By Megan Sumeracki
Welcome to May! In many parts of the world, the pools have been open for a while, and in New England where I live, many neighbors will start opening their pools over Memorial Day Weekend at the end of the month. Water safety is not just about summer months (lakes even when frozen over, bathtubs, and buckets are all things to watch out for year-round) but when the weather gets warmer the opportunities for water play, and the need for water safety instruction, increases.
It’s not fun to talk about, but drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death in kids aged 1-4. Kids can drown in even small amounts of water. And, anecdotally many think that they will hear if their child is in danger with the water (think splashing, yells for help, etc.). But in reality, drowning is very quick and silent. This doesn’t mean we should completely avoid water play, though! Rather, teaching kids about water safety, and learning about how we can best keep our children safe, is crucial.
For today’s digest, I’ve put together resources from organizations on water safety. Brush up on these water safety tips, and then enjoy the water!
