Survive the Summer: Swimming lessons for your kids

Here in Southwest Florida, being around bodies of water is almost unavoidable, so teaching your kid to swim is a must for parents.

Often times parents rely too much on the swimming aids like arm floats for their kids. But the only way to ensure they are the safest around the water is to make sure they know how to swim.

Amelia Greel knows this reality all too well. Several months ago her daughter went into a coma after drowning in the pool at her father’s house.

Her mother thought she was a good swimmer because she looked like she was doing well with the floating devices she was using. While they are convenient to use, experts say they are teaching your kid improper swimming techniques.

“It is teaching them a vertical posture where they are keeping their head above the water and their feet dangling down…that is actually a drowning posture,” said swimming instructor Kathy Cole.

There is often debate about the correct age to start teaching your child to swim, but some suggest as early as 6 months of age is early enough to begin teaching them.

For more information about swimming lessons for your kids, visit the Healthchildren.org website here.