Be Water Smart from the Start
There is a list of basic life skills all parents instinctively know they must teach their children to keep them safe and healthy. It includes habits like looking both ways before you cross the street, washing your hands, eating the right amount of fruits and vegetables every day. Safety in and around the water should be on the list too.
May is National Water Safety Month and the Y has programs to engage parents about the importance of water safety skills and provide more children access to water safety and swimming lessons.
For too many parents, safety in and around water is not on the list; and that's something we need to change. Fatal drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages one to 14 years old. According to the Florida Department of Health, Florida loses more children under age five to drowning than any other state.
The problem is particularly acute among minority communities. African American children ages 5 to 14 are three times more likely to drown than their white counterparts. The disparity is partly due to the lack of swimming experience among these children.
According to a recent national research study conducted by the USA Swimming Foundation and the University of Memphis, 70 percent of African American and 60 percent of Hispanic children cannot swim, compared to just 40 percent of Caucasian children.
The Y is committed to reducing water-related injuries, particularly in communities where children are most at risk. That's why the YMCAs of Tampa Bay, the Rays Foundation, JWB of Pinellas, the Children's Board of Hillsborough County and the United Way of the Suncoast are teaming up to Be Water Smart from the Start. The program is entering its third year of teaching children and adults the importance of safety around water.
In addition, Y-USA has introduced its Safety Around Water last year. It's a similar program to engage parents about the importance of water safety skills and provide more children access to water safety lessons.
As part of both programs, the YMCA of the Suncoast will provide children and even adults from low-income and underserved communities to participate in free water safety lessons. The lessons teach valuable skills like what to do if they find themselves in the water unexpectedly, a situation every child and adult should be equipped to handle.
These classes are just one of the many swim programs that millions of people from toddlers to adults take advantage of at the Y's pools across the country.
Last year the YMCAs of Tampa Bay and the Be Water Smart from the Start water safety campaign taught more than 3,000 children and adults how to be safe in and around the water. The Y and their water safety partners hope to further bridge cultural and access gaps that can prevent children from learning important water safety skills.
If you know how to stay safe in and around water, swimming can be a lifelong source of fun and exercise. Instead of keeping your children away from water, help them learn fundamental water safety skills by enrolling them in lessons. These classes can provide them a new, exciting way to keep active and meet new friends.