Make water safety a summer priority
Keep the whole family safe around the water -- whether you're visiting a pool, lake, river, ocean or water park.
Review the rules before kids jump in.
Establish water-safety rules for each child based on age, height and swimming ability. At public facilities, read posted signs aloud and make sure your children understand. Introduce kids to lifeguards, and tell the children never to swim without adult or lifeguard supervision.
Teach children to dive carefully.
Don't let your kids go headfirst into water less than 5 feet deep. Instruct them to dive only from the end of a diving board, not from the sides of a board or the edge of a pool.
Protect your family's feet.
Get swim shoes or aqua socks for everyone -- look for styles that have rubber soles to prevent poolside slips.
Never drink while kids are swimming.
Don't drink alcohol when your children are in the water. It slows response time and impairs balance, coordination and alertness.
Research water parks beforehand.
Get nationwide data on injuries from Saferparks ( ). Be observant before letting kids on a ride. Check that the operator doesn't look distracted and that the water's not too deep.
Take a CPR class.
Call the American Heart Association ( ) to find classes, or get the Family & Friends CPR Anytime Personal Learning Program, a 22-minute video ($30; ).
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