Katie Taylor, CCLS Child Life On Call for SmileMakers Inc

School's out and it's time to cool off in the pool. Whether you have a pool in your backyard or you visit a community pool, it's important to share the message with our kids that swimming is fun, but the rules come first.

I think goody-bags of summer activities is a great way to start the conversation with your patients or the kids in your life. I recently put together a bag of goodies for my patients, and I think this may be my best goodie-bag, yet!

From squishy pineapples, mini-cameras with summer pictures to summer fruit putty and sticker scenes… this bag has something for every kid!

But there is another part of summer that deserves a conversation in every household: Swim Safety. I wanted to give you some tips on how to have the conversation with the kids in your life about staying safe around bodies of water. Check out a free PDF download of these tips as well as a free Pool Rules poster to reinforce this conversation with kiddos.

Have the conversation early and often. It is never too early to talk about pool safety. From the time your child is able to talk, begin the conversation. Have the conversation before swim season even begins and keep it going all year long. Going to a friend's house with a pool? State the rules first. Have a friend over? Teach them the rules.

• Prepare yourself. If you're like me, this topic brings up a level of fear that is hard to describe. Because of this, I've been known to yell instead of discussing it in a tone that my kids can hear me. Staying calm and level-headed will only help deliver a more effective message.
• Stick to rules they can remember. Try having "Pool Rules" and talk about them every day. Our pool rules are simple, but memorable.
  • Do not go in, around, or next to a pool without an adult.
  • Do not run, play chase, or dive.
• It's not overkill - repeat these rules every single day. Hang them in a common space.
• Talk about the why. Pools are fun and meant for having a great time - that's an important message to articulate to kids so they understand these rules aren't meant to take away the fun. Ask your kids questions to provoke thinking and let them lead the conversation through their answers. Some questions to start with:
  • What happens if the pool deck is slippery and you're running on it?
  • What if you hit your head and fall in and an adult isn't there?
  • What if we leave the back gate open and a young neighbor goes back there?
• Enforce the rules. Whether your parenting style uses positive reinforcement or consequences or a healthy balance of both, here's the key: these rules are non-negotiable. When talking with your kids, say, "So now you know the rules. What discipline should we take if these rules aren't followed?" Allow them to create the consequence and be a part of choosing something that is realistic and fair to them.

Download Simple Pool Rules and this information here.