When it comes to the summer seasons, there are many things to look forward to, but the one thing that keeps us going is the pool parties. Knowing how you and your family can stay safe and still beat the heat is just the beginning of surviving this season, but knowing how to properly swim is very important and needs to be addressed. People may feel overconfident in the water, but lack the preparation in case something happens and are unable to save themselves.
Knowing what to do when you’re in the water is the best thing you can do if you’re in a pool with others around you or if you are swimming by yourself. To protect yourself, learning how to swim can save your life and others’ lives as well.
“With the odds of death or injury in the water, more parents need to be adamant about teaching their kids how to swim,” North Carolina swim instructor Mike Webber says. “Learning to swim can almost always prevent something dangerous from occurring.”
Reasons why your child should learn to swim are many and varied. You need to give your child the chance to learn to swim.
The most important reason is that swimming is the only sport which can save your child’s life.Drowning is still one of the most common causes of accidental death in children, so being able to swim is an essential life-saving skill. It’s important to remember that children who appear water confident are not always competent swimmers.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 3,400 people drown in the United States every year. If you know how to swim, you might have a chance of saving someone close to you. Having the ability to swim is especially important if you are a parent or someone who works around children, as drowning is the second-leading cause of injury-related death for children less than 14 years old.
Other reasons why your child should learn to swim
Swimming is lots of fun for people of all ages and children especially love getting in the water and enjoying themselves.
But it is not just fun, swimming also provides loads of health benefits which can help to keep your children healthy and happy at the same time:
Most doctors agree that swimming is a healthy form of exercise. It requires you to use many of the muscles in your body, is for building strength and endurance and is beneficial for your metabolism and cardiovascular system. The water provides a natural resistance when you are swimming, while also making the activity less strenuous on your body. Water, in most cases, also provides a natural cooling element for the body.
Swimming keeps your child’s heart and lungs healthy, improves strength and flexibility, increases stamina and even improves balance and posture
Another great thing about swimming is that children of any age or ability can take part and it is more accessible for children with additional needs than almost any other sport.
Swimming provides challenges and rewards accomplishments, which helps children to become self-confident and believe in their abilities
Your child will have plenty of opportunities to make friends and grow in confidence
But health, fun, and confidence are not the only reasons why your child should learn to swim. Learning to swim also opens up the door to a range of other activities.
“Take care of your kids in the best way this summer by signing them up for swim classes so that they can make safe decisions and keep themselves and others from getting hurt.” Mike Webber is a swim advocate and teacher, you can learn more about his cause by calling 704-885-6652.
