With more than 1,000 lakes and streams in Cook County, learning to swim should be a priority, especially for children who live near water or who partake in water sports. The YMCA offers swimming lessons to children. Lessons include teaching children fundamental water safety skills and what to do if they find themselves unexpectedly in the water. Be safe, not sorry.
Summer is slowly getting here, and eventually, the water will warm up enough to swim, paddle board, canoe, kayak, etc. or play in some fashion in the area’s lakes and streams. With that almost certainty, now is the time to make sure you or your children can swim. Here are some safety tips from the Cook County YMCA.
Water Safety Tips
Drowning is the second leading cause of death for children ages 5 to 14, with children from communities of color at greatest risk. With National Water Safety Month in May and summer around the corner, now is an excellent time for parents to remember the importance equipping children with essential water safety skills. The Y offers private, semi-private and small group swim lessons for all ages, a program that helps reduce the risk of childhood drowning, develop a lifelong love swimming and provide children from our community greater access to water safety programs.
Before letting your children hit the water this summer, remember these few tips to ensure it’s an enjoyable and safe experience.
1. Never swim alone. Teach your children that they should only swim in locations where a lifeguard is on duty.
2. Supervise your children whenever they’re in the water. Whether it’s bath time or taking a dip in a pool or lake, make sure your children are within arm’s reach at all times.
3. Don’t engage in breath holding activities. Children shouldn’t hold their breath for a prolonged amount of time while swimming, as this can cause drowning and has several other severe physical side-effects.
4. Wear a Life Jacket:
Inexperienced or non-swimmers should wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
5. Don’t jump in the water to save a friend who is struggling in deep water. If a child finds their friend in the deep water unexpectedly, their natural reaction may be to jump in the water to try to save them. Even if a child is a great swimmer, a panicked person will overpower them, pulling them underwater with them. The Y’s Safety Around Water program teaches the “reach, throw, don’t go” concept of using a long object to reach for them and pull them to safety. By using these techniques, children can help their friend without compromising their safety.
6. Enroll your children in water safety or swim lessons. Just like teaching your children to look both ways before they cross the street, participating in formal water safety lessons teaches them an important life skill. The YMCA swim lesson program teaches children fundamental water safety skills and what to do if they find themselves in the water unexpectedly.
Learning how to swim also has multiple benefits beyond the ability to enjoy the water safely. It helps children strive for physical achievement, promotes healthy living and builds their confidence. To find out how to enroll your child in the Y’s learn to swim program, visit www.cookcountyymca.org or call 218- 387-3386.
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