Beach Safety for Children

Swimming at the beach is one of the most amazing experiences that children remember from their childhood. The first time you realize just how massive the ocean is you will never be able to forget, but is there anything you should be worried about? The beach introduces a whole different set of safety issues than those that are found at the pool. So what should you do to keep your children safe? This article will list a few things to keep in mind when taking your child to the beach.

Sunscreen

Perhaps the first precaution you should take before heading down to the beach is buying the appropriate sunscreen for you and your children. Prolonged exposure to the sun can cause nasty sunburns that can cause your children to have to sit around the hotel room for a few days, so it is best to avoid that kind of pain if at all possible. Sunscreen in measured by a unit of measurement known as SPF, the higher the SPF, the stronger the sunscreen.

Location and Lifeguard

When going to the beach it’s important that you pick the safest location, preferably located near the lifeguard. You should never pick a location that is very remote. Under the possibility that you need to go to the bathroom or go get something to drink something could happen to your child. It’s important to realize that the lifeguard is not meant to babysit your children; he’s on duty to save lives. You should always be watching your children to make sure that the lifeguard doesn’t have to step in.

Set the Rules

Before going to the beach it’s always a good idea to lay down some ground rules with your children. Examples of good rules include not swimming too far out and not touching random objects that have washed to shore. It’s important that your children understand that swimming out too far is dangerous because you can easily get tired and have a hard time swimming back to shore. You should also explain to your child that the ocean is not a pool and it’s not always a good idea to dive into it depending on your surroundings. Even if there is a high location there is no guarantee that the water won’t be shallow, so it’s best just not to dive.

If you follow these basic rules you and your children are much more likely to have a fun and safe trip to the beach. The most important rules to remember is that you shouldn’t use the lifeguard as the babysitter and ultimately you are responsible for the actions of your children.

Photo Credits: mikebaird

This post involves:

experiences, few days, going to the beach, hard time, hotel room, lifeguard, pool, precaution, prolonged exposure, random objects, safety issues, sun, sunburns, unit of measurement

... and focuses on:

Safety, Swimming

Posted by Bike Swim Run on October 15, 2009 in Safety, Swimming. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.