I will WATCH
The WATCHING Initiative is a multi-strategy approach to prevent drowning, that starts and ends with parents ACTIVELY WATCHING (not passively supervising) their children. Each letter in the word WATCHING will give parents a specific strategy to use with their children in and around water.
These strategies will TEACH rules around the water, ESTABLISH safe boundaries, SHOW parents how to create a designated waiting area and INTRODUCE their child to this strategy.
The WATCHING Initiative also covers water safety essentials like the appropriate use of life jackets, the role of swimming lessons and perhaps the most important, the removal of all distractions when your child is in or near any water environment, ensuring that WATCHING is always your #1 priority.
Who is CPR certified?
Assign a waiting area.
Touch and active watching.
Cell phones down.
Have appropriate personal flotation devices (PFDs).
Install all barricades.
Never leave without checking entry points.
Get your child enrolled in swim lessons.
Download our FREE poster to learn more about The Watching Initiative strategies and begin implementing them in your family today!
Why The WATCHING Initiative is so important
Drowning is the #1 cause of accidental death in children under 5 each year in the United States.
And drowning is 100% preventable, especially if our children have adults in their life who have been educated with water safety information, effective drowning eradication systems and have been empowered with life saving tools and strategies
Despite all we know, all we do, the fact remains that fatal drownings continue to rise each year. In fact, they have risen 11.5% in just the past 3 years.
The WATCHING Initiative is important because it is the first line of defense in eradicating drowning.
It will introduce parents to 8 strategies to guide and assist them as they teach their children the rules around water and establish safe boundaries for them. It will show parents how to create a "WAITING AREA" for their children and them teach them step by step how to implement this both inside and outside their home around all water environments. It also covers important topics like proper use of lifejackets/PFD's, the role of swimming lessons in water safety and how to find a quality program in your city that produces results.
Lastly but most importantly, the WATCHING Initiative reminds parents of the importance of removing distractions when your child is in or near water.
It’s time to eradicate drowning.
Well, it’s actually past time.
Welcome to The WATCHING Initiative.
