.

I'm getting used to it now.  Wait, she's holding me under the water longer now and I want to breathe but I know that I can't.  I guess that I'll have to get used to that too.  

My daddy is a little bit nervous about me going under water but he loves me so much and wants me to be water safe.  He wants me to love the water and swim like he does.

Oh but this is fun, I see my daddy and I'm swimming to him now!

Is this what it's all about?

What else can I learn?

Baby in Russia Swimming in the Tub!

See a video of a baby actually swimming in the bathtub.  Often there are claims of babies swimming but they really are not.

How old do you think this baby is?  

He is loving swimming in the bathtub!  

What did this parents do to teach him to do this?  

Did they prepare him by pouring water on his face?  

Did they always have lots of water in the tub? 

Did they get in the tub with him?  

He is having so much fun!

The Learn to Swim with Miss Bea dvd will show you many fun activities to do in the bathtub and this is amazing.

Write to me if you have ever seen anything like it.  What a goal for your baby!

Are you taking an infant to a public pool?

Steps you should take if you take your infant to a public pool: 

 

Be sure that the pool that you use is properly maintained and balanced.

The water temperature of the pool should be more than 81 degrees. 

Get the baby accustomed to the water slowly because of the change 
necessary to the baby’s body temperature.  
Don't keep a young baby in cool water more than 10 minutes at a time.

Hold your baby close to you to give him a feeling of security.  
Sing and talk to him calmly.  
Do not show any signs of nervousness or alarm.  
Use smooth movements, not jerky ones.  
When the baby goes under the water or gets water on his face, 
hug him to you so that he is forced to blow air out.  
Wipe his nose so not even a tiny drop of water goes up his nose.  
Always have your child rinse off the pool chemicals and use ear drops, 
such as "Swim Ear", that help prevent ear infections.
Have fun!

How to Market my Learn to Swim dvd?

This number C8SB52T29GU9, is so that I can claim my Learn to Swim with Miss Bea swimming blog on one of the search engines.  

Teach you child to turn around and get the wall if he falls in the water

But I want to write about what I have been doing to let people know and want my dvd.  I first spent days contacting swimming teachers on isport.  There are over 800 swimming teachers registered!  I contacted more than 80 then I stopped!  I had 30% responses and then another 10% who wrote back a second time.  Most of them wrote me about their very successful swim schools and or at home programs.  They very kindly rejected my offer.  All but a few had their own techniques.  So far I sent business cards to several and 3 of them bought the dvd.  I'm writing to two of them who might sell it.

I am making lots of connections on linkedin.  I need to learn how to market my video in different ways.  I have also "met" many children's books authors.  Many of them "liked" my facebook page.  I now have my own use name and can see my "insights" (but I don't know what those mean yet)

You can now find 8 video teasers from my Learn to Swim with Miss Bea dvd, including the introduction.  I am trying to make a "trailer" but am having trouble...

I'm thinking about facebook or google ads.  This is where it all started.  I got a call asking me if I wanted a facebook ad.  This company wanted me to pay a certain amount of money each month to manage it!  I hadn't thought about it...  Now I am way into it, with the blog and facebook and 1000 more swimming lesson dvd's coming within a month.

We are in the season of summer vacation and most parents are thinking about swimming lessons and or already have started.  If you are one of those parents, you might want my dvd! Read all about it.

See you at the pool.

Swimming in South Africa

Here is a link to swimming lessons in South Africa.

I have been contacting swimming instructors to promote the swimming lessons dvd and have "met" with Mark Dixon of Swimming South Africa.  I love their beginners chart which the child completes with stickers.

It is also interesting to read their water safety rules.  How many apply to where you live? (especially number 6!)

Rule 1: Learn to swim.

Seventy percent of the earth’s surface is covered by water. Learning to swim is therefore a survival skill which helps reduce drownings.

Rule 2: Never swim alone.

Although swimming is a survival skill, even good swimmers can drown when they experience difficulties in the water; for instance a cramp which immobilizes a muscle. Therefore swimming alone is always unsafe.

Rule 3: Do not swim at a river mouth.

An undercurrent forms where the river and the sea meet which flows in a different direction from the surface current. An undercurrent is very strong and sucks anything and anybody into the sea.

Rule 4: Never dive into unclear or shallow water.

Diving headlong into something invisible underneath the water or into the bottom of a body of water could cause serious damage, unconsciousness and even paralysis.

Rule 5: Do not play in swamps, on rocks or river banks.

Slippery and unstable surfaces near water are always dangerous and may cause sudden falls into unknown depths.

Rule 6: Beware of animals like crocodile and hippopotami under the water.

These large and dangerous African aquatic animals keep close to riverbanks and attack easily when humans intrude upon their habitats.

Rule 7: Beware of swift flowing undercurrents.

Water can flow very forcefully through constricted areas, especially during floods when the volume of water strengthens the current.

Rule 8: Check the depth of the water before you enter.

Familiarize yourself with the depth of a river, lake of dam by using a dipstick.

Rule 9: Have a rope or stick handy to help someone in trouble.

Only go into the water to help someone in trouble if you are a qualified lifesaver. Otherwise try to help someone in trouble by means of a rope or stick or a floatation device tied to a rope that is thrown into the water.

Rule 10: Adult permission and supervision is a must.

Never go swimming without permission and always swim where a parent, guardian or adult may oversee you and your friends.

Some kids will cry at EACH Swimming Lesson

I am meeting many wonderful Swimming Specialists on-line. Here is what Victoria Campbell  writes to help parents of crying kids:

"First Days of Swim lessons are often filled with tears. Even my returning little ones who loved the water last year typically start off the new season with a day or so of tears.

For new students tears usually fall into 3 categories. First the little one who would just as easily start to cry if left in the church nursery is reacting to being handed by their Momma or Daddy to an unfamiliar person. Second, starting lessons is an introduction into a whole new experience with the water. Some have only been in the bath before. Some have been in the pool but never had their face in the water. Finally, tears are fairly common in the older child who has gotten comfortable wearing their floaties or staying only on the pool steps. Many of these children are cautious by nature and have become somewhat reluctant/apprehensive regarding the idea of learning to swim.

Seeing a child cry during lessons can be one of the most difficult parts of the process. As a parent who loves their child that is completely understandable. Here's a few things to help both you and your child through this time. First remember your child's cries are caused by many different things. It is still the way that they communicate when they are frustrated, angry, hungry, tired etc. Try to be encouraging and positive before during and after your child’s lesson. If your child brings up swimming for example saying , “No swimming lesson Mommy,” you can either gently redirect him or her to something else or say something like Mommy is so proud of how you are learning to swim like a fish. Don’t get caught up in a discussion trying to rationalize with him…it won’t work! Also don’t apologize for making her go to lessons or say, “I know this is scary.” This only focuses both of your attention on the negative and will promote more tears. During lessons, your child wants to see your confident smile when she looks at you on the pool deck. Let your child see that you feel good about what is going on in the lesson and your pride at how hard she is working. Clapping and smiling works great! Once the lesson is over praise him for his hard work is a must. Say, “Daddy saw you use your arms and legs to get to the steps. Wow, you went underwater just like Nemo or Ariel!”

As the days pass, you will be amazed by your child’s accomplishments. Most parents will see a decrease in their child’s level of crying and in some cases it will stop as the child feels the sense of accomplishment and revels in the praise he or she is receiving. It is this transition from tears to cheers that I find most satisfying as an instructor. I accept that some tears are part of the process but when a child shows up happy and ready to swim truly enjoying the experience this is as good as it gets! Nevertheless even if your child does continue to complain throughout the lessons, don’t despair. He or she is learning a valuable, potentially lifesaving skill and by next year that child will probably be done with tears. Some children also cry at every lesson but don't cry at all in the pool with Mom or Dad. Every child is unique.

As hard as these days seem, you will look back and be so grateful having made the commitment to giving your child this instruction at an early age. And sadly for his or her instructor the day comes when lessons will not even be a memory and your child will only remember the joy that comes with swimming."

Your child forgot what she learned last year!

Spring is here and you have not had time to go to the pool all winter!  Your child thinks that she has forgotten everything he learned but he really hasn't.  Just like in school, everything has to be retaught over and over.  Start from the beginning.  Don't give your child a feeling of inadequacy or let her get scared because she has lost the confidence she had last year. 

Each child will learn at her own pace, gently lead her to overcome fears while understanding her feelings.  Keep eye contact with the child when you give directions and use a soothing voice.  

And don’t let the child forget during the year again.  Practice in the tub or try to go to an indoor pool or a Jacuzzi once a month.  Then your child will look forward to swimming all year long!

Don't get Swimmer's Ear from swimming

There are two different kinds of ear infections.  The outer ear infection can be a result of getting water in the ear while swimming.  Read the Mayo Clinic on Swimmer's ear.

Some doctors recommend using a couple of drops of "Swimear"  after getting out of the pool to prevent swimmer's ear.   But most kids will not get an ear infection from swimming.  In my experience, usually just one ear infection and you will be using those drops every time!!

Here is one recipe for making your own drops.  Make a 50:50 mixture of white vinegar and rubbing alcohol for use after swimming or exposure to water. Apply 3-4 drops in each ear canal after swimming. This helps dry the canal and maintain the acidic environment of the ear canal.  

I always keep some drops available for my clients to use on the children.  It works!

By the way, I have an ear infection now, but my ear infection is from allergies.  I am on antibiotics and should be better soon...

My child loves her bath but is scared at the pool!

Playing and floating in the bathtub

My child is scared of the pool but loves the bath…

Something may have set your child to being scared.  

As a child gets to be 3 years old, it does make sense that the child will see that there is danger in "big water."  It is a healthy fear; one that saves young children from jumping into a pool unattended.  However, you want your child to feel safe when you are there.  

Here are some ideas:

• Bring some of his favorite bath-tub toys and play near the pool.  Then, sit your child at the edge of the pool and you get in and play with the toys, inviting your child to get in with you. 
• If the pool has long steps, sit on the steps and see if your child wil sit there with you.  
• If you are impatient or your child still doesn’t want to get in the pool, You may have to just hold him and carry him into the water.  Sing, jump around, talk softly and ignore any crying while sounding like you are having fun.  
• Go to the pool every day but just for short periods.  
• Don’t tell him ahead of time where you are going and let him see you have fun.  
• Take a relative or little friend who likes the water and can help your child forget his fears. 

Soon your little one will be playing and splashing and ready for going under the water!!

Any child can learn to swim, and you can teach them! If your child doesn't like water in his eyes...

James 3 months going under water

 

My child doesn’t like water in his eyes…

From the baby’s first bath, you need to pour water over his face.  This will help prepare him to go under water.

But if you haven’t been doing this, try this as a game in the bath. Have the child pour water on a bath-tub toy’s head, then wipe it’s face. Have the child pour water on your face and then wipe your eyes.  It will be worth it believe me.  You can make sputtering noises to make it fun!

When it’s your child’s turn, tell him what you are going to do, count to 3 and put water over his head so that some of the water goes on his face.  Do this before you use any shampoo or soap. You may give the child a towel to wipe his face right way but let him ask for it. 

The best time to prepare your child for swimming is from his first bath.  Then before he is 6 months he can  be taught to hold his breath by blowing in his face. This is the link from Swimbea.com

Blow in his face

He takes a breath, automatically

Ready to go under water

Holding breath

What do you think?  Write me a comment or question.
Miss Bea 

Why do young children drown in shallow water?

How can a 2 year old who loves the water drown in shallow water?  

Have you heard of a baby who drowned in the bathtub?  How can that happen? 
The parent only left the child alone for  "a minute"! 

onto his belly and he doesn't know how to push himself up.  

We have to teach our baby to push up.  It is not an easy task for a baby or a toddler, even when they can do it on land!  

I believe that there is a valuable skill that very few parents and swim instructors address.  Even if a child can hold his breath and even swim a little, they can become a drowning statistic.  

Can your child go to a stand up position in shallow water from a prone swimming position?  

Let’s say your child is playing on the steps of the pool or in a shallow “baby pool”.  I have taught children who can swim from me to the side of the pool, but when they slipped on the steps they could not get up; did not think to reach for the step and push their faces up.  Parents and swim instructors, practice this with your child!  Teach how to stand up in shallow water.  It is a necessary survival skill.