4. Supervise
It is essential that you supervise young children at all times whether they are near the pool or other bodies of water. Young children are naturally curious – they are drawn to water. They can easily overbalance and topple in, so supervision around water is an absolute necessity.
It’s also important that parents never rely on floatation devices to do the supervision for them. If you have young children visiting and you have a pool it is essential that one adult is put in charge as a lifesaver. This adult should never be consuming alcohol. The presence of older children, or several children, does not reduce the threat of drowning. Children very often don’t realise that their mate is in trouble or they are unable to act in an emergency.
Remember:
- All adults are responsible for supervision
- Supervising adults should not be drinking alcohol
- Floatation devices do not replace adult supervision
- Older siblings should not supervise other children
