DROWNING: IT HAS ALREADY STARTED AND JUNE ISN’T OVER

Since the weather got warmer, the drowning of children has been in the news every week. The ages have varied but the outcome is still the same. Understand in no way am I making light of this serious situations but it frustrates me. Why? Drowning is a preventable death. Yes, preventable with swimming lessons and certain precautions. Most towns offer free swimming lessons all year around. If not, organizations like the Make a Splash Foundation have local providers that offer low cost swimming lessons /scholarships to students to take lessons (swim swim swim I SAY is a local provider).

A child/toddler on Saturday got away from its parents and drowned in a neighbor’s pool in New Jersey. Unfortunately, I can’t imagine what these parents are going through; my heart goes out to them. I truly hope they don’t blame themselves; this was an accident. We all know child move quick and get away from us in a blink of an eye.

Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental deaths of children. 40% of the drownings occur when children were supervised, 39 % happened with no supervision of an adult and 18% were blamed on a lapse of supervision. During the summer, three-quarter of the death take place in a child’s own back yard.

Please remember if you own a pool, have a pool close by or will be near a pool to take certain precautions.

·         A backyard pool should have at least a fence 4 foot high surrounding the pool with a self latching gate

·         Parents/caregivers need to watch children in, near or around water at all times- not socialize, read, sleep or drink.

·         Adults should know how to swim themselves and know CPR

·         Remove all ladders when a pool is not in use and store them away

·         Purchase a wrist alarm system for small children (alarms if the wrist gets wet) and have child wear them if they are around a pool or you have a pool in your back yard even if you are not using the pool that day. What is $200 when a child’s life can be saved

I ask anyone reading this to pass it on to anyone who has small children. Please help any parent not have to go through a tragic accident that can be prevented.

Be safe and see you in the water!

http://www.swimswimswimisay.com/

OH, MY HAIR!

OK, everyone. Here is my pet peeve comment made by my clients, “OH, MY HAIR”.  The title may make you say, “What?” but  believe me it gets said. Let me explain - I spoke to a father of a female child whose parents wanted to have their daughter learn how to swim. He and his wife are willing to pay for lessons and transport her anywhere. Here’s where it gets interesting; the daughter's only comment was “MY HAIR!”  If I had a dollar for every time someone said that to me, I would be rich. Here’s the problem - if you aren’t able to float or swim, you totally exclude yourself from many things. Yes, swimming is one but let’s not forget kayaking, lifeguarding, sculling, scholarship money, alternative exercise to decrease Hypertension, Cholesterol etc... The list goes on and on.

I am amazed and upset at times but not surprised. You may say why should it upset me at all. Ok, here are the reasons:
1) Drowning is the second leading cause of death among children
2) Out of 9 drownings a day 6 are minorities
3) The deaths that occurred on Louisiana, Long Beach, and a pool in Connecticut last Christmas all could have been avoided with water safety and/or swimming lessons.

Ask any parent or adult of a drowning victim if they wished they could do something different. I bet 100% would say YES.  Frightening to think “Your Hair” may someday put you in danger. Ladies, the long and short, your hair will not matter if something happens to you and you cannot control nor have an idea how to deal with your environment.

On the swim swim swim I SAY website , I recommend two companies, Carol’s Daughter and Jane Carter’s Solutions, for any type of hair. I do not make any money from boosting their hair lines. What is great about both companies - All Natural Ingredients, no Petroleum Jelly, no Wax etc. I have used both companies’ products for years. FYI Ladies - My hair is relaxed and down to the middle of my back. And if you would like my hairdresser’s name to confirm my locks of steel after all the swimming I do, call me. One more thing Ladies, I wash my hair at least 4 days a week between swimming and just working out. And my hair has not fallen out and actually has grown.

So I guess what I’m trying to say is, STOP with the “MY HAIR” comment. Your hair will be fine. Go get a wash and set after your lessons, bring your new hair products and leave looking great! Swimming and learning water safety can and will make the difference of survival for someone one day. And I hope because of “Your Hair”, family and friends will not be saddened by a statistic that did not have to be because of “Your Hair!”