I was horrified to learn today that some places only teach children how to swim during the summer. In Australia it's taught all year round because people swim all year round. Even in winter we go to indoor heated pools and some still brave the surf. We have alot of people come to visit Oz in our Summer time and head for our beautiful beaches only to end up in trouble, or worse.... drown!! But my main concern is how many young children under the age of 5 years old drown. I understand that swimming lessons can be quite expensive, so I have listed a few things that anyone can teach their own child in the water.

TEACHING YOUR CHILD TO SURVIVE THE WATER

**I can’t stress enough that a good teacher is a confident one. If your not 100% confident in teaching your child to swim THEN DONT!!!!

• Get them use to the water from the start. My Jayden is a water baby and has been since he was 3 months old.
• Gain their trust in the water so they're relaxed. You can take some bath toys with you so it's a fun experience for them.
• Make every water experience a good one. If your child is afraid of the water then start by only going into the water for 10 minutes at a time at first then gradually extend their time in the water. **Don’t think for a minute that a child who is afraid of the water won’t end up there at some stage.
• Once you have their trust in the water the next thing to teach them is how to jump in the water and swim back to the edge. Vary how they get into the water but start off with them jumping in feet first then grab them under the water, turn them around and help them get back to the edge and climb out. Give plenty of praise. Keep this up until your child is jumping in willingly. **They will still need your help getting back to the edge and climbing out until they can swim alone.
• Next step is to teach them how to float. Hold them with one hand over their chest and the other under their lower back and rest their precious head on your shoulder with your cheek pressed against theirs and slowly walk around the pool with them. Talk to them or sing to them and even give them a toy to hold. Do what ever it takes to help or keep them relaxed.
• Once your child gets confident doing this and can respond to a command (so they're about 18 months old +) extend your hand from their chest to under their neck so your holding them faced away out in front of you but keep your face close to theirs so they don’t feel like they're going to fall.
• Once your child is happy to do this then progress to just having one hand under their neck. It's important that they push their chest up and face the roof as this will make it easier for them to float. When your child gets better down the track and with heaps of practice they may be happy enough to float alone to the count of 10, but dont push them as all children are different with how long they take.
• Once your child is confidently floating by themselves (as in without your assistance but with you close by in the water) try and get them to come out of the floating position by tucking their knees in and help them get to the edge of the pool. This will give them the skills to rest before getting back to the edge if they're tired.
• Then when they can jump in the water and get themselves back to the edge you know you've done the basics for them if your back should be turned long enough that they gain access to the water.

**Please note that I am not a swimming teacher and these tips come from personal experience with my own children's professional swimming lessons**

There are many other ways a child can drown, the toilet, a bucket, a shallow puddle, the bath anywhere that water can gather. Where there's water your child is at risk.

More water safety tips

I sit here and hear the latest news of another small child losing their life to water and it brings back memories of the day we lost our first son, Dion. You'll be suprised how many of these children lived in homes where there was a pool fence and the child simply climbed over and went straight into the water. It not only happens quickly but it happens silently! Since Dion's accident in January 2007 there have been way too many more children's lives lost. Considering it is the number one cause of deaths in children under the age of 5 years old why are parents not taking action and fighting to preserve their children's future. It should also be part of our children's education. Jayden will learn to swim before he learns to walk and has been doing swimming lessons since he was 3 months old. He loves the water and already knows his cue for holding his breath before he goes under the water and he's only 5 months old. The toddlers who attend the centre who started at Jayden's age are swimming unaided from their mums to the side of the pool and the eldest is only 2 years old. The cost invloved doesn't compare to the heart ache of watching helplessly as your child slowly slips away in your arms. Clearly Jayden wont be able to swim by himself in the water for some time yet, but I guarentee by the time he's old enough to climb pool fences that swimming will be second nature to him. Please, I beg anyone who reads this, SWIMMING IS AN ASSET TO YOUR CHILD'S LIFE, DO SOMETHING NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE AND YOU END UP LIVING THE PAIN MY FAMILY AND I FEEL EVERY DAY.

I've been blessed in my life with three beautiful children (Angie, Dion and Jayden). Sometimes in life things happen that we cant explain and there's no reason and answers to why. Angie is my first born, 15.12.2000. She was our first little suprise and early Christmas present in 2000. She's now 7 years old and the sweetest little girl you'll meet. Dion is our 2nd born, 20.12.2002, who would have been 5 years old now but was taken from us in January 2007 after a tragic drowning accident. His death shattered our world but brought us our 3rd little angel. Jayden is our latest and final addition to our family born 01.02.2008. He is such a beautiful soul and has brought us a little slice of peace to our family. As a mother I have been through the highest of highs and been emotionally dragged through the depths of dispair. I've had my heart melt over 3 sweet babies and shattered over the loss of a son. I'm only 28 years old but have decided that I have done my part in this world with having children and after Jayden was born had my tubes clipped. My heart still has a few cracks through it but is learning to adjust to this new life.

MY 3 LITTLE ANGELS