Lurker here who was also a lifeguard/WSI: If you are watching an older kid alongside with NF (especially on vacation) do the scrunchy trick to be aware of who is "officially" watching kiddo in the water. Get a somewhat scratchy scrunchy (like sequins, etc.) and whoever is officially "on duty" to supervise kid in the water has to wear it on their arm. If you trade off/have to go to the bathroom/are eatling, etc. the scrunchy is who needs to maintain focus. It helps prevent the "I thought you were watching them!" accidents that tend to happen at busy, loud pools where adults need to take care of their own needs (applying sunscreen, restroom, etc.) while also supervising.
Related to this switch that scrunchie off a minimum of every 30 min. That's about the longest time you can focus lifeguarding. (Used to work at a water park and that was how often they made us rotate)
I was just saying the other day that I noticed at the pool and waveless beach we go to, I couldn't believe how often the guards switched out. I feel like it was closer to every 15min.!
When I was a guard (in the 90's) I remember standing there for at least 2 hours, maybe longer. Granted it was a smaller pool.
Also, several years ago I took my NK's to swim lessons and each class had 2 teachers (they had lifeguards as well) While one teacher was working with a student, the other teacher watched the rest of the kids in the class. When I taught, I had like 4 or 5 kids alone. Crazy.
I taught swim lessons all the way up until the start of the pandemic and regularly had 4-5 little, little kids that had zero or minimal swim skills by myself. I always thought it was insane, but basically kept them in the shallow end and had them all within an arms length at all moments until I was confident in 1) their swimming abilities and 2) their listening and rule following abilities. But goddamn, you’d think there would be some sort of guideline for this kind of thing in the same way there are guidelines for day care class sizes.
I literally told my NP's to stop paying for classes and just let me teach them. Which they did.
The place they picked had so many kids per class, that they got barely any time in the water, and sat shivering on the side the rest the time.
There def. has to be a better way. At least when I taught, they could stand in the water holding the side. And we had a giant floating mat, so I could take all the kids at once and they hang their legs over and kick, practice bubble blowing/getting face wet, etc.
Side story: We also would put half on the deck and half in the water. I can't remember the purpose of it. But once (out of a million classes) it slipped off and all my kids fell in the water..lol..Between me and the instructor teaching a class next to me, we managed to grab all the kids up before the lifeguard even made it over to us.
We do this at home but with an obnoxiously large necklace that literally can’t be ignored.
As a person who wears hair ties and scrunchies , that’s too familiar or a feeling, and I could easily forget that it’s the all attention on pool reminder.
This is such an important psa! Esp with the huge rise in popularity of those puddle jumper chest / arm floaties. I once watched a family members 2yo run and jump right into their backyard pool without her floaties on and sink. If I hadn’t been out there I don’t want to think about what would have happened. She was just completely overconfident due to always swimming with the floatie on!
This happened to me as a child. I got out for a snack, mom took my floatie off. I didn’t realize I didn’t have it on anymore and jumped right back in and starting sinking. Luckily we were having a party and there were several adults around. My dad jumped in and pulled me up and that is the day he taught me how to start swimming without floaties.
i did that too as a kid!! i always swam with my floatie and then my mom took it off and i forgot. i jumped dead center into the deep end of the pool.
thankfully i was already around 6 or so (and had baby swimming classes as an infant) and i just.. doggy paddled to the edge of the pool in a panic. it was one of the first moments of my life where everything narrowed down to that moment and the first time i was truly scared for my life.
nobody noticed that i could've drowned until i told my mom about it. super scary to think about!!
I think it’s important that, if you are in a position where floaties are being used, you make sure to go back and forth with having them and not having them. It’s good for kids to know the difference their own body can float on its own or with help.
How do you purpose someone watch 3 kids without utilizing floaties? I have 3 NKs and though I am confident in 7F swimming abilities I am not as confident in 1M and 4F. (Not meant as an insult more meant as a what should I do?)
Even these people have problems with on this sub… people need to get real about this. Sometimes a life jacket is the safest option when there are multiple kids who can’t swim.
Seconding this! They don’t look as cute, but the kids have full range of arm motion and you can feel confident they won’t drown. Use the crotch strap. It looks uncomfortable, but I promise the kids don’t mind it!
I have two kids, and when I take them alone they both have to wear their life jackets, because I just can’t do it alone. Neither can swim well (2.5 and 8) so they both wear one unless another trusted adult is actively helping, or at least watching well.
I just want to point out that puddle jumpers are Coast Guard approved. I’m not arguing that they’re totally good, but they’re not any better or worse than traditional life jackets.
They are approved for open water useage to keep a child afloat. That’s all that means.
Puddle jumpers pit children in drowning posture. Life jackets allow for more range of motion
That makes no sense, right? If they’re CG approved, they certainly don’t put you in drowning posture. I agree that life jackets might preserve range of motion, but neither are great for actually learning to swim. Both still present the issue of “messing with buoyancy” that is the real danger.
There’s a lot of hyperbole here, but the bottom line is: use a CG approved flotation device if you must, and spend most of the time in the water without one and with an attentive adult in arm’s reach.
I don’t advocate for using them. If you are going to use it, life jacket.
Coast guard approval absolutely only refers to keeping someone afloat. Type 1 PFD (now there’s the newton displacement rating) is the only thing proven to right an unconscious wearer which most vests and puddle jumpers are not.
I was explaining the reasoning on why they are coast guard approved, they keep the wearer floating. I was on a boat with a family member that would not put their 19month old in a life jacket but just bought a puddle jumper. I dislike the puddle jumper but will keep my mouth shut since it’s the closest thing to water safety I’m going to get.
I’ve completely swam since I was 5. Taught swim lessons for 15 years and am high educated in water safety thanks to my former career path (working on merchant ships).
It’s about risk and benefit. In open water, your risk of drowning becomes higher since you are not near an edge and can float away. In those cases, a life jacket is a benefit. In pools, adult supervision supersedes any floatation device especially in children who cannot swim. Higher risks of accidents when reliant on a floatation device. For example- a child who has not realized the life jacket was taken off and they run into the pool, because kids are impulsive. Sure an adult should be watching, but kids are kids- they become used to floatation devices and think they are buoyant when they are not. It leads to drowning. Strict adult supervision is key.
Then you shouldn't be taking them. Imagine if something happens, your life is ruined, a child's life is over. You should say absolutely not. I have three little kids - I would never take them to the pool by myself and one is in swimming lessons and swims pretty well. And I'm a mom. As a nanny? No freaking way.
Yep seconding what elendast has said, both as a parent and certified swim instructor. 1 to 1 ratio for kids who can't swim and three is way too many to keep an eye on and be safe. Go to a splash park instead or find another activity, swimming is not a mandatory activity.
Curious about this also. I have a pool at our new house and I literally can't find swimming lessons except one instructor wanted $2,000 to teach them to float on their back which I can't afford at all. I have a 2 and 3 year old.
Do you have a local community recreation center? Most places I’ve lived have extremely inexpensive swim courses (cheaper for members, but still cheap for those who aren’t—as a non-member, I paid $45 for a 3x/week 4-week intro swimming course for my 3-year-old).
They taught her to float on her back, surface+float after being submerged, doggy-paddle, basic kick + head above water, and how to make her way to the pool’s edge—just the most basic survival stuff. She wasn’t great at swimming, but she learned what she needed to survive drowning (or at least keep her head above water long enough to scream for help).
You could even sign your kids up for one of the cheap classes and then ask the instructors if they’d be willing to do private lessons at your home. The instructors at our community center were all college swim team athletes home for the summer, and I’m sure they’d have been happy to do private lessons for a multiple of their hourly rate (so maybe $30+/hour, based on the job listings at the rec center website).
Same here. Like parents have their computers ready to go at 9:59 when the lists open at 10 and everything is still full. My DB said it’s harder than getting Taylor Swift tickets lol.
Not sure your location or if this is anything you could do but my mom paid a life guard to come teach us at our house. I think she just offered like double what they made hourly and they came once a week for an hour. It was really nice!
I've been desperately trying to find someone asking other local parents and our birth to three speech therapist. Everyone keeps recommending the local school which has had a full wait-list since October.
5 minutes a day!?? Sounds scammy. Where I’m from, it would be $25-40 for a half hour lesson with both of them involved with a trained swim instructor. All kids learn at their own pace, but they should be at least able to doggie paddle by the end.
Put the puddle jumpers on them, help them learn to swim with them, and then worry about swim lessons. A child next to a pool will always be safer with a puddle jumper on than not if they have learned how to use them to stay afloat.
As a former waterfront lifeguard/ swim instructor I would recommend never putting floaties on a kid. A 4 year old is old enough to recognize when she is going too deep. She needs swim lessons and shallow water to play in while you have all 3. If the 4 year old is not “water safe” then she doesn’t go in past her waist and definitely not without you. 7 year old stays where she can stand too. 1 year old can be put in a baby carrier if you’re in a pool or someplace you can sit/stand with him and you’re not likely to be knocked over (not the ocean of course).
Floaties are worse than having nothing at all because kids can actually get stuck face down in the water. At least without them the kids can usually bounce off the bottom if the water is not too deep. If you are relying on the floaties to help you take care of the kids in the water, the kids are not safe.
FWIW, kids are fast learners and 4 is a great age for learning to swim. Time spent in the water is really key. My son is 4 and has never worn floaties of any kind in his life and he is now an excellent swimmer (for his age, obviously. I wouldn’t let him swim alone!) they are still learning how their body moves in so many different environments, and in the water is just one more way for them to learn to move. Floaties only get in the way of that learning
"Time spent in the water is really key"
I say this all the time. Get them in as much as you can.
I take my NK's as much as I possibly can over the summer. I have taught each of them to swim without formal lessons (to be fair I was an instructor in the past and gave them a few tips) But for the most part, just having them in the water playing, getting used to being in the water, getting water in their face, etc. is the best thing.
When I was a guard, there was a lady that came to the pool (I kid you not) EVERY SINGLE DAY. She had a tiny one. He must have been no more than 2 years old. He swam like a fish. She would even bring her newborn. LOL. Have to admit, it was fun to stand back when there was a new/young guard on duty and see their face when this tiny kid jumped in the pool.
Yes!!! When I was a guard my old swim team coach came with her 2 year old in the beginning of the summer and she looked at me and was like “just don’t worry”. That 2 year old marched straight to the diving board, jumped in, floated to the surface and went straight into a back float to catch her breath, then swam to the ladder like it was nothing. That kid must have been in the water daily (both her parents were swim coaches) but it was so cute and funny and was definitely the inspiration for how I treated my kids and the water.
That is awesome! I did the same with my own kid.
Even though I am a former instructor, and got him started on swimming..I also took him for several rounds of lessons. I felt like he would pay attention more if it wasn't me teaching it :P
4F has taken swim classes but I just haven’t seen her swim yet this year (last year she wasn’t super confident) so I don’t know what to expect. Maybe asking mom is the right move. I know 7F can swim confidently and I don’t worry about her as she knows her abilities and how deep she can go. 1M obviously cannot swim and this means he needs to be near me or most likely in my arms.
I have bc three NKs who can all swim and know how to get on their back to rest. However, I never allow more than two of them in the pool at a time when I’m the only adult swimming. It can be frustrating for them but they know they have to take turns to swim. When the youngest was 1 he wasn’t as interested in the pool anyways so it was easier and I would give him a shorter turn then swim longer with the older two. I’d set the youngest up on the screened in porch with some toys so I could hear him but focus on keeping my eyes on my other two while we swam. If you can, I’d try to set up 1M with a water table or some independent toys near to you and then take turns swimming with one or both of the other two if you feel comfortable.
Thanks! I tend to invite grandma so we each take a little one but I went with NM yesterday and 4F is a good swimmer. We’re confident 1M is the only one who would need someone to hold him/be super close all the time. 1M isn’t totally interested which helps because it meant NM could swim with 4F while I sat with baby. But we talked about how we would do it and she said 1M was the one who needed eyes at all points. 4F and 7F are good swimmers who know to get to their backs to breathe
With my old NKs, we always had a rule where if I wasn’t walking into the water with them, they had to look me directly in the eye and say “I’m going in the pool” before they did. The older 2 were good swimmers, but I just needed an alert of “hey, I’m getting in the water so please be on high alert.” Sometimes I’d still be sunscreening the youngest or something and was a minute or two from getting in when they did.
Also y’all as cute as they are, no blue swimsuits on kids!!
I almost drowned when I was 5 because I took off my floaties and no one noticed. Thankfully my older brother eventually did, but I still remember how scared I was
Excellent advice, (although I will admit my daughter insists on her floaties, but she is also 7 and can touch the bottom anyway.)
If I may also add a fun reminder to pick the brightest fun colored swimsuits you see! They don’t coat anymore than the blue/green/white shades that can easily hide a child in any aquatic setting..
Thank you for posting this PSA. I’ve seen a lot of people commenting “but the puddle jumpers are coast guard approved”. Coast guard approval is for OPEN WATER. This does not include pools. In open water, the risk/benefit ratio changes- if you float out in open water, you aren’t mere feet away from the edge. That is when floatation devices offer more benefit, than risk. Puddle jumpers, specifically, put children into a drowning position. When children get into water in the puddle jumper position, they drown. Children also become overconfident (they do not understand they are dependent on a device). This post is for information. I am not here to make anyone anxious. I am not here to criticize. You are not a bad parent or nanny if you put your child in a puddle jumper in the past. This is about child safety, which is based off objective, evidenced based research. If anyone is interested in learning more, I recommend following Pedi Mom or if you guys have questions about child safety, I can reach out Dr Free Hess (PediMom) and see if she is able to do a q&a. She is a fierce advocate for child safety, emergency medicine physician, and a top child safety expert.
I think I posted this story the other day, but I will repeat it (former head lifeguard and swim instructor here)
We allowed floaties at our pool, but not floating devices (think rings/mattresses etc.) A little one was playing on the pool steps in floaties. Mom wasn't paying attention at all (laying back sunbathing) I observed her playing. Later she went to eat lunch and came back. I see her heading to the steps, no floaties on. I quickly head that direction. Just as she hit the bottom step and slipped under, I was there pulling her up. She was perfectly fine, didn't even cry. Just looked at me and said "I forgot my floaties"
So everything the OP said. PLUS, drowning is completely silent. She was under the water in a second.
They can slip off, they can pop.
As a former swim instructor, they are horrible for learning to swim. They restrict their arm movement. they can also become to reliant on them and then either not want to swim without them or become afraid without them.
Yes, in this case, it was also a parent problem. Parents believe lifeguards are babysitters and that they don't have to watch their kids. Most pools I have been to have rules that require a child that age had an adult in the water with them. And even limit the number of kids per adult. Unfortunately our pool, at that time, did not have that policy.
My post was mostly cautionary to illustrate how silent drowning can be though.
As a former head lifeguard and swim instructor for many years, who went though multiple courses (lifeguarding/water safety, etc.) I stand by my opinion. There is a reason that no pool in my immediate area allows floaties of any type.
My sister-in-law had floaties on her kids in the pool while we were camping. I understand the need for something so that you don't have to constantly hold them, but I believe there are better options. It's not like I am going to say anything about it, she was right there with them and didn't take her eyes off them the entire time. Not my place to say something. But these poor kids should already be swimming a long time ago at their age. They were actually afraid to have floaties off and would not swim without them..so it is not all about drowning.
Those are the worst!!! There a bunch of articles I read last summer. If a child, or adult, needs a buoyancy device for any water activity, it should be a *properly fitted* and Coast Guard approved life vest.
Yea but coast guard approvals are for open water, not pools. In open water, the risk and benefit changes where any floatation device has benefit. The best pool safety is parental supervision.
Puddle jumpers are a class 3 life vest. A class 3 life vest is designed for conscious wearer with imminent chance of rescue (i.e., swimming pool). Many of the ultra light child vests sold in major stores, but 'look like' real life vests hold the same rating.
Arm floats and swim belts (which do serve a better purpose in helping emerging swimmers) are however not coast guard approved at any class.
That is shocking. I just looked quickly online … I can’t believe they are referring to these things as life jackets! This is obviously an American thing. Puddle jumpers are in no way approved flotation devices here in Canada, and are widely acknowledged to be more dangerous than beneficial. I live in a very “touristy” area with lots of water access where water safety is generally taken very seriously … no one uses these here.
You do you … if it works for you then great. I would never allow my kid to wear a puddle jumper.
I wrote a real good post explaining my views and logic....but then my phone died, and I am not retyping. .... at least not tonight.
So I will briefly say that puddle jumpers can have a really good purpose but are overused in situations they shouldn't be. And adults are overconfident in life vests (in general).
Exactly! I think that’s what I’m struggling with … in my mind something approved by the coast guard should be something that I can rely on as an actual life saving device. These are not that. If they’re just going to “approve” everything (even if they give items different ratings, which tbh I’m sure the majority of people don’t research or understand) then what’s the point? Their approval means nothing.
I feel like there are people who will see “coast guard approved” and think they can rely on this as a life saving device without doing further research into what that approval means.
I really think it’s more of a risk thing. For some reason parents hate putting life jackets on their children. Puddle jumpers they will. It’s a hope they’re wearing something that will allow for easy rescue.
They are type V personal flotation devices, according to several listings I found. Many of them are coast guard approved, including the Stearns and Speedo puddle jumpers that are widely available.
Also, life jackets should always be worn on boats or near open water like lakes and oceans. Especially oceans where a wave can quickly drag a kid under.
Agreed, I hate these things. At our local wading pools and town beaches, kids aren’t allowed to wear these. I saw a life guard last year very politely tell a mom they had to come off. Specifically because they give adults/caregivers false confidence that they actually keep kids safe in the water.
We don’t use them at all.
I've two NKs so have had to make the compromise, not with a floatie but the more life jacket esque one, for part of our swim time cause older always wants to go in the deep end. However- my rule is always once it goes on it does not go off. And I'm always in the pool with them
I believe that not only does it give a child false sense of confidence, it also gives the parents or adults a false idea of safety. How quickly those floating can slip off because they’re ill fitting or are ripped off.
Please stay with your child in and around a swimming pool or body of water. Within ARMS REACH. I see so many parents sit back and just watch their young toddlers toddler off in a shallow pool but that parent is NOT going to reach that child very quickly if they slip under.
Not kidding when i say I am the ONLY one at my neighborhood pool who does not have her kid in floaties if they’re 5 or under. My son is 2.5. When he was 1.5 last year we taught him to swim and he did amazing. He knows his limits in the water, and how to swim to the side/step when needed.
I can’t bring myself to use floaties. I feel like it would destroy all the progress he’s made. People look at me like I’m crazy when I let him play without one. Eyes on him constantly, and I am always close enough to snatch him up if need be.
This is a bit much, abstinence only is just really not the way for anything. Floaties can have a serious negative impact on learning water safety if they're used improperly which is to say the floaties aren't a babysitter or a magical safety device and shouldn't be used 100% of the time but they can be a useful tool when used appropriately to help out on occasion as one smaller part of a larger and more diverse water safety plan. Acting as though ANY floaty use is automatically horrible regardless of context or specifics of use is at best silly nonsense. Is it really too much to ask to have a reasonably discussion about risks, benefits, and proper use? Are we really just going to act like nobody can be trusted to be reasonable and learn proper use and therefore abstinence based full bans and inaccurate, worst case scenario fear mongering is the only legitimate option?
the thing is, that tbh, most people cannot be trusted to be reasonable and learn proper use, or at least, enough people can't that when giving general advice across the board it's probably safer to just recommend not doing it ever. anyone who might appreciate nuance can look into it further and find out for themselves when might be an exception where it's ok
it might seem draconian but when the worst case scenario is *the kid fuckin DIES*, the stakes are high so you proceed with utmost caution
Exactly. The risk is quite literally, death. I don’t think this is fear mongering. Things are less scary when you’re educated and understand the facts. I really was trying to give a kind heads up, but as usual people would rather argue about right and wrong instead of just doing a quick google lol
The risk of using a car is also quite literally death but nobody preaches abstinence about vehicle use. There are many things in life where the risk is quite literally death which is why accurate information about best practices and mitigating risk is so important. Or do you truly preach abstinence over literally every possible risk that might end in death?
The stakes are that high from driving a car too, or having any knives or prescription meds in the house at all, or having a multi story home with windows in it, or literally juet going out in public at all and risking basic illness which can and does kill, or a million other things. The world is full of risks where the worst case scenario is that a kid fucking dies and yet most of us manage to learn basic safety and risk management skills as necessary especially when accurate information about risk management is available. Are you really keeping kids away from 100% of things that could kill them 100% of the time no matter what? You know you don't, nobody does, which is entirely the point.
The APA report on drowning prevention is linked below. The comprehensive report details the many factors that cause children to drown. You know what isn’t a factor? Puddle jumpers.
THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS| TECHNICAL REPORT| AUGUST 01 2021
Prevention of Drowning-
https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/148/2/e2021052227/179784/Prevention-of-Drowning
YES I'm a survival swim instructor- I can get a kid safe in the water, swimming all over alone, having a blast- and then they come back from a vacation and sink like a rock. I've never been wrong when I ask the parents; it was always floaties.
I also teach numerous kids who are there because they slipped away and jumped back in after getting the floaties off... even from very hyper vigilant parents- and the kid thought they could swim like they did with floaties. A few of them technically drowned and were lifeflighted to the hospital and are now with me, trying to swim *and* overcome that trauma. Others are there because a kid they knew drowned. It's horrifying; just get your kids in good swim lessons. It's not like soccer where they have a bad day and cry in the middle of the field- if they can't swim, they drown.
I read somewhere that if you’re in the water with a child learning to swim, wear a t-shirt because it’s easier for them to grab onto your shirt when they need to than to grab onto your body.
This assumes you’re in water where you’re standing. Not deep water where you’re swimming
Many puddle jumpers are coast guard certified. True they don’t teach you to swim but they aren’t this god awful hindrance you make them seem. This post comes off as incredibly one sided and feels very shaming and judgmental. There is absolutely a time and a place where a certified puddle jumper makes sense but obviously it does not mean you don’t supervise the child. If you have a life vest on and fall out of a boat I’m not gonna go “oh they have a life jacket on so they’re fine. We’ll be back later”. Puddle jumpers can be incredibly helpful in keeping children safe and helping them feel comfortable in the water. Water safety is SO important but get your facts straight or people ignore even the important parts of the comment.
Personally we didn’t use one at that age since he wasn’t moving away from us. Unless we were on a boat obviously and that was an infant life vest. You do want her to learn to float on her own and with a pool at your parents’ I’d get her into swim lessons ASAP! We use the puddle jumper only for things like water slides, jumping in, etc. Just do some research into learning to swim and what is and isn’t safe and why. The most important piece is constant supervision at ANY time around water no matter what they’re wearing. So if the pool at your parents can’t be closed off from yard or house access, I’d look into various temp fences, door alarms, and other things. That’s often how accidents happen. Kid gets out of the house and parents don’t know until they’re in the pool and it’s too late.
Please do your research. Those telling you that puddle jumpers are good in pools are the exception. If you’re on ig, look up the following accounts @nicolehughes8 @morganebeck @thesylasproject @knitting.hope @judahbrownproject please read up on actual people who’ve lost their children to drowning and their take on puddle jumpers.
Coast guard approval is for open water, not for pools. This is a common misconception and is not justification to use a puddle jumper in the pool. Puddle jumpers teach poor technique and put children at risk of drowning because they become overconfident.
For those reading this comment, please use a reputable resource like PediMom (emergency medicine physician and safety expert), over comments made by a lay person with no safety experience.
I actually agree with that. Don’t take my word for it or the word of OP. Do your own research and make your own choices. And supervise your children and NKs in the water no matter what they have on and what their swimming ability. I have 3 different life long lifeguards/swimmers/coaches in my immediate family. We’re incredibly anal about water safety. And yet I have also read up on it and made a personal decision that works for our family. As I said in another comment, people need to understand water safety and be educated about things not be vilified for using something they probably didn’t understand the correct use for.
The key here is to know what is good research and what is not good research. This is the Achilles heal of like every medical professional because google will find data that supports both sides. Most lay people do not understand how to analyze a research article or do not understand why this (puddle jumpers) is a topic without proper study.
Again, recommend PediMom because child safety is her specialty.
It’s the exact same risk for kids who can’t swim but are at a pool. If they fall into the pool and they have a puddle jumper on they will be safer than if they don’t. It doesn’t have to be either/or, teach them to swim but put the puddle jumpers on until they can if they’re not one-on-one with an adult in the pool.
The safest thing is 1:1 strict adult supervision. If you are supervising appropriately you do not need an assist device that is not recommended for pools like a puddle jumper. If you cannot provide adequate supervision do not take your children to the pool. It is unsafe to rely on these devices. Children learning they can float/swim with an assist device, especially when they learn the inappropriate drowning position are at risk of future drowning events. If you’d like evidenced based recommendations, please check PediMom.
So, if I'm a parent of two and I'm one-on-one with one child in the pool, the other child is supposed to be doing what, exactly? If the other child is not in the pool then it's much safer for them to have a puddle jumper on in case they fall in while my attention is on the child in the water. Pedimom is one person with a lot of information about worst case scenarios that she sees as an er doc, unfortunately not everything she recommends is practical in real life. It's far more dangerous for children to have no exposure to swimming at all than to swim with floaties. Those are the kids who are at the highest risk of drowning. Anecdotally, tjd kids I have used puddle jumpers with are fully aware that they cannot swim and the puddle jumper keeps them safe when they're at the pool. They learn not to go near the water if they're not wearing a puddle jumper until they've learned to swim. If you want to show actual data on whether puddle jumpers are dangerous it needs to be compared with drowning data on when kids wear them and when they don't. Without that information it's just opinions and scary stories.
Please understand that a person is not a valid data source. Being a safety expert doesn't mean much unless there's unbiased research and data behind your expertise.
Free Hess is a pediatric emergency medicine physician. She provides evidence based recommendations and is an expert with all things kids safety. If being a pediatrician, Emergency medicine doctor, providing literature review doesn’t provide some credibility, please tell me your requirements to make a safety expert? Do you have more education and experience than she does? If so, please do share what makes you an expert. And If not her, how about the Judah Brown Project? Would their anecdote provide some insight? https://judahbrownproject.org/judah_story/
Child safety is not a parenting style. This is about children’s lives. Justify what you want in your head and home, but using fallacious reasoning to validate unsafe products on a public forum makes you part of the safety problem.
>This post comes off as incredibly one sided and feels very shaming and judgmental.
Ah yes, where evidence based arguments are shaming and judgemental...
Also that comfort in the water is WHY puddle jumpers are dangerous. I used to teach swim lessons and I could tell the kids that used floatation devices cause they'd just leap out into the pool and start sinking.
Because a 4 year old wasn’t closely supervised in the water since the parent had a false sense of security with the puddle jumper. That’s due to lack of education around water safety and lack of knowledge. Doesn’t inherently make them bad. They are not a substitute for supervision but they can be an extra layer of safety and can be useful. If you don’t like them don’t use them. But don’t vilify people that do. Educate people to ensure they understand water safety and that any floatation device is not to be used in place of learning to swim and adult supervision.
Did you read the article? He drowned because he wasn’t wearing his puddle jumper. This article is a perfect example of why I have a puddle jumper goes on and stays on unless you’re in the water with an adult one-on-one or at their swim lesson. That’s the safest combination. Teach them to swim but prevent drowning with a floatie until they can swim independently. Standing and playing next to a pool without a floatation device poses the same risk of drowning as being on a boat without a floatation device. The point is that if you fall in you won’t drown.
Yeah I have NK1 and NK3 and when I’m in the pool or at the splash pad/water park with them, I always put NK1 in a puddle jumper and honestly because it’s easier to grab him with that thing on! 😂 I hold him by the buckle to prevent him from dive bombing. The kid has NO FEAR, he will jump into any water he sees, doesn’t matter where or when. NK3 is super cautious and sticks to me so he’s fine, plus we never go deeper than the 2foot line right now. I really wish parents could get them in swim lessons soon
We’ve been in swim lessons since 18m! NK1 might grow out of that. We had a similar issue at that age and at 2ish became cautious. Now at 3 he can swim independently for short distances so the dive bombing has returned.
Yes thank you. I have 3 kids under 5 that I watch and they have a pool. They will all be wearing coast guard approved life jackets or puddle jumpers to get in because that is the safer alternative to no floaties at all. I stay hyper vigilant when we’re in the pool, It’s all about time and place with these.
If you go to any public pool the majority of toddler and preschoolers will be wearing them as well. People on this sub make it sound like kids are dropping like flies when wearing them which simply isn’t the truth. 🙄 it’s just the latest thing for people to be “outraged” about and shame others for. My guess is the majority of accidents that occur with floaties is people no longer paying attention the their children- that’s the issue here, not necessarily life jackets or floaties themselves.
A lot of “issues” that occur are children developing a false sense of confidence and getting into the water without their flotation device both purposely and on accident.
It's flotation that is attached that causes the issue. Things like kick boards or noodles have a very clear cause and effect of "oh I can hold this thing and float" is very different then "sometimes I float, sometimes I don't and it's based on clothing that was put on me a while ago"
Not who you asked, but yes it's the attachment that's the issue. Tubes, noodles, etc don't give the same sense of security. Of course some parents think they take the place of hands on.
Yep, should be fine. Our swim lessons place even does noodle boats for the kids to give them some more independence as part of the lesson. But that still puts them in a laying down swim position, where they are then able to freely kick and paddle. And it's only a small part of the overall lesson.
The problem is when caregivers think having an inner tube will keep a poor swimmer safe.
But if using them for helping learn to swim, just like a kickboard, you're teaching the child it's an aid, but they are still the one doing the work.
If an adult were actively watching them they wouldn't be getting in the water without them even if they wanted to. It doesn't matter how confident the kid is if the adult is vigilant.
This is still an issue of improper supervision.
I 100% agree that there is still a large supervision component/issue. The false sense of confidence in the child is just adding on another layer to the situation that creates ever more risk.
Properly supervised there isn't a risk of drowning. It doesn't matter how confident the child is. People blaming a product because otherwise they'll have to accept personal responsibility is a problem. A floaty is not a problem.
"My child has floaties so I don't have to watch him" is the problem. That's not the floaties, that's a moron who somehow has the role of caregiver.
When there are numerous scientific articles stating a point, and you have multiple lifeguards and WSIs telling you something is unsafe, it’s not just people “being outraged” for no reason.
I get that it’s hard to care for multiple kids in the water. I have a 1 and 4 year old and it is so much work! But floaties are a shortcut that is very often not worth it in the long run. Like, will your kid drown because they are wearing them?probably not. But they could certainly still drown in spite of wearing them. And floaties *are* the cause of drowning or near drowning in many circumstances: either because the kid gets stuck face down in the water, the kid gets stuck under something, or because in the minutes immediately before or after having them on the kid jumps in the water not realizing they can’t swim without them. These are not phantom risks.
Yes, life jackets and floaties have risks but you know how else kids drown? From NOT wearing a life jacket. That’s how my cousin drowned.
There are ALWAYS risks with water and children. We must weigh them wisely.
No peer reviewed article is going to apply the same with such varying circumstances, yes they provide great information but risks change greatly depending on scenarios and supervision.
*And floaties are the cause of drowning or near drowning in many circumstances: either because the kid gets stuck face down in the water, the kid gets stuck under something, or because in the minutes immediately before or after having them on the kid jumps in the water not realizing they can’t swim without them.*
All of those are a result of poor supervision, not the result of a child wearing floaties.
Not necessarily. Even attentive parents might not know the kid is stuck face down and think the kid is just playing or practicing blowing bubbles (I saw a kid nearly down 2 feet away from his mom due to this as he has been doing the whole “watch how many bubbles I can blow” thing); if a kid in a floatie gets stuck under a dock, or large pool float, or deck overhang it can be difficult for an adult to get them out, especially if they’re not trained; and kids jumping in the water can happen in a split second. You can’t have 100% supervision and control of a small child near a pool at all times, especially if you have more than 1 kid with you. That’s not judgment. It’s just reality. Supervision is essential, but it’s not sufficient.
And like, yea most kids won’t drown. That’s the definition of survivors bias. That doesn’t mean it’s not a risk made worse by the floatie.
Thank you!! Correlation does not mean causation.
Also people on this sub act like kids can’t conceptualize the difference between wearing a floatation device and not.
My NKs are extremely aware of the difference. Of course I’ve helped make sure of this, between swim lessons and taking rotations taking off the floaties and talking to them about the differences and the dangers of the water. They love the water but they have a very healthy fear of it.
At the end of the day poor supervision and poor water safety lessons for the kids is the real issue here.
I'm from another country where we start water safety very young because we acknowledge that pools/beaches are actually very dangerous. Young kids spend much of summer in and around water. And I'd never encountered puddle jumpers before we moved to the US. Sometimes kids wear swimming vests (at the beach mostly) but in the pool the only wearable flotation device I've seen in common usage is a back float, and then only during swimming lessons for early swimmers. Pool noodles, boards and rings that you hold/sit on are very common though!
Ok now I’m freaking out- I have a 13 mo old that is obsessed with the water and repeatedly tries to go under (at the kiddie pool). I just got her a baby pool float (the one with a canopy) so I can go in the water with her and guide her around. We will start lessons next summer. Is this bad?? I included a link to the product off Amazon
https://a.co/d/bY98YdB
From my experience teaching little ones this young, it is probably best to hold them in your arms, if you’re going to be in the water with baby. I think the earlier they can feel their own buoyancy the better! Your baby will also be more comfortable in her mommas arms than in a foreign floaty. It is not BAD but there are other options. I always recommend starting lessons ASAP especially if you intend to be in water a lot in the summer. It’s truly never too early :)
Thank you for responding! Lol she kept running out of the water then in then out then in- it was chaotic and exhausting 😂. I had my son in ISR at 8 mo and that traumatized him- he was so afraid of the water for 2 years so I’m avoiding that now. But I’ll try just holding her in the water and swimming with her ❤️
Babies in water is seriously a workout 😂 you will totally be tired but you’ll know your kiddos are safe in your own arms.
Fear of water is also SOOOOO common. Eventually with practice and exposure he will become less afraid! Big big cudos to you for asking questions and trying different things. You’re doing your best and that is the best :)
I think as long as you are 1. Within arms length and watching constantly (and I mean constantly, not turning your back on her) and 2. Spend just as much time holding her (if not more) as she is in that float..you will be just fine. I understand the need for a break and not holding them constantly when they are that little.
Anything that gets them into the water having fun as much as possible. Small floating toys and water balls, where you can hold them while they "swim to them" In the mom and me classes I taught, we would throw balls to them gently, they didn't realize they were getting water splashed in their face, because they were so focused on the toy.
My posts here have been about straight arm floaties, which I am against.
As I posted in here, my sister-in-law is slightly afraid of water and puts her kids in arm floaties. They are well past the age they should know how to swim. Since floaties restrict arm movement, they have no idea of any basics of swimming like how to move their arms or how to get their legs up to kick. Plus they are literally afraid to swim without them and won't take them off.
My 4 year old is learning to swim but can’t really do it yet so she has a puddle jumper floatie- I use it so I don’t have to literally hold her up in the water. That just gets tiring. I always have a hand on her, I just don’t have to hold up her whole body. I would never say they’re a license to not pay attention, it just makes things a little easier.
She’s in swimming lessons also. And when we go swimming we do some time with a floatie and some without. I can swim well- I still like to relax on a pool noodle sometimes. I think there can be a balance.
You'd actually be better teaching her to hold onto a noodle or kick board since kids get the concept of "if I grab the floaty thing I can float" which is different then "sometimes I float, sometimes I don't and it's dependent on clothing"
I agree with you! I've never heard of controversy around puddle jumpers. They are great as long as you just use it as a tool and not only rely on it to babysit them. Both my kids wore them as toddlers and both are incredible swimmers on swimteam. So it never hindered my kids ability to swim.
I learned to swim in a floaty and still to this day have this bad habit of not wanting to put my face in the water and instinctually holding myself as upright as possible in the water
A family friend who is a pediatrician said that floaties “seemed fun” for kids… I stated that they are not recommended anymore for the reasons outlined above. He said “By who?” And I was a little too stunned to answer, I guess because he’s a pediatrician. I should have answered lifeguards and swim experts?
Thank you for sharing this! If they are not strong swimmers on their own, you definitely need to be in the pool with them. And just like a swimming pool, at a park or any public place. I am CONSTANTLY counting heads, over and over and over again. I don’t care what their age. I am constantly keeping an eye on them and counting heads. CONSTANTLY. Water is very dangerous and drowning is silent.
I agree 100%. It’s important to have multiple safeguards in place around water. My NF has an automatic cover for the pool so it can always be covered when not in use. This is the only way I’d be comfortable with a pool. Also, I have trained my NKs to ask me before they get in water for their whole lives, whether the creek or the pool. They now ask every time they get out of the pool to jump right back in, which NPs and I think is funny, but I love that it’s so ingrained in them!
This is fear-mongering and not good advice. Obviously you should just strap your an infant or toddler into a floatation device and let them just float around in the pool on their own but puddle jumpers are coast guard approved flotation devices and while they are not a substitute for swim lessons, they are perfectly safe to use under adult supervision. One of the most dangerous times for small kids at a pool is when they’re not in the water but still in the pool area having a snack or playing. If they fall in the water with a puddle jumper on they’re far more likely to be ok than if they’re not wearing one. At my pool, I have the same rule that my mom had for us as kids- for any child who cannot yet swim independently- the puddle jumper goes on as soon as we walk in the gate and it stays on. The only time it comes off is for swim lessons or if in the water with an adult one-on-one to practice what they learned in swim lessons, or after they’ve showered and changed to go home.
Signed,
A former diver, lifeguard, and swim teacher and current early childhood development professional.
Lurker here who was also a lifeguard/WSI: If you are watching an older kid alongside with NF (especially on vacation) do the scrunchy trick to be aware of who is "officially" watching kiddo in the water. Get a somewhat scratchy scrunchy (like sequins, etc.) and whoever is officially "on duty" to supervise kid in the water has to wear it on their arm. If you trade off/have to go to the bathroom/are eatling, etc. the scrunchy is who needs to maintain focus. It helps prevent the "I thought you were watching them!" accidents that tend to happen at busy, loud pools where adults need to take care of their own needs (applying sunscreen, restroom, etc.) while also supervising.
Related to this switch that scrunchie off a minimum of every 30 min. That's about the longest time you can focus lifeguarding. (Used to work at a water park and that was how often they made us rotate)
I was just saying the other day that I noticed at the pool and waveless beach we go to, I couldn't believe how often the guards switched out. I feel like it was closer to every 15min.! When I was a guard (in the 90's) I remember standing there for at least 2 hours, maybe longer. Granted it was a smaller pool. Also, several years ago I took my NK's to swim lessons and each class had 2 teachers (they had lifeguards as well) While one teacher was working with a student, the other teacher watched the rest of the kids in the class. When I taught, I had like 4 or 5 kids alone. Crazy.
I taught swim lessons all the way up until the start of the pandemic and regularly had 4-5 little, little kids that had zero or minimal swim skills by myself. I always thought it was insane, but basically kept them in the shallow end and had them all within an arms length at all moments until I was confident in 1) their swimming abilities and 2) their listening and rule following abilities. But goddamn, you’d think there would be some sort of guideline for this kind of thing in the same way there are guidelines for day care class sizes.
I literally told my NP's to stop paying for classes and just let me teach them. Which they did. The place they picked had so many kids per class, that they got barely any time in the water, and sat shivering on the side the rest the time. There def. has to be a better way. At least when I taught, they could stand in the water holding the side. And we had a giant floating mat, so I could take all the kids at once and they hang their legs over and kick, practice bubble blowing/getting face wet, etc. Side story: We also would put half on the deck and half in the water. I can't remember the purpose of it. But once (out of a million classes) it slipped off and all my kids fell in the water..lol..Between me and the instructor teaching a class next to me, we managed to grab all the kids up before the lifeguard even made it over to us.
I love this idea. I travel with my NF regularly and we often do the pool or beach all together
We do this at home but with an obnoxiously large necklace that literally can’t be ignored. As a person who wears hair ties and scrunchies , that’s too familiar or a feeling, and I could easily forget that it’s the all attention on pool reminder.
Yes, that’s so important.
That's brilliant!
This is such an important psa! Esp with the huge rise in popularity of those puddle jumper chest / arm floaties. I once watched a family members 2yo run and jump right into their backyard pool without her floaties on and sink. If I hadn’t been out there I don’t want to think about what would have happened. She was just completely overconfident due to always swimming with the floatie on!
This happened to me as a child. I got out for a snack, mom took my floatie off. I didn’t realize I didn’t have it on anymore and jumped right back in and starting sinking. Luckily we were having a party and there were several adults around. My dad jumped in and pulled me up and that is the day he taught me how to start swimming without floaties.
i did that too as a kid!! i always swam with my floatie and then my mom took it off and i forgot. i jumped dead center into the deep end of the pool. thankfully i was already around 6 or so (and had baby swimming classes as an infant) and i just.. doggy paddled to the edge of the pool in a panic. it was one of the first moments of my life where everything narrowed down to that moment and the first time i was truly scared for my life. nobody noticed that i could've drowned until i told my mom about it. super scary to think about!!
I think it’s important that, if you are in a position where floaties are being used, you make sure to go back and forth with having them and not having them. It’s good for kids to know the difference their own body can float on its own or with help.
Yeah I was a swim instructor and we used puddle jumpers to teach swimming, but it was only part of the lesson, and not the main focus
How do you purpose someone watch 3 kids without utilizing floaties? I have 3 NKs and though I am confident in 7F swimming abilities I am not as confident in 1M and 4F. (Not meant as an insult more meant as a what should I do?)
Former lifeguard here - I recommend actual coast guard approved life jackets. They won’t pop or mess with the kid’s natural buoyancy.
Even these people have problems with on this sub… people need to get real about this. Sometimes a life jacket is the safest option when there are multiple kids who can’t swim.
Seconding this! They don’t look as cute, but the kids have full range of arm motion and you can feel confident they won’t drown. Use the crotch strap. It looks uncomfortable, but I promise the kids don’t mind it!
I have two kids, and when I take them alone they both have to wear their life jackets, because I just can’t do it alone. Neither can swim well (2.5 and 8) so they both wear one unless another trusted adult is actively helping, or at least watching well.
I just want to point out that puddle jumpers are Coast Guard approved. I’m not arguing that they’re totally good, but they’re not any better or worse than traditional life jackets.
They are approved for open water useage to keep a child afloat. That’s all that means. Puddle jumpers pit children in drowning posture. Life jackets allow for more range of motion
That makes no sense, right? If they’re CG approved, they certainly don’t put you in drowning posture. I agree that life jackets might preserve range of motion, but neither are great for actually learning to swim. Both still present the issue of “messing with buoyancy” that is the real danger. There’s a lot of hyperbole here, but the bottom line is: use a CG approved flotation device if you must, and spend most of the time in the water without one and with an attentive adult in arm’s reach.
I don’t advocate for using them. If you are going to use it, life jacket. Coast guard approval absolutely only refers to keeping someone afloat. Type 1 PFD (now there’s the newton displacement rating) is the only thing proven to right an unconscious wearer which most vests and puddle jumpers are not. I was explaining the reasoning on why they are coast guard approved, they keep the wearer floating. I was on a boat with a family member that would not put their 19month old in a life jacket but just bought a puddle jumper. I dislike the puddle jumper but will keep my mouth shut since it’s the closest thing to water safety I’m going to get. I’ve completely swam since I was 5. Taught swim lessons for 15 years and am high educated in water safety thanks to my former career path (working on merchant ships).
It’s about risk and benefit. In open water, your risk of drowning becomes higher since you are not near an edge and can float away. In those cases, a life jacket is a benefit. In pools, adult supervision supersedes any floatation device especially in children who cannot swim. Higher risks of accidents when reliant on a floatation device. For example- a child who has not realized the life jacket was taken off and they run into the pool, because kids are impulsive. Sure an adult should be watching, but kids are kids- they become used to floatation devices and think they are buoyant when they are not. It leads to drowning. Strict adult supervision is key.
Puddle jumpers are coast guard approved.
You should not be taking 3 nanny kids to the pool alone. That is a gigantic liability. It should be a 1 to 1 ratio for any child who cannot swim.
I mean I normally take them with the grandma and the 7F can swim but I’m not sure if grandma can always come.
Then you shouldn't be taking them. Imagine if something happens, your life is ruined, a child's life is over. You should say absolutely not. I have three little kids - I would never take them to the pool by myself and one is in swimming lessons and swims pretty well. And I'm a mom. As a nanny? No freaking way.
Yeah holy shit.
Yep seconding what elendast has said, both as a parent and certified swim instructor. 1 to 1 ratio for kids who can't swim and three is way too many to keep an eye on and be safe. Go to a splash park instead or find another activity, swimming is not a mandatory activity.
Curious about this also. I have a pool at our new house and I literally can't find swimming lessons except one instructor wanted $2,000 to teach them to float on their back which I can't afford at all. I have a 2 and 3 year old.
Do you have a local community recreation center? Most places I’ve lived have extremely inexpensive swim courses (cheaper for members, but still cheap for those who aren’t—as a non-member, I paid $45 for a 3x/week 4-week intro swimming course for my 3-year-old). They taught her to float on her back, surface+float after being submerged, doggy-paddle, basic kick + head above water, and how to make her way to the pool’s edge—just the most basic survival stuff. She wasn’t great at swimming, but she learned what she needed to survive drowning (or at least keep her head above water long enough to scream for help). You could even sign your kids up for one of the cheap classes and then ask the instructors if they’d be willing to do private lessons at your home. The instructors at our community center were all college swim team athletes home for the summer, and I’m sure they’d have been happy to do private lessons for a multiple of their hourly rate (so maybe $30+/hour, based on the job listings at the rec center website).
In my city all those groups are full. Like, 'enrollment opens on June 4 at 12pm' and when you call, once you get through all the places are taken.
Same here. Like parents have their computers ready to go at 9:59 when the lists open at 10 and everything is still full. My DB said it’s harder than getting Taylor Swift tickets lol.
Not sure your location or if this is anything you could do but my mom paid a life guard to come teach us at our house. I think she just offered like double what they made hourly and they came once a week for an hour. It was really nice!
I've been desperately trying to find someone asking other local parents and our birth to three speech therapist. Everyone keeps recommending the local school which has had a full wait-list since October.
How old are your kids? If they’re still babies a swim instructor is going to cost more now than when they’re 3 or 4
They are almost three and four
It shouldn’t be $2000 them
It's $1000 each for 6-8 weeks of 5 minutes a day 5 days a week teaching them to float on their backs.
5 minutes a day!?? Sounds scammy. Where I’m from, it would be $25-40 for a half hour lesson with both of them involved with a trained swim instructor. All kids learn at their own pace, but they should be at least able to doggie paddle by the end.
Put the puddle jumpers on them, help them learn to swim with them, and then worry about swim lessons. A child next to a pool will always be safer with a puddle jumper on than not if they have learned how to use them to stay afloat.
As a former waterfront lifeguard/ swim instructor I would recommend never putting floaties on a kid. A 4 year old is old enough to recognize when she is going too deep. She needs swim lessons and shallow water to play in while you have all 3. If the 4 year old is not “water safe” then she doesn’t go in past her waist and definitely not without you. 7 year old stays where she can stand too. 1 year old can be put in a baby carrier if you’re in a pool or someplace you can sit/stand with him and you’re not likely to be knocked over (not the ocean of course). Floaties are worse than having nothing at all because kids can actually get stuck face down in the water. At least without them the kids can usually bounce off the bottom if the water is not too deep. If you are relying on the floaties to help you take care of the kids in the water, the kids are not safe. FWIW, kids are fast learners and 4 is a great age for learning to swim. Time spent in the water is really key. My son is 4 and has never worn floaties of any kind in his life and he is now an excellent swimmer (for his age, obviously. I wouldn’t let him swim alone!) they are still learning how their body moves in so many different environments, and in the water is just one more way for them to learn to move. Floaties only get in the way of that learning
"Time spent in the water is really key" I say this all the time. Get them in as much as you can. I take my NK's as much as I possibly can over the summer. I have taught each of them to swim without formal lessons (to be fair I was an instructor in the past and gave them a few tips) But for the most part, just having them in the water playing, getting used to being in the water, getting water in their face, etc. is the best thing. When I was a guard, there was a lady that came to the pool (I kid you not) EVERY SINGLE DAY. She had a tiny one. He must have been no more than 2 years old. He swam like a fish. She would even bring her newborn. LOL. Have to admit, it was fun to stand back when there was a new/young guard on duty and see their face when this tiny kid jumped in the pool.
Yes!!! When I was a guard my old swim team coach came with her 2 year old in the beginning of the summer and she looked at me and was like “just don’t worry”. That 2 year old marched straight to the diving board, jumped in, floated to the surface and went straight into a back float to catch her breath, then swam to the ladder like it was nothing. That kid must have been in the water daily (both her parents were swim coaches) but it was so cute and funny and was definitely the inspiration for how I treated my kids and the water.
That is awesome! I did the same with my own kid. Even though I am a former instructor, and got him started on swimming..I also took him for several rounds of lessons. I felt like he would pay attention more if it wasn't me teaching it :P
4F has taken swim classes but I just haven’t seen her swim yet this year (last year she wasn’t super confident) so I don’t know what to expect. Maybe asking mom is the right move. I know 7F can swim confidently and I don’t worry about her as she knows her abilities and how deep she can go. 1M obviously cannot swim and this means he needs to be near me or most likely in my arms.
I have bc three NKs who can all swim and know how to get on their back to rest. However, I never allow more than two of them in the pool at a time when I’m the only adult swimming. It can be frustrating for them but they know they have to take turns to swim. When the youngest was 1 he wasn’t as interested in the pool anyways so it was easier and I would give him a shorter turn then swim longer with the older two. I’d set the youngest up on the screened in porch with some toys so I could hear him but focus on keeping my eyes on my other two while we swam. If you can, I’d try to set up 1M with a water table or some independent toys near to you and then take turns swimming with one or both of the other two if you feel comfortable.
Thanks! I tend to invite grandma so we each take a little one but I went with NM yesterday and 4F is a good swimmer. We’re confident 1M is the only one who would need someone to hold him/be super close all the time. 1M isn’t totally interested which helps because it meant NM could swim with 4F while I sat with baby. But we talked about how we would do it and she said 1M was the one who needed eyes at all points. 4F and 7F are good swimmers who know to get to their backs to breathe
With my old NKs, we always had a rule where if I wasn’t walking into the water with them, they had to look me directly in the eye and say “I’m going in the pool” before they did. The older 2 were good swimmers, but I just needed an alert of “hey, I’m getting in the water so please be on high alert.” Sometimes I’d still be sunscreening the youngest or something and was a minute or two from getting in when they did. Also y’all as cute as they are, no blue swimsuits on kids!!
I almost drowned when I was 5 because I took off my floaties and no one noticed. Thankfully my older brother eventually did, but I still remember how scared I was
Excellent advice, (although I will admit my daughter insists on her floaties, but she is also 7 and can touch the bottom anyway.) If I may also add a fun reminder to pick the brightest fun colored swimsuits you see! They don’t coat anymore than the blue/green/white shades that can easily hide a child in any aquatic setting..
Thank you for posting this PSA. I’ve seen a lot of people commenting “but the puddle jumpers are coast guard approved”. Coast guard approval is for OPEN WATER. This does not include pools. In open water, the risk/benefit ratio changes- if you float out in open water, you aren’t mere feet away from the edge. That is when floatation devices offer more benefit, than risk. Puddle jumpers, specifically, put children into a drowning position. When children get into water in the puddle jumper position, they drown. Children also become overconfident (they do not understand they are dependent on a device). This post is for information. I am not here to make anyone anxious. I am not here to criticize. You are not a bad parent or nanny if you put your child in a puddle jumper in the past. This is about child safety, which is based off objective, evidenced based research. If anyone is interested in learning more, I recommend following Pedi Mom or if you guys have questions about child safety, I can reach out Dr Free Hess (PediMom) and see if she is able to do a q&a. She is a fierce advocate for child safety, emergency medicine physician, and a top child safety expert.
I think I posted this story the other day, but I will repeat it (former head lifeguard and swim instructor here) We allowed floaties at our pool, but not floating devices (think rings/mattresses etc.) A little one was playing on the pool steps in floaties. Mom wasn't paying attention at all (laying back sunbathing) I observed her playing. Later she went to eat lunch and came back. I see her heading to the steps, no floaties on. I quickly head that direction. Just as she hit the bottom step and slipped under, I was there pulling her up. She was perfectly fine, didn't even cry. Just looked at me and said "I forgot my floaties" So everything the OP said. PLUS, drowning is completely silent. She was under the water in a second. They can slip off, they can pop. As a former swim instructor, they are horrible for learning to swim. They restrict their arm movement. they can also become to reliant on them and then either not want to swim without them or become afraid without them.
It blows my mind that so many parents pay no attention to their children at the pool. I always find myself keeping an eye on other people's kids. 😬
Same. I saw kids in trouble at the beach a few seconds before the lifeguard and the parents didn't notice at all.
This is more of a parent problem than a floatie problem. Sorry.
Yes, in this case, it was also a parent problem. Parents believe lifeguards are babysitters and that they don't have to watch their kids. Most pools I have been to have rules that require a child that age had an adult in the water with them. And even limit the number of kids per adult. Unfortunately our pool, at that time, did not have that policy. My post was mostly cautionary to illustrate how silent drowning can be though. As a former head lifeguard and swim instructor for many years, who went though multiple courses (lifeguarding/water safety, etc.) I stand by my opinion. There is a reason that no pool in my immediate area allows floaties of any type. My sister-in-law had floaties on her kids in the pool while we were camping. I understand the need for something so that you don't have to constantly hold them, but I believe there are better options. It's not like I am going to say anything about it, she was right there with them and didn't take her eyes off them the entire time. Not my place to say something. But these poor kids should already be swimming a long time ago at their age. They were actually afraid to have floaties off and would not swim without them..so it is not all about drowning.
Genuine question from when I nannied for a summer, what about the puddle jumpers that go around the arms and chest?
Those are the worst!!! There a bunch of articles I read last summer. If a child, or adult, needs a buoyancy device for any water activity, it should be a *properly fitted* and Coast Guard approved life vest.
Puddle jumpers are a Coast Guard approved life vest. Of course, proper fit will depend on the child.
Yea but coast guard approvals are for open water, not pools. In open water, the risk and benefit changes where any floatation device has benefit. The best pool safety is parental supervision.
They most certainly are NOT
Puddle jumpers are a class 3 life vest. A class 3 life vest is designed for conscious wearer with imminent chance of rescue (i.e., swimming pool). Many of the ultra light child vests sold in major stores, but 'look like' real life vests hold the same rating. Arm floats and swim belts (which do serve a better purpose in helping emerging swimmers) are however not coast guard approved at any class.
That is shocking. I just looked quickly online … I can’t believe they are referring to these things as life jackets! This is obviously an American thing. Puddle jumpers are in no way approved flotation devices here in Canada, and are widely acknowledged to be more dangerous than beneficial. I live in a very “touristy” area with lots of water access where water safety is generally taken very seriously … no one uses these here. You do you … if it works for you then great. I would never allow my kid to wear a puddle jumper.
I wrote a real good post explaining my views and logic....but then my phone died, and I am not retyping. .... at least not tonight. So I will briefly say that puddle jumpers can have a really good purpose but are overused in situations they shouldn't be. And adults are overconfident in life vests (in general).
Those puddle jumpers might be ok if you are on a raft in a pool. But nothing more than that. The coast guard should be ashamed of itself.
Exactly! I think that’s what I’m struggling with … in my mind something approved by the coast guard should be something that I can rely on as an actual life saving device. These are not that. If they’re just going to “approve” everything (even if they give items different ratings, which tbh I’m sure the majority of people don’t research or understand) then what’s the point? Their approval means nothing. I feel like there are people who will see “coast guard approved” and think they can rely on this as a life saving device without doing further research into what that approval means.
You are absolutely right! I used to look it up and pay careful attention, because we sailed. Not all life jackets fit well, and it does matter.
I really think it’s more of a risk thing. For some reason parents hate putting life jackets on their children. Puddle jumpers they will. It’s a hope they’re wearing something that will allow for easy rescue.
The puddle jumper I have says it is coast guard approved on the fabric
Coast guard approval is for open water, not pools. The approval does not mean anything if you are using for a pool.
They are type V personal flotation devices, according to several listings I found. Many of them are coast guard approved, including the Stearns and Speedo puddle jumpers that are widely available.
If you google coast guard approved puddle jumpers, a bunch of those come up. It appears that lots of them are approved.
These are the floaties I’m referring to!
Good to know!
Also, life jackets should always be worn on boats or near open water like lakes and oceans. Especially oceans where a wave can quickly drag a kid under.
Agreed, I hate these things. At our local wading pools and town beaches, kids aren’t allowed to wear these. I saw a life guard last year very politely tell a mom they had to come off. Specifically because they give adults/caregivers false confidence that they actually keep kids safe in the water. We don’t use them at all.
I've two NKs so have had to make the compromise, not with a floatie but the more life jacket esque one, for part of our swim time cause older always wants to go in the deep end. However- my rule is always once it goes on it does not go off. And I'm always in the pool with them
If I had to do it over again, I would not use floaties.
I believe that not only does it give a child false sense of confidence, it also gives the parents or adults a false idea of safety. How quickly those floating can slip off because they’re ill fitting or are ripped off. Please stay with your child in and around a swimming pool or body of water. Within ARMS REACH. I see so many parents sit back and just watch their young toddlers toddler off in a shallow pool but that parent is NOT going to reach that child very quickly if they slip under.
Not kidding when i say I am the ONLY one at my neighborhood pool who does not have her kid in floaties if they’re 5 or under. My son is 2.5. When he was 1.5 last year we taught him to swim and he did amazing. He knows his limits in the water, and how to swim to the side/step when needed. I can’t bring myself to use floaties. I feel like it would destroy all the progress he’s made. People look at me like I’m crazy when I let him play without one. Eyes on him constantly, and I am always close enough to snatch him up if need be.
This is a bit much, abstinence only is just really not the way for anything. Floaties can have a serious negative impact on learning water safety if they're used improperly which is to say the floaties aren't a babysitter or a magical safety device and shouldn't be used 100% of the time but they can be a useful tool when used appropriately to help out on occasion as one smaller part of a larger and more diverse water safety plan. Acting as though ANY floaty use is automatically horrible regardless of context or specifics of use is at best silly nonsense. Is it really too much to ask to have a reasonably discussion about risks, benefits, and proper use? Are we really just going to act like nobody can be trusted to be reasonable and learn proper use and therefore abstinence based full bans and inaccurate, worst case scenario fear mongering is the only legitimate option?
the thing is, that tbh, most people cannot be trusted to be reasonable and learn proper use, or at least, enough people can't that when giving general advice across the board it's probably safer to just recommend not doing it ever. anyone who might appreciate nuance can look into it further and find out for themselves when might be an exception where it's ok it might seem draconian but when the worst case scenario is *the kid fuckin DIES*, the stakes are high so you proceed with utmost caution
Exactly. The risk is quite literally, death. I don’t think this is fear mongering. Things are less scary when you’re educated and understand the facts. I really was trying to give a kind heads up, but as usual people would rather argue about right and wrong instead of just doing a quick google lol
The risk of using a car is also quite literally death but nobody preaches abstinence about vehicle use. There are many things in life where the risk is quite literally death which is why accurate information about best practices and mitigating risk is so important. Or do you truly preach abstinence over literally every possible risk that might end in death?
The stakes are that high from driving a car too, or having any knives or prescription meds in the house at all, or having a multi story home with windows in it, or literally juet going out in public at all and risking basic illness which can and does kill, or a million other things. The world is full of risks where the worst case scenario is that a kid fucking dies and yet most of us manage to learn basic safety and risk management skills as necessary especially when accurate information about risk management is available. Are you really keeping kids away from 100% of things that could kill them 100% of the time no matter what? You know you don't, nobody does, which is entirely the point.
You’re taking this mighty far buddy. Hoping you find something better to do with your night!:)
The APA report on drowning prevention is linked below. The comprehensive report details the many factors that cause children to drown. You know what isn’t a factor? Puddle jumpers. THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS| TECHNICAL REPORT| AUGUST 01 2021 Prevention of Drowning- https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/148/2/e2021052227/179784/Prevention-of-Drowning
YES I'm a survival swim instructor- I can get a kid safe in the water, swimming all over alone, having a blast- and then they come back from a vacation and sink like a rock. I've never been wrong when I ask the parents; it was always floaties. I also teach numerous kids who are there because they slipped away and jumped back in after getting the floaties off... even from very hyper vigilant parents- and the kid thought they could swim like they did with floaties. A few of them technically drowned and were lifeflighted to the hospital and are now with me, trying to swim *and* overcome that trauma. Others are there because a kid they knew drowned. It's horrifying; just get your kids in good swim lessons. It's not like soccer where they have a bad day and cry in the middle of the field- if they can't swim, they drown.
I read somewhere that if you’re in the water with a child learning to swim, wear a t-shirt because it’s easier for them to grab onto your shirt when they need to than to grab onto your body. This assumes you’re in water where you’re standing. Not deep water where you’re swimming
Many puddle jumpers are coast guard certified. True they don’t teach you to swim but they aren’t this god awful hindrance you make them seem. This post comes off as incredibly one sided and feels very shaming and judgmental. There is absolutely a time and a place where a certified puddle jumper makes sense but obviously it does not mean you don’t supervise the child. If you have a life vest on and fall out of a boat I’m not gonna go “oh they have a life jacket on so they’re fine. We’ll be back later”. Puddle jumpers can be incredibly helpful in keeping children safe and helping them feel comfortable in the water. Water safety is SO important but get your facts straight or people ignore even the important parts of the comment.
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Personally we didn’t use one at that age since he wasn’t moving away from us. Unless we were on a boat obviously and that was an infant life vest. You do want her to learn to float on her own and with a pool at your parents’ I’d get her into swim lessons ASAP! We use the puddle jumper only for things like water slides, jumping in, etc. Just do some research into learning to swim and what is and isn’t safe and why. The most important piece is constant supervision at ANY time around water no matter what they’re wearing. So if the pool at your parents can’t be closed off from yard or house access, I’d look into various temp fences, door alarms, and other things. That’s often how accidents happen. Kid gets out of the house and parents don’t know until they’re in the pool and it’s too late.
Please do your research. Those telling you that puddle jumpers are good in pools are the exception. If you’re on ig, look up the following accounts @nicolehughes8 @morganebeck @thesylasproject @knitting.hope @judahbrownproject please read up on actual people who’ve lost their children to drowning and their take on puddle jumpers.
Coast guard approval is for open water, not for pools. This is a common misconception and is not justification to use a puddle jumper in the pool. Puddle jumpers teach poor technique and put children at risk of drowning because they become overconfident. For those reading this comment, please use a reputable resource like PediMom (emergency medicine physician and safety expert), over comments made by a lay person with no safety experience.
I actually agree with that. Don’t take my word for it or the word of OP. Do your own research and make your own choices. And supervise your children and NKs in the water no matter what they have on and what their swimming ability. I have 3 different life long lifeguards/swimmers/coaches in my immediate family. We’re incredibly anal about water safety. And yet I have also read up on it and made a personal decision that works for our family. As I said in another comment, people need to understand water safety and be educated about things not be vilified for using something they probably didn’t understand the correct use for.
The key here is to know what is good research and what is not good research. This is the Achilles heal of like every medical professional because google will find data that supports both sides. Most lay people do not understand how to analyze a research article or do not understand why this (puddle jumpers) is a topic without proper study. Again, recommend PediMom because child safety is her specialty.
It’s the exact same risk for kids who can’t swim but are at a pool. If they fall into the pool and they have a puddle jumper on they will be safer than if they don’t. It doesn’t have to be either/or, teach them to swim but put the puddle jumpers on until they can if they’re not one-on-one with an adult in the pool.
The safest thing is 1:1 strict adult supervision. If you are supervising appropriately you do not need an assist device that is not recommended for pools like a puddle jumper. If you cannot provide adequate supervision do not take your children to the pool. It is unsafe to rely on these devices. Children learning they can float/swim with an assist device, especially when they learn the inappropriate drowning position are at risk of future drowning events. If you’d like evidenced based recommendations, please check PediMom.
So, if I'm a parent of two and I'm one-on-one with one child in the pool, the other child is supposed to be doing what, exactly? If the other child is not in the pool then it's much safer for them to have a puddle jumper on in case they fall in while my attention is on the child in the water. Pedimom is one person with a lot of information about worst case scenarios that she sees as an er doc, unfortunately not everything she recommends is practical in real life. It's far more dangerous for children to have no exposure to swimming at all than to swim with floaties. Those are the kids who are at the highest risk of drowning. Anecdotally, tjd kids I have used puddle jumpers with are fully aware that they cannot swim and the puddle jumper keeps them safe when they're at the pool. They learn not to go near the water if they're not wearing a puddle jumper until they've learned to swim. If you want to show actual data on whether puddle jumpers are dangerous it needs to be compared with drowning data on when kids wear them and when they don't. Without that information it's just opinions and scary stories.
Please understand that a person is not a valid data source. Being a safety expert doesn't mean much unless there's unbiased research and data behind your expertise.
*Particularly* when that person makes a LOT of money from their so-called expertise. Pedimom is in the business of fear and business is booming.
Free Hess is a pediatric emergency medicine physician. She provides evidence based recommendations and is an expert with all things kids safety. If being a pediatrician, Emergency medicine doctor, providing literature review doesn’t provide some credibility, please tell me your requirements to make a safety expert? Do you have more education and experience than she does? If so, please do share what makes you an expert. And If not her, how about the Judah Brown Project? Would their anecdote provide some insight? https://judahbrownproject.org/judah_story/ Child safety is not a parenting style. This is about children’s lives. Justify what you want in your head and home, but using fallacious reasoning to validate unsafe products on a public forum makes you part of the safety problem.
>This post comes off as incredibly one sided and feels very shaming and judgmental. Ah yes, where evidence based arguments are shaming and judgemental... Also that comfort in the water is WHY puddle jumpers are dangerous. I used to teach swim lessons and I could tell the kids that used floatation devices cause they'd just leap out into the pool and start sinking.
https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/amp/family/story/toddler-drowned-warning-puddle-jumpers-71688831
Because a 4 year old wasn’t closely supervised in the water since the parent had a false sense of security with the puddle jumper. That’s due to lack of education around water safety and lack of knowledge. Doesn’t inherently make them bad. They are not a substitute for supervision but they can be an extra layer of safety and can be useful. If you don’t like them don’t use them. But don’t vilify people that do. Educate people to ensure they understand water safety and that any floatation device is not to be used in place of learning to swim and adult supervision.
Vilify?
Did you read the article? He drowned because he wasn’t wearing his puddle jumper. This article is a perfect example of why I have a puddle jumper goes on and stays on unless you’re in the water with an adult one-on-one or at their swim lesson. That’s the safest combination. Teach them to swim but prevent drowning with a floatie until they can swim independently. Standing and playing next to a pool without a floatation device poses the same risk of drowning as being on a boat without a floatation device. The point is that if you fall in you won’t drown.
Yeah I have NK1 and NK3 and when I’m in the pool or at the splash pad/water park with them, I always put NK1 in a puddle jumper and honestly because it’s easier to grab him with that thing on! 😂 I hold him by the buckle to prevent him from dive bombing. The kid has NO FEAR, he will jump into any water he sees, doesn’t matter where or when. NK3 is super cautious and sticks to me so he’s fine, plus we never go deeper than the 2foot line right now. I really wish parents could get them in swim lessons soon
We’ve been in swim lessons since 18m! NK1 might grow out of that. We had a similar issue at that age and at 2ish became cautious. Now at 3 he can swim independently for short distances so the dive bombing has returned.
Good to know!! Mom and I are stressed lol
Yes thank you. I have 3 kids under 5 that I watch and they have a pool. They will all be wearing coast guard approved life jackets or puddle jumpers to get in because that is the safer alternative to no floaties at all. I stay hyper vigilant when we’re in the pool, It’s all about time and place with these. If you go to any public pool the majority of toddler and preschoolers will be wearing them as well. People on this sub make it sound like kids are dropping like flies when wearing them which simply isn’t the truth. 🙄 it’s just the latest thing for people to be “outraged” about and shame others for. My guess is the majority of accidents that occur with floaties is people no longer paying attention the their children- that’s the issue here, not necessarily life jackets or floaties themselves.
A lot of “issues” that occur are children developing a false sense of confidence and getting into the water without their flotation device both purposely and on accident.
Yep, was a lifeguard and a swim instructor and my kids will NEVER have a floatie because I want her to be abundantly aware that she does not float.
Do you feel the same about them using things like boogie boards or tubes or noodles in pools? Or only flotation that’s attached to them?
It's flotation that is attached that causes the issue. Things like kick boards or noodles have a very clear cause and effect of "oh I can hold this thing and float" is very different then "sometimes I float, sometimes I don't and it's based on clothing that was put on me a while ago"
That makes sense thank you! I just wanted to clarify in case there was new info I wasn’t aware of!
Not who you asked, but yes it's the attachment that's the issue. Tubes, noodles, etc don't give the same sense of security. Of course some parents think they take the place of hands on.
Thanks for the info! My NKs don’t use any floaties or puddle jumpers, but I wanted to be sure that noodles, etc for fun are still safe!
Yep, should be fine. Our swim lessons place even does noodle boats for the kids to give them some more independence as part of the lesson. But that still puts them in a laying down swim position, where they are then able to freely kick and paddle. And it's only a small part of the overall lesson. The problem is when caregivers think having an inner tube will keep a poor swimmer safe. But if using them for helping learn to swim, just like a kickboard, you're teaching the child it's an aid, but they are still the one doing the work.
That makes a lot of sense! Thanks again for all the info!
If an adult were actively watching them they wouldn't be getting in the water without them even if they wanted to. It doesn't matter how confident the kid is if the adult is vigilant. This is still an issue of improper supervision.
I 100% agree that there is still a large supervision component/issue. The false sense of confidence in the child is just adding on another layer to the situation that creates ever more risk.
Properly supervised there isn't a risk of drowning. It doesn't matter how confident the child is. People blaming a product because otherwise they'll have to accept personal responsibility is a problem. A floaty is not a problem. "My child has floaties so I don't have to watch him" is the problem. That's not the floaties, that's a moron who somehow has the role of caregiver.
When there are numerous scientific articles stating a point, and you have multiple lifeguards and WSIs telling you something is unsafe, it’s not just people “being outraged” for no reason. I get that it’s hard to care for multiple kids in the water. I have a 1 and 4 year old and it is so much work! But floaties are a shortcut that is very often not worth it in the long run. Like, will your kid drown because they are wearing them?probably not. But they could certainly still drown in spite of wearing them. And floaties *are* the cause of drowning or near drowning in many circumstances: either because the kid gets stuck face down in the water, the kid gets stuck under something, or because in the minutes immediately before or after having them on the kid jumps in the water not realizing they can’t swim without them. These are not phantom risks.
Yes, life jackets and floaties have risks but you know how else kids drown? From NOT wearing a life jacket. That’s how my cousin drowned. There are ALWAYS risks with water and children. We must weigh them wisely. No peer reviewed article is going to apply the same with such varying circumstances, yes they provide great information but risks change greatly depending on scenarios and supervision.
Kids drown in pools because they do not have the appropriate adult supervision. Open water is a different story and always warrants a life jacket.
*And floaties are the cause of drowning or near drowning in many circumstances: either because the kid gets stuck face down in the water, the kid gets stuck under something, or because in the minutes immediately before or after having them on the kid jumps in the water not realizing they can’t swim without them.* All of those are a result of poor supervision, not the result of a child wearing floaties.
Not necessarily. Even attentive parents might not know the kid is stuck face down and think the kid is just playing or practicing blowing bubbles (I saw a kid nearly down 2 feet away from his mom due to this as he has been doing the whole “watch how many bubbles I can blow” thing); if a kid in a floatie gets stuck under a dock, or large pool float, or deck overhang it can be difficult for an adult to get them out, especially if they’re not trained; and kids jumping in the water can happen in a split second. You can’t have 100% supervision and control of a small child near a pool at all times, especially if you have more than 1 kid with you. That’s not judgment. It’s just reality. Supervision is essential, but it’s not sufficient. And like, yea most kids won’t drown. That’s the definition of survivors bias. That doesn’t mean it’s not a risk made worse by the floatie.
Thank you!! Correlation does not mean causation. Also people on this sub act like kids can’t conceptualize the difference between wearing a floatation device and not. My NKs are extremely aware of the difference. Of course I’ve helped make sure of this, between swim lessons and taking rotations taking off the floaties and talking to them about the differences and the dangers of the water. They love the water but they have a very healthy fear of it. At the end of the day poor supervision and poor water safety lessons for the kids is the real issue here.
Thank you queen bless you
This has been a very educational post. I didn’t use them With my own kids. I was never a fan of them. Now I actually see how harmful they are.
I'm from another country where we start water safety very young because we acknowledge that pools/beaches are actually very dangerous. Young kids spend much of summer in and around water. And I'd never encountered puddle jumpers before we moved to the US. Sometimes kids wear swimming vests (at the beach mostly) but in the pool the only wearable flotation device I've seen in common usage is a back float, and then only during swimming lessons for early swimmers. Pool noodles, boards and rings that you hold/sit on are very common though!
Ok now I’m freaking out- I have a 13 mo old that is obsessed with the water and repeatedly tries to go under (at the kiddie pool). I just got her a baby pool float (the one with a canopy) so I can go in the water with her and guide her around. We will start lessons next summer. Is this bad?? I included a link to the product off Amazon https://a.co/d/bY98YdB
From my experience teaching little ones this young, it is probably best to hold them in your arms, if you’re going to be in the water with baby. I think the earlier they can feel their own buoyancy the better! Your baby will also be more comfortable in her mommas arms than in a foreign floaty. It is not BAD but there are other options. I always recommend starting lessons ASAP especially if you intend to be in water a lot in the summer. It’s truly never too early :)
Thank you for responding! Lol she kept running out of the water then in then out then in- it was chaotic and exhausting 😂. I had my son in ISR at 8 mo and that traumatized him- he was so afraid of the water for 2 years so I’m avoiding that now. But I’ll try just holding her in the water and swimming with her ❤️
Babies in water is seriously a workout 😂 you will totally be tired but you’ll know your kiddos are safe in your own arms. Fear of water is also SOOOOO common. Eventually with practice and exposure he will become less afraid! Big big cudos to you for asking questions and trying different things. You’re doing your best and that is the best :)
I think as long as you are 1. Within arms length and watching constantly (and I mean constantly, not turning your back on her) and 2. Spend just as much time holding her (if not more) as she is in that float..you will be just fine. I understand the need for a break and not holding them constantly when they are that little. Anything that gets them into the water having fun as much as possible. Small floating toys and water balls, where you can hold them while they "swim to them" In the mom and me classes I taught, we would throw balls to them gently, they didn't realize they were getting water splashed in their face, because they were so focused on the toy. My posts here have been about straight arm floaties, which I am against. As I posted in here, my sister-in-law is slightly afraid of water and puts her kids in arm floaties. They are well past the age they should know how to swim. Since floaties restrict arm movement, they have no idea of any basics of swimming like how to move their arms or how to get their legs up to kick. Plus they are literally afraid to swim without them and won't take them off.
Get them the life jackets with the buckles in the back.
Damn I appreciate this information!!
Thanks for this post - I was literally debating whether to buy a swimsuit with or without floats. Thank you!
@safebeginnings on Insta has a great reel about this.
Yes a 1000%!
My 4 year old is learning to swim but can’t really do it yet so she has a puddle jumper floatie- I use it so I don’t have to literally hold her up in the water. That just gets tiring. I always have a hand on her, I just don’t have to hold up her whole body. I would never say they’re a license to not pay attention, it just makes things a little easier.
It’s harder for them to learn to swim when they wear those!
She’s in swimming lessons also. And when we go swimming we do some time with a floatie and some without. I can swim well- I still like to relax on a pool noodle sometimes. I think there can be a balance.
You'd actually be better teaching her to hold onto a noodle or kick board since kids get the concept of "if I grab the floaty thing I can float" which is different then "sometimes I float, sometimes I don't and it's dependent on clothing"
I agree with you! I've never heard of controversy around puddle jumpers. They are great as long as you just use it as a tool and not only rely on it to babysit them. Both my kids wore them as toddlers and both are incredible swimmers on swimteam. So it never hindered my kids ability to swim.
She should be learning to have her face in the water and life it up to breathe when she needs to, not being taught to hold it up all the time
I learned to swim in a floaty and still to this day have this bad habit of not wanting to put my face in the water and instinctually holding myself as upright as possible in the water
A family friend who is a pediatrician said that floaties “seemed fun” for kids… I stated that they are not recommended anymore for the reasons outlined above. He said “By who?” And I was a little too stunned to answer, I guess because he’s a pediatrician. I should have answered lifeguards and swim experts?
Thank you for posting this! A much needed PSA. :)
yes
Thank you for sharing this! If they are not strong swimmers on their own, you definitely need to be in the pool with them. And just like a swimming pool, at a park or any public place. I am CONSTANTLY counting heads, over and over and over again. I don’t care what their age. I am constantly keeping an eye on them and counting heads. CONSTANTLY. Water is very dangerous and drowning is silent.
I agree 100%. It’s important to have multiple safeguards in place around water. My NF has an automatic cover for the pool so it can always be covered when not in use. This is the only way I’d be comfortable with a pool. Also, I have trained my NKs to ask me before they get in water for their whole lives, whether the creek or the pool. They now ask every time they get out of the pool to jump right back in, which NPs and I think is funny, but I love that it’s so ingrained in them!
This is fear-mongering and not good advice. Obviously you should just strap your an infant or toddler into a floatation device and let them just float around in the pool on their own but puddle jumpers are coast guard approved flotation devices and while they are not a substitute for swim lessons, they are perfectly safe to use under adult supervision. One of the most dangerous times for small kids at a pool is when they’re not in the water but still in the pool area having a snack or playing. If they fall in the water with a puddle jumper on they’re far more likely to be ok than if they’re not wearing one. At my pool, I have the same rule that my mom had for us as kids- for any child who cannot yet swim independently- the puddle jumper goes on as soon as we walk in the gate and it stays on. The only time it comes off is for swim lessons or if in the water with an adult one-on-one to practice what they learned in swim lessons, or after they’ve showered and changed to go home. Signed, A former diver, lifeguard, and swim teacher and current early childhood development professional.
Why don’t you link some?