06/14/2021
As a mom, I know I used floaties and puddle jumpers when I could not be an arm’s length away from my girls in the pool. Especially with two heading in opposite directions. But, using those type of devices all the time in the pool creates bad habits and a false sense of security. Children are not understanding how to lean forward or even to put their face in the water when they do not have these devices on. So, use them when you must. But, also take time to play on the steps with a parent or in the bathtub. Create fun experiences in the water with you! And, sign up for swim lessons with a qualified instructor!
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"I know that puddle jumpers and water wings aren't good for my kids, but what about life jackets? Can I use them in the pool instead?"
We at Judah Brown Project don't recommend ANY flotation device use in pools at all, because:
1) It teaches the children that they can swim on their own, when they really can't. That means if they get to water without the device, they will often think they can swim when they actually can't and will be more likely to get into the water without the device.
2) It puts them in a vertical position in the water, and teaches them muscle memory for that position. When they do get in the water, because the device trains a vertical (drowning) position, they automatically get in that position and then drown faster.
3) It teaches them to bicycle their arms and legs when they are in the water, which expends too much energy and does not move a child forward in the water without the device on. This makes drowning more likely if they were to find their way into water without you or their device.
4) It teaches a head up and arched position, which makes it next to impossible for a child to maintain a life saving horizontal position in the water without the device on.
5) It contributes to a water phobia. It's important that kids learn to tolerate water on their faces. These devices allow them to keep water off of their faces. So, then what happens when they get to water without the device on? They get shocked with water in their face. What happens when someone gets shocked? They take in breath automatically. What happens when they do that under water? They take in water and start the drowning process.
***Remember, the key here is NOT what the device does for the child while the child is wearing it. The key concern is what bad habits and false beliefs the use of the devices teach kids that make it more likely that they will go to water without the device on and make it more likely for them to drown if/when they do. You have to look past the now, when the device makes them float, to the future, what is the device really teaching my child to do? What would happen to them if they got to the water without the device?***
So why are US Coast Guard approved flotation devices so necessary in open water but not good for kids in pools?
The difference between pool use and open water use is:
Open water is uncontrolled water. There are so many things that can go wrong that are out of our control-waves, strong currents, branches and entanglements under the water, lack of water clarity, sudden drop offs, marine life, variable temperatures, to name a few. Everyone should be wearing life jackets in and around open water.
Pool water is controlled. It has none of the issues that open water has. It's a place where kids can and need to learn what their own bodies can and can't do in water. They NEED to feel their own body's reaction to the water, to know their boundaries and their limits, which is why any flotation devices are not good in pools. Because of that though, they also need to have survival swim lessons and one-on-one touch supervision when in and around pools, so they can safely explore the water there.
We take the good that flotation devices can offer us in open water and cause bad things to happen when we use them regularly in pools.
Remember too that the US Coast Guard DOESN'T approve ANY flotation devices for use in pools, nor do they even evaluate flotation devices for pool use. We misuse them when we take them to pools on a regular basis.
There are some small exceptions:
If children are going with a school group or a camp to a pool, they need to wear life jackets when waiting to be tested for swimming ability, so that a child doesn't slip away and into the water while waiting in line for their test.
Also, kids who can't swim who are in these kinds of groups should use life jackets, simply because there are not enough eyes on the water in these situations to monitor all of the children as closely as they need to be monitored (particularly the non-swimmers).
But hear me, that is an exception and NOT the rule for pools. Regular flotation device use in pools can and often does teach the bad habits mentioned above, especially for younger children.
Key take-aways:
Use those US Coast Guard approved life jackets at ALL times in and around open water.
DO NOT use them in pools!!
Get your kids skilled in the water instead. Survival Swim lessons for kids 6 and under. Traditional lessons with emphasis on survival skills for 6 and over.
Until they are competent enough to save themselves, always stay within arm's reach of your kids in and around the water. After they are competent, always have a water watcher watching the swimmers and doing absolutely nothing else. Switch water watchers often, to keep fresh eyes on the children at all times.
Watch the kids carefully just before and after swim times. These are the biggest danger times for drowning to happen. These are the times kids are most likely to attempt to sneak into the water alone.
