We all know how important it is to watch your children while they swim, or why it’s necessary to teach your children important rules about going around pools, but what about water safety in your home?
There are a lot of places that are often overlooked when it comes to keeping your home safe.
Home pools and spas are, of course, drowning hazards. It is very important to keep those things covered! But did you know that children can drown in just 6 centimeters of water? Now, I want you to think of all the other objects in your home that are full or potentially full of water. Yikes. Toilet bowls. Unemptied tubs. Sinks. Bird baths. Pet dishes. Babies and toddlers are curious little things, and even older kids, too!
When it comes to the little ones, here are some things you can do to make your home safer:
Eliminate distractions. Ever had one kid in the tub while the other yells asking for a glass of water while the other one is throwing a fit on the couch? #relatable. Now imagine leaving the child in the tub to tend to your other kids, and they slip under the water, despite being in a bath seat. You would never hear it because drowning is silent.
According to the Consumer Product Saftey Commision, about two-thirds of the drowning deaths in the home, not including pools, occur in bathtubs. Some of these bathtub drowning deaths happened when children were in bath seats or rings.
Cover objects containing water. This also applies to places you’d never think there would be an issue. Mopping the floor? Keep the bucket of water out of reach. Have a Koi pond or fountain in the front yard? Make sure they’re covered. Check out these customized safety nets.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that about 87 children drown each year from other hazards around the home.
Educate everyone. You may be thinking “Look at the odds, it’ll never happen to me!” That’s what every person who has lost a child to drowning was thinking. No matter how unlikely it may seem that a child would drown in a toilet or pet bowl, it has happened! Ever caught a child using the toilet as a pool for their toys? #Ew. All it takes is for a toy to fall in, and a child to go after it.
Educating your children on basic water safety can go a long way. It’s never too early to begin taking measures to ensure a child’s water safety. Swim lessons, for example. Teach them when it’s okay to play in or near water, and what to do if they fall in. Don’t forget to tell grandparents, nannies, your spouse, and all of your friends!
In short, it’s always good to be prepared for even the most unexpected accidents. It is not a choice to be surrounded by water, it’s everywhere! However, it is a choice to be water safe.