Why checking water entry and exit points every time makes all the difference
Why you should never leave without checking water entry points
Growing up, I vividly remember my mom saying, "It is best not to use the words 'never' or 'always' because in both instances, what you are saying is probably not true."
I never go to bed before 10pm. Really? NEVER?
I always eat my vegetables. Really? ALWAYS?
I never leave my clothes on the floor. NEVER?
Do you see what I’m getting at?
In this post, however, I will go against my mom's advice and use the word NEVER because, in this instance, it could be the word that could save your child's life.
I am talking about the “N” strategy in The Watching Initiative:
NEVER leave a water environment without checking entry and exit points.
I share this startling statistic often, but it is worth repeating. Nearly 70% of childhood drownings happen during non-swim times.
These non-swim-time accidents happen when a parent may have thought their child was napping, watching TV, or playing in another room, but they weren't. Instead, that child managed to get outside or into a bathroom undetected and ended up in water.
When you pair that statistic with the knowledge that kids are fast, and drowning can happen silently, and in as little as 30-60 seconds, you can plainly see how crucial it is to ensure all entry points to any water environment are CLOSED, SECURE and LOCKED. Every single time.
These tragedies are heartbreaking, and when they happen, caregivers are left devastated and shamed. Instead of letting another one of these preventable accidents happen, let's implement every one of the eight Watching Initiative strategies, including “Never leave a water environment without checking entry points.
In this post, you'll learn what to check and how to check it so that you can make it a nightly habit and a situational practice anytime your child may be able to access water.
Our goal with this water safety strategy is to be proactive. You want to get to the point where checking water entry points every time is as automatic as locking your car door when you park or turning off lights in your home at the end of the night.
Checking entry points is also an opportunity to reinforce water safety boundaries with your child. When possible, invite your child to be a part of the process. Talk to them about what you're doing and why and, when possible, engage them by having them help you put up the "Closed— I Will Wait" barricade tape from your Waiting Whales Water Safety Kit. Remember to have the blue "Wait Here" tape, and the Waiting Whales Mat set up in a safe, designated area so that even if somehow an entry point is missed, they have another layer of reminder to never enter the water without you.
Now, let’s talk about what to do when checking entry and exit points inside your home, outside your home, in the neighborhood, and while traveling.
Inside Your Home
Home water environments should be the easiest ones to secure, but they are often overlooked due to complacency and familiarity.
In your home, do your best to be rigorous in your attention to detail. Consider making yourself a checklist on a dry-erase board to remind yourself of the places to secure, especially as you begin building this habit. Your list should include things like:
Setting up bathtubs with the red “Closed—I Will Wait” tape and a “Wait Here” blue tape area.
Drain the bathtub immediately after bathtime.
Checking any toilet seat or faucet locks in the bathrooms or laundry rooms.
Locking doors to bathrooms or laundry rooms.
Ensuring that your child cannot access the yard via a pet door.
Locking and alarming any exterior doors that would otherwise allow access to water in the yard.
Removing any water dishes for animals from the floor.
In Your Yard
If you have any water environment with a fence around it (hot tub, pool) or leading out to it (lake, pond, beachfront), systematically check that all gates are securely closed and locked. And, if you have a pool, I promise it's worth the time it takes to close it every single time.
Here are the backyard checklist items to consider:
Lock all gates and fences around pools, hot tubs, or water access.
Move any objects that can be climbed on to get over the fence away from the fence.
Lock exterior yard gates as an added layer of protection for children in the neighborhood.
Routinely check each fencing section to ensure nothing is loose or broken.
Always immediately drain blow-up pools after use.
Don’t leave any toys in the pool or on the pool deck.
If you have an above-ground pool with a removable ladder, be sure to remove it immediately after getting out of the pool. Doing so clearly indicates that the pool is closed.
Put up the red “Closed—I Will Wait” tape to close water environments and designate a safe “Wait Here” blue tape area far enough from water as an added reminder.
In the Neighborhood
Unfortunately, while we can control what's inside our homes and on our property, we have less control over community spaces or neighbors' yards. Still, if you have an apartment pool complex, double-check that gate before you go to bed at night. And if you have neighbors with accessible water, redouble your efforts to keep your doors/windows alarmed so that your child cannot leave your home unattended and find themselves in danger in someone else's water.
When You’re Traveling
When vacationing or staying with relatives, be extra vigilant about potential water access. Bring childproofing supplies when possible and applicable, take your Waiting Whales Water Safety Kit supplies with you, and communicate with your host about their barricades. At the end of the day, check all locks, alarms, and gates to ensure your child cannot access water unattended.
Remember, if you can't find your child, always check nearby water environments first.
I hope you’ll join me, just this once, in ignoring my mom’s advice and NEVER leaving without checking water entry points. Your child’s life depends on it!
Want more information about the eight life-saving strategies of the Watching Initiative?