Keeping Kids Safe in and Near Water

Most years, we don’t have to worry about the kids venturing out to swim until May or June. They’re in school for most of the spring and it’s not really warm enough during spring break for them to swim outdoors. However, this year, with the recent pandemic, things are a bit different. Our kids may be out of school for the rest of the year.

At a minimum, they probably won’t return until the middle of spring. This means there’s an even greater chance that they’ll be near water or a swimming pool. As parents, it’s your job to keep your kids safe. But you can’t always be there when they’re outside playing or hanging at a friend’s house. So, it’s important to teach your kids the rules when it comes to safety.

Here, we’ll talk about some of the biggest things that can injure children in or near the water. We’ll also give some practical advice on how to keep your kids safe this season. Everybody wants to have a good time. But it’s better if that good time can avoid a trip to the emergency room. If your loved one does suffer a serious injury near the water, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in Birmingham, Alabama right away. They can handle the legal side of things while you focus on getting your child better.

Set Some Ground Rules

We understand that this is easier said than done. But you want to try to set some ground rules for your children. If at all possible, then, yes, make sure you’re with your kids if they’re going to be near water. However, this may not be feasible. Maybe you have to work. Or, you may have several children of varying ages and can’t possibly spend every waking second with your kids. This is why it’s a good idea to set some rules for all of your kids to follow. Post these rules on the wall in your house and remind them of these rules often. Some common rules include:

• Never swim alone
• Never swim in water that they can’t reach the bottom of
• Always let a grown-up know when they are entering the water
• It is never a good idea to go in the water when it’s dark or when it’s raining
• Always use the buddy system

In a perfect world, your children will heed these warnings. But we don’t live in a perfect world. If something happens and they do get hurt, call our office right away.

Learn CPR

No matter what ages your children are, always learn CPR. Even if you don’t have kids, you never know when this can come in handy. You can learn CPR in your community for little to no cost. And, once you learn this valuable lesson, you can feel safe that you’ll be able to assist your children or anyone else for that matter. But just because you know CPR, that doesn’t mean the other rules go out the window. You need to always stay on top of your kids and what they’re doing when there’s water around.

Supervise Your Kids When They’re Near Water

We understand that you can’t watch your kids every second of the day. But if you intend to allow them near a pool or other body of water, you need to be there with them. If children do not have adult supervision while in the water, they’re much more likely to drown or get hurt. If you can’t be there yourself, make sure another adult that you trust will be there to supervise.

Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer Right Away

If something does happen and your child is hurt near the water, call our office right away. You may need to talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer who can review your case. If you have a potential legal claim, you’ll want to act sooner rather than later. If your child is hurt while on someone else’s property, then they should be held responsible for your child’s injuries. It all depends on the circumstances of your case.

Contact us today and schedule your free initial consultation. Sit down with a lawyer who’s handled cases like yours before. They can let you know if you have a case from the beginning. And, if you do, they can give an idea of what it might be worth. It’s always good to have a legal professional by your side at times like this. There’s too much at stake to try to handle it on your own.