Parents urged to teach their children to swim this summer
FIONA Booker took her daughters to learn-to-swim classes at Burpengary so they could be more comfortable around the water, but there are more serious reasons for getting kids in the pool.
As the call of the water gets stronger, so too does the danger for young children around pools, lakes and waterways.
According to Royal Life Saving Australia's National Drowning Report, 21 kids below the age of four died in the 2011/12 season.
Representatives from Swim Australia are hoping to lower that number this coming season, and Fiona is doing her part.
She first took five-year-old Lily and three-year-old Caitlyn, to learn to swim at 18 months old and said she would have started earlier if she could have.
"We don't have a swimming pool at home but every park we visit has a lake or a fountain," Fiona said.
The girls' grandmother, Carol, learned to swim early on in her youth and has recently taken up the sport again to help with fitness.
But she said many of her friends had slipped through the cracks, something which was thankfully much harder to do these days.
"I was probably lucky that we had swimming at school," she said.
"Back then not many of the schools had their own pool.
"I'd say I've got quite a few friends who just don't know how to swim and therefore that stops them from probably going that step further and really enjoying it."
She said it was more important than ever for children to learn how to swim, given the increase in the number of backyard pools.
"I'd say every third house has a pool now," she said.
"In my time it would've been maybe one in 100 people had a pool.
"It might not have even been that many."
Even for children who are relatively experienced swimmers, proper adult supervision is essential for safety.
Keeping a close eye on your kids and keeping children under four within arms'-length at all times when in the pool are two key pieces of advice.
For information about swimming lessons call Caboolture Regional Aquatic Leisure Centre on 5431 3500.
