Did you know that children between 1-4 years old have one of the highest risks of drowning? This can be a huge worry for parents who have a pool in their home! That’s why it’s absolutely crucial to keep your pool safe for your little ones.
If you want to learn more about baby-proofing your pool, read on for what you can do to keep it safe for your children!
1. Begin with Basic Barriers
For starters, look into the barrier which surrounds your pool, or install one, if you haven’t already. This is the first and best line of defense to keep your pool safe and to baby-proof it. Your pool fence should be over four feet tall and is non-climbable, having delf-closing and self-latching gates that are above the reach of kids.
Make sure that you also have the right and secure type of pool fencing, which should separate the pool from your home. You may want to get pool barriers without handholds or footholds, since children may climb over it easily. Furthermore, have safety covers on your pools, which won’t only help keep a barrier for inground pools, but also protect your pool from the elements.
There are companies that can provide and install a glass pool fencing Brisbane, which keeps your pool area look great while keeping children away from the pool.
2. Have Extra Layers of Protection
What’s great about today’s technology is that there are various gadgets and devices designed for pool safety. There are pool alarms you can install on windows, doors, and gates leading to your pool area. These will go off when doors and gates leading to the pool would open.
You can also opt to install pool alarms, which detect movements and disturbances in the water when you aren’t around. Just make sure that you have it professionally installed if you aren’t familiar with how to use it yet. Also, your alarms should always be on while you’re out, having safety features and good battery to ensure that it works well in case of accidents.
3. Implement Pool Safety Rules and Give Lessons
One of the top methods to keep your pool safe is to teach your children about water safety and give them the lessons needed. Of course, it would be a bit difficult to teach babies about water safety, but it’s still good to teach them young, with experts reinforcing its recommendation those children over four years old should learn to swim.
Talk or slowly introduce your younger children to the waters, allowing them to feel comfortable before taking them to basic lessons. There are courses that can teach your young children about survival and how to rescue themselves from drowning with floating and breathing techniques.
As your children become older and understand more about the water, talk with them regarding the dangers of swimming without adults unattended. Establish rules such as:
- No running
- No diving in shallow areas
- No riding toys around the pool
- No swimming without adults present
Consider having safety signs, which work well!
4. Wearable Devices
Another backup measure to keep your little ones safe near all pools is through wearable devices. These are devices that alarm you in case your little one is in the water. These are best not only for your pools but when you and your kids are on vacation or in neighbors’ homes with pools. Select wearable devices that are sensitive, alerting you in case the device gets wet. Furthermore, it shouldn’t be easily removable by children, but still, feel light and comfortable for them. Like pool safety alarms, make sure that they are charged fully for it to work properly!
While these are helpful, do take note that these aren’t perfect devices, with some of them being prone to false alarms or not working as accurately you’d like. They do help, but don’t fully depend on them alone and use other swim-safety devices and protection barriers as well to prevent accidents.
5. Watch Your Children!
This is a very obvious tip, and this is an absolute lifesaver. Whenever your children are by the waters, either place them back inside or keep your eyes on them when they plan to swim. Even if they’re in the shallow waters or have floating devices, you should NEVER take your eyes off them.
If you’re unable to watch them, have a responsible adult do the job and supervise your younger children when they’re around the water. Furthermore, you and the caregivers should learn basic first aid and CPR, in case of accidents.
Wrapping It Up
With the right tips on baby-proofing your pool, you can keep your little ones safe and prevent any accidents. So make sure that you use these tips now and relax as you stay confident that your children stay safe from your pool. If you have any questions or tips to share, comment it below!
