SAFETY INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
What does it mean to be water safe?
Everyone has their own interpretations of what being water safe is. For some it is teaching their children basic swimming skills, with the hope that these will be enough if their children ever get in trouble. For other parents it is seeing their children confident in swimming all four style strokes and having an understanding and respect for all aquatic environments.
Unfortunately these and other simple definitions of water safety fail to deal with the complexities of modern life, and the fact that Australia has many various aquatic environments (oceans, pools dams etc.)
Aquatic Achievers strongly believes that being water safe is a lifelong journey. Any water safety message should include:
- Educating your children and others about the dangers of water
- Constant, vigilant and diligent supervision of all children around water
- Pool fencing and other preventative measures
- CPR and first aid certification for all parents
- Teaching your child to swim well
What role do swim lessons at Aquatic Achievers play?
Our role is to instill pride and confidence in you and your child. Initially we do this by providing a safe, comfortable, happy environment in which to learn. Once a child has settled into the class format we then commence on teaching basic survival skills, such as dog paddling, safety falls etc. Once these skills have been retained by the child, we can then extend these skills further by introducing more formal strokes. The more proficient your children are at swimming a number of different strokes, the better equipped they are to deal with any emergency situations.
Why does my child not swim well at other pools?
Every so often we have a parent come in and tell us how their child had a bad incident in another pool. Usually the swimmer is not able to swim as well as they do at lessons and sometimes get a fright or lose confidence. The reason this happens is simple, all humans can have adverse reactions when placed in different environments. So some kids when faced with different water or surroundings, either panic or forget the skills they have learnt.
What is your role as a parent?
Parents must compliment swim lessons by providing their children with the opportunity to swim in many different aquatic environments, under various conditions. Children need to learn that all water is not the same. They must experience swimming in different pools, various depths, temperatures, with and without goggles etc. This will then provide them with the experience and confidence of knowing that they are able to handle different environments away from swimming lessons. Watch and observe your child’s behaviour in all aquatic environments. If you see a situation where your child is not comfortable (i.e. surf), then this environment needs to be explored on a regular basis until any apprehensions are diminished.
Aquatic Achievers seeks to work in partnership with parents to provide all families with the opportunity to learn and understand water safety, not just attend lessons. Swimming is a skill for life and lessons are just one important aspect of an aquatic education.
