Swimming lessons are a fundamental element of everybody’s overall water safety. According to the Red Cross, roughly half of Americans cannot swim well enough to save themselves from drowning. Even worse, only four in ten parents of children ages 4-17 report that their child can perform all five basic swimming skills.

These essential water skills include being able to:

• Step or jump into the water over your head;
• Return to the surface, float or tread water for one minute;
• Turn around in a full circle and find an exit;
• Swim 25 yards to this exit;
• Exit from the water. If in a pool, you must be able to exit without relying on a ladder.

Unfortunately, even though so many children are not competent swimmers, the Red Cross also found that nine in 10 (92 percent) of the kids surveyed are likely to participate in water activities during the summer. That’s very worrisome news!

At Pool Fence DIY, we’ve touched on the health benefits of swimming before. We’ve even discussed how to recognize drowning. In today’s blog, let’s take a look at the value of swimming lessons and why every person should be properly trained.

The Value of Swimming Lessons

Did you realize that drowning is the leading cause of death for children who are four years of age and younger? It’s true. Even though many of our readers have closed their pools for the colder months, safety never stops.

Signing up for swimming lessons is a great start for children. It builds their self-confidence while teaching them a critical life skill. Parents always want to protect their children. The sad fact is that no person is perfect. We simply can not be everywhere at once. That’s where self-reliance comes in handy.

As a precaution, swimming lessons offer children the necessary tools to save their own lives in an emergency. For example, if someone accidentally falls off a boat, proper swimming skills are an important survival ability. Truth be told, a well trained swimmer makes the water safer for everyone. The experience that comes from swimming lessons will help any child better understand and cope with potentially dangerous situations in the water.

Swimming Lessons Are Just as Important for Adults

Of course, swimming lessons for kids are fine and dandy… but what about the adults? This should not be surprising, but it is important for them to learn as well! As we discovered from the Red Cross, far too many of us are not able to save ourselves in the water. If we are truly concerned about water safety, competent basic swimming is a necessary skill.

According to this 1994 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 37 percent of adults in the United States cannot swim farther than the length of a standard pool. Swimming lessons can help adults feel more confident in the water. Even better, you’ll be able to help if you see a struggling child. Also, a non-swimming parent can have unintentional repercussions for the younger generations. A study from the USA Swimming Foundation explains that when a parent doesn’t know how to swim, there’s only a 13 percent chance that their child will learn. Understanding proper swimming technique can save lives.

When it comes to water safety, it is essential that everyone else in the family learns how to swim. Fortunately, it’s never too late to learn. No matter where you live, there are adult swimming lessons available to you.

Adults learn to swim all the time, and you can too!