# Pond swimming: help me decide what's safe



## Daffodil (Aug 30, 2003)

DD (7 1/2) isn't a strong swimmer, but she can swim well enough to keep herself afloat for a pool's length. I'm trying to decide whether it's safe to let her swim into deep water (over my head) in my sister's pond. (Pretty much the whole pond is that deep, except for a little piece at one end.) I'm not a strong swimmer either, and it's unlikely I could save her if she suddenly got into trouble and started sinking. (I might not even be able to see her underwater - the water is very dark.) But how likely is it that she would get into trouble? (Assuming she only swims a short distance and doesn't get tired out.) You hear about people getting cramps and being unable to keep swimming, but does that actually happen in real life?

What if she's holding onto a noodle? It's hard for me to imagine any way she could drown in that case, but maybe there's something I've never thought of.

And what about jumping in? Is that any more dangerous than just swimming or floating? It feels a little more dangerous to me, because she'd go down far enough to disappear into the dark water - but if she's used to jumping into deep water, is there actually any chance she'd have trouble coming back up again?


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## Arduinna (May 30, 2002)

My personal opinion is that no child should be swimming without someone else that is capable of saving them if needed nearby.


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## Violet2 (Apr 26, 2007)

I've had a cramp in waist high water and I could not move and would have drowned without someone to help me. So cramps are serious.

I would put her in a life jacket or skip swimming altogether. There's always the sprinkler.

V


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## Daffodil (Aug 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Arduinna* 
My personal opinion is that no child should be swimming without someone else that is capable of saving them if needed nearby.

Until what age or level of swimming ability?


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## crunchy_mommy (Mar 29, 2009)

I wouldn't... could you take some swim classes so you could be more prepared to help her if she got into trouble? Or would/could your sister be around as well? I'd be hesitant to let any child, any age, swim without a capable adult swimmer watching, and I even think it's best if adults swim with others around (though obviously that's not always possible)...


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## MoonStarFalling (Nov 4, 2004)

I wouldn't feel comfortable letting her swim without a life jacket. I would let only let a child swim in that case if a very strong swimmer AND with someone who is watching closely and could easily jump in and save her.


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## Daffodil (Aug 30, 2003)

The thing is, I'm not much better at swimming than DD is, and it feels totally safe to me to go over to the pond by myself, jump in, and swim to the end. I don't have the slightest fear that I could drown doing that. So it's hard to see it as very dangerous for DD to do the same thing, at least once she can swim as well as I can - and she's almost there. Am I wrong to feel safe swimming in the pond myself?

And what if she's holding onto a noodle - no one has addressed that yet. Does it seem safe for her to be in deep water then?


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## cyclamen (Jul 10, 2005)

Anecdotal data... we moved to Florida when I was 9 and my brother was 7. My parents let us swim in a big pond, the ocean, a river, the spring, etc all the time. I've always been a competent swimmer, but not a particularly strong one, as far as I recall. Both my parents are former scuba divers, and both grew up around bodies of water (my dad grew up on the Mississippi) but by that time it had probably been a number of years since they had been really strong or regular swimmers.

Here is some information about cramps and how to prevent them (warm up, stay hydrated, watch out for cool water, keep your electrolytes balanced):

http://www.spma.net/cramp.htm

This is some information about what to do if you get a cramp (stay calm, roll onto your back, massage the cramp), but it may be outdated:

http://swimming.about.com/gi/dynamic...mmingc_hj.html

I honestly do not know what I would choose in your situation. Maybe start out in the one very shallow bit and move on from there? Pond swimming is a lot of fun, but safety should always be a priority.


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## snoopy5386 (May 6, 2005)

I would let her swim with a life vest - with a noodle she could let it go to swim around a bit and may not be able to get to it again. You can get a life vest at Target for like $15.


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## ASusan (Jun 6, 2006)

Maybe it's the former lifeguard in me, but NO one, any age, swims without another competent swimmer around.


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## StoriesInTheSoil (May 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Daffodil* 
Until what age or level of swimming ability?

Until always. I don't think that adults should swim without someone that is able to help/save them if they get into trouble. I really think that in your case I wouldn't let the child in the pond without a life jacket. A noodle does not count as a life jacket, she could lose her grip on it in an emergency and it won't keep her afloat without her working to stay up.


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## LuminosaJane (May 10, 2007)

Lifeguard here...

I agree--a noodle is not considered a suitable safety device. I would put my child in a life jacket in this situation and make sure to sign up her up for more swimming lessons so that she could be ready next year.


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

I would also put my child in a life jacket in the situation you describe (if I wasn't a good swimmer). Even DD who is 11 and has been on swim team I would want in a life jacket.


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## mamadelbosque (Feb 6, 2007)

I think I'd just make her wear a life jacket at all times in deeper water untill she became a much better swimmer. If you were a more competent swimmer I'd be fine with it - I would be with my kids by that age I'm sure (I've taken & passed lifeguarding and would love to get it renewed someday again... but I'm not going to be working as such anytime soon, so theres no real 'point' IMO...). But if you can't swim well, and aren't confidant that you could perform a rescue of your dd, I'd make her wear a lifejacket till she becomes a more competent swimmer.

Good luck!!


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## Katie T (Nov 8, 2008)

Unless it is a baby pool with me right there or until they are a strong swimmer (and yet again I am right there) they have to wear approved life jackets. Drowning happens so fast and silently it isn't worth the risk and I am a strong swimmer.

If it is anything but a pool they wear life jackets even as strong swimmers because I am scared of the fact that I can't see them when they go under.


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## Daffodil (Aug 30, 2003)

Those of you who recommend life jackets - Do your kids actually wear life jackets while swimming, and do they enjoy it?


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## snoopy5386 (May 6, 2005)

My DD has a swim vest, not a life vest that she wears at the pool. She wears it without complaint. Her buddy wears a life vest with no complaints as well.
Just today I read an article about a 12 yo and his 59 yo uncle who both drowned in a backyard pool. The boy was having trouble, the uncle tried to save him and they are both dead. With your situation - deep, dark water, no strong swimmers, a life vest is a must.

http://wjz.com/local/pool.drown.2.1820255.html


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## tbone_kneegrabber (Oct 16, 2007)

ds has a swim vest, not a life vest, and he LOVES it, in fact he wore most of the day yesterday at the beach, even though he never went in the water above his ankles (his choice!)

I don't know what I would do in your case, but I do think that swimming is an important life skill and learning younger is easier than older (it seems to be "embarrassing" for a lot of adults I know who don't know how to swim to take lessons)


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## Daffodil (Aug 30, 2003)

Does anyone have a kid who knows how to swim and who enjoys swimming (not wading) while wearing a swim vest or life vest?


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Daffodil* 
Does anyone have a kid who knows how to swim and who enjoys swimming (not wading) while wearing a swim vest or life vest?

Yep! My daughter, 6.5, can swim and wears her life jackets regularly. We live off of a lake, and the kids love to go in much more than I do.







If they are swimming without an adult physically in the water they must wear life jackets. Similarly, we went on vacation and took out a pontoon boat into the lake, they were required to wear the life jackets on the boat at all times, and when jumping into the water off the boat, even though there were adults in the water with them. DD has opportunities to strengthen her swimming skills without a life jacket, but deep, dark water without an adult that is a strong swimmer? That would absolutely not be one of them.


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## THANKFULFORFIVE (Jan 8, 2009)

I raised four kids and a number of foster kids in a house with a very large pond out back. We had a paddle boat and ALL kids under 12 wore life-vests. When swimming, until they were in middle school or older, EVERYONE wore a life vest. As they got older, and because they knew the "geography" of the pond, they were allowed to swim without them under close supervision. I did not allow even the teenagers to swim unless an adult was outside with them. Our pond had a very muddy bottom and many large tree stumps underneath. Old snagged fishing lines, construction debris and various household goods had been blown in to the pond and sunk to the bottom over the years. This makes for a potentially dangerous environment for younger children who may get snagged and trapped. Oh, and don't forget the heavy moss and algae that can tangle little swimmers...


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