At the Darren Lange Swimming Academy (DLSA), we pride ourselves on nearly three decades of teaching swimming skills to children. However, beyond the joy of swimming lies a critical foundation: water safety. For parents, understanding the significance of water safety is paramount to ensuring their child's well-being around thee aquatic environment.
Here are the five essential pillars of water safety every parent should be aware of:
1. Swimming Skills
- Why it's important: Swimming isn't just a fun activity or a sport; it's a life skill. The ability to swim reduces the risk of drowning, the leading cause of unintentional injury death in children.
- DLSA's approach: We focus on providing tailored lessons to match every child's individual pace, ensuring they're confident in their abilities and can swim with ease.
2. Supervision Around Water
- Why it's important: Drowning can happen quickly and quietly. Active supervision is the best way to prevent water-related accidents.
- DLSA's approach: We emphasis the importance of "active watching". It means not just being present but being attentive and focused on the child.
3. Awareness of Water Hazards
- Why it's important: Different water environments pose different threats. It could be the unpredictable waves at the beach, the quiet depth of a backyard pool, or the hidden current in a river.
- DLSA's insight: Educating parents and children about the unique risks associated with different water bodies is crucial. We arm our swimmers with the knowledge they need to navigate these situations.
4. Emergency Preparedness
- Why it's important: In the unfortunate event of a water emergency, immediate response can make the difference between life and death.
- DLSA's approach: We encourage parents to be equipped with lifesaving skills such as basic water rescue techniques and CPR.
5. Safe Water Behaviours
- Why it's important: Understanding safe behaviours, like walking (not running) around the pool or always swimming with a buddy, can prevent accidents.
- DLSA's wisdom: We embed these behaviours into our teaching, making them second nature for our students. These habits, once formed, stay with them for life.
Conclusion
At DLSA, our commitment extends beyond teaching children to swim. It's about imparting a culture of water safety, a gift that protects them for life. As we've been fondly saying for decades, it's not just about strokes and techniques; it's about love, care, and genuine concern for our students and their families. We're grateful for the trust parents have placed in us over the years and will continue to prioritize the safety of their little ones.