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!