CYPRESS, Texas – Sabrina Whittembury put her children in swim lessons at just a few years old.
“You can’t have your eyes on them all the time, 24/7. If you’re in a place and they’re playing with each other, a lot of things can happen. If you create that knowledge and that safety, it’s going to be life-changing for them,” she said.
Swim lessons can begin at many places and as early as 3 months old.
“Initially they’re going through survival skills, learning if there was an accident how to get out of the water on their own,” explained Christina Richmond, Aquatics Director at Life Time Athletics in Cypress.
Flotation devices, she says, can be used as a teaching tool but shouldn’t be relied on as a safety net over proper supervision. Proper supervision is the 25:10 rule.
“If a swimmer cannot continuously swim on their own for 25 meters, then an adult must be in the water with them at least 10 feet from the swimmer,” Richmond explained. “Twenty-five meters is the length of our pool from one end to the other, unassisted.”
For Sabrina, it’s important that her kids gained that strength, no matter what water they’re in.
“Especially in Houston, you have lakes, pools, if you want to go in the ocean,” she said. “If moms are asking why, ‘I don’t have access to a pool?’ It’s not about that. It creates a sense of independence for them.”
The ultimate safety tip is for everyone to know CPR.
Plus, the color of your swimsuit matters.
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