Most parents will admit that maintaining a kid's long hair can be a struggle (even when it's not soaked with pool water). It can be a distraction for kids, especially those who are still learning. As a swim parent, it makes a lot of sense to master at least a couple hair styles you can bust out when it comes time to hit the pool. In this video, we take you through three hair-do's that keep long locks out of the eyes and looking great! https://youtu.be/eeBzNu6fZFo Ponytail & BarrettesThis style is simple and easy to pull off for any parent, no matter their skill level with long hair. Brush back the front section and tie it off - either with a sturdy barrette or an elastic. Then, brush the remaining hair back into a sleek ponytail. Quick and easy! Multi-PonyThis style might look complex, but it's actually pretty straightforward to pull off! Part the hair horizontally on the back of your head. Split the top most section into two ponytails and tie off with elastics. Then, combine these two ponytails with the remaining hair into one larger ponytail. Approximately two inches down the ponytail, add another elastic to create a small section. Continue creating these sections until you reach the end of the ponytail. Crown BraidBrush the hair onto one side of the head. At the top of the head, start a dutch braid (or inside out french braid). Pull hair from all the way around the head so that the braid falls off to the side. This one takes a lot of practice, but once you nail it it'll become your go-to, for swim lessons and everything else! What's your go-to swim hair-do? Let us know in the comments. We'd also love for you to join us on Facebook and Twitter. Happy swimming!
The article Three Swim Friendly Hair-Do’s was originally published on: The Aqua Life
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Have you ever got your kid's hair caught in the band of their goggles? It HURTS. This week's video takes you through how to put on your child's goggles - without pulling out any of their hair. A few quick tips on goggles before you watch:
https://youtu.be/H73UtR0IFFA Any other tips on how to put on goggles? Leave them in the comments!
How to put on goggles is republished from: theaqualife.ca
How to Put on Goggles by Stephanie Rainey
via YouTube https://youtu.be/H73UtR0IFFA How would you rate your swim bag packing skills from 1 to 10? If you didn't answer 10/10, then this blog is for you! Check out the video for our step-by-step guide on how to do it. https://youtu.be/yNeknghfFIc Here's a few tips, learned from packing many a swim bag.*First in, last out. Pack your bag in the order of what you'll need first. One of the last things you'll need after your lesson is a change of clothes, so these should go at the bottom. Items you'll need as soon as you get there - like your bathing suit or a game for a younger sibling - should go into the bag last. *If you're bringing little ones to evening lessons, bring PJ's or a cozy bathrobe to change into after your class. Once they get out of the pool, shower and get dressed they'll be well on their way to being ready for bed. *Bring hair conditioner - put it in your swim cap! Some people find it much easier to put a swim cap on and take it off if you apply a small amount of conditioner to your hair first. This way, you'll also have silky smooth locks once you shower after your swim. *Buy a swim bag with a waterproof compartment. The one used in our video has one and it makes packing it up before and after a lesson so much easier. *Bring a plastic bag for wet clothes and towels. If you don't have a specialized swim bag, always remember to pack a bag to put your soggy swim suit in at the end of your lesson. We'd love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments what pointers you have for packing the perfect swim bag.Pack the Perfect Swim Bag was originally published on: The Aqua Life
Pack the Perfect Swim Bag by Stephanie Rainey
via YouTube https://youtu.be/yNeknghfFIc Cue loud, ominous music. An iceberg ripped into the Titanic, tearing through the metal frame. Alarms sound and hundreds of panicked voices begin to scream. The ship turns up on its nose, its remaining passengers are released into the frigid water, it dips into the ocean. Unlike the cinematic twist of the Titanic’s story, real life moments don’t have storyboards to follow. There are no blueprints, a final plan, a formula. Neither does drowning. Drowning isn’t extravagant, it can be very simple—as simple as a toddler in a bathtub with just a few centimetres of water in it. Prevention, for everyone.[caption id="attachment_4315" align="alignright" width="473"] from the Canadian Red Cross[/caption] This is why drowning prevention and water safety knowledge is key to keep every individual, but especially family members and loved ones, safe. The fatality trends across Canada are staggering, and being educated on how to prevent these tragic occurrences can save lives. The Lifesaving Society’s iconic, “If you’re not within arm’s reach, you’ve gone too far,” slogan is aimed at parents with small children and stresses boating safety for high-risk, middle-aged men— but anyone can be at risk for drowning. The Canadian Red Cross outlines the five essential layers to help protect and prevent drowning during aquatic activities:
What does drowning actually look like?“When people are drowning, all of their energy is going into trying to breathe and staying above water,” says Shelley Dalke, the manager of the national swimming and water safety programs for the Canadian Red Cross. “So, there’s absolutely no way they could scream for help and wave their hands around like you see in the movies.” With drowning as the second leading cause of unintentional death in children under five and hundreds of Canadians being affected, it’s serious. https://youtu.be/YL9wb4tUlhI The preventative measures are necessary, but so is the ability to recognize some not-so-well-know, common signs of drowning. They are: [caption id="attachment_4317" align="alignright" width="338"] by Christine Vezarov[/caption]
While these are common signs of drowning, there is no ABSOLUTE profile of what a drowning person looks like. Truth be told I've watched far more videos of drownings (and near drownings) caught on camera then I've cared too, for the simple purpose of training my mind to recognize what a drowning could look like. I've seen a teen silently drown, where he simply never managed a breath and slipped below the surface, a young boy who looked like he was playing in the water, doing flips, bobbing at the surface who simply could not get enough air and eventually fell unconscious... It tears at my heart, but I make myself watch. Because recognition is key. Is she drowning? A three step approach. You may not be a trained lifeguard. You may not want to watch hours of footage of drownings. So how can you recognize (and then get help for) someone is drowning? Here's our three step approach:
For every death, the Red Cross predicts an estimated four to five additional near-drowning incidents. Every individual counts. Prevent accidents, stay alert around the water and learn to recognize those in need of help. Please stay safe this summer! Article written by Christine Vezarov and Stephanie Rainey Drowning: what the movies don’t show you was originally published on: The Aqua Life
Find the Viva Barrhaven Pool by Stephanie Rainey
via YouTube https://youtu.be/2ecbFZBhpeQ We’ve arrived in Barrhaven! Yes, you read that right. We’re VERY excited to announce the addition of a new location in Barrhaven! Starting in September, we will be offering lessons at the V!va Barrhaven pool. V!va Barrhaven is a retirement community located at 275 Tartan Dr. The Aqua Life chose to partner with them not only because of their lovely pool, but also their commitment to a positive and inter-generational experience for their residents. Their motto? “Make Today Great.” We couldn’t agree more! [caption id="attachment_4323" align="aligncenter" width="480"] The pool at V!va Barrhaven retirement community.[/caption] A few features of the Viva Barrhaven pool:
[caption id="attachment_4327" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Stephanie poses with the V!va Barrhaven sign.[/caption] Do you have friends or family thinking about swim lessons? Maybe you know a family in Barrhaven? Don’t forget about our referral program: for each family that registers and mentions you as their reference, you will receive a $10 Starbucks gift card. We’d really appreciate if you could spread the word about the Aqua Life arriving in Barrhaven. Check here for available class times. And remember, our registration is ongoing. If the lesson time you want is full, check back often. If you don’t see a time slot that works for you, write to us and we will help you co-ordinate lessons. See you in Barrhaven! Swim lessons in Barrhaven! is republished from: The Aqua Life There’s no ONE reason that people drown. But there are factors that come together to increase your risk of drowning. This blog post is the second of two that breaks down the numbers in the Lifesaving Society’s 2017 Ontario Drowning Report. Check out part one for the who, when, where and what. Why? The risk factors.We’ve learned the first four W’s of water-related fatalities in Ontario. So now the question remains - why do these deaths happen in the first place? Risk factors change depending on what age group you’re looking at. In kids under 5, the #1 risk factor for drowning is that there was either no supervision OR the person supervising was distracted. Improper supervision contributed to 92% of deaths of kids in this age range. The next highest risk factor, at 63%, was that kids were alone near the water. What’s most sad here isn’t the loss of young life, but the fact that all of these deaths were preventable. This is why it’s recommended that childproof gates be installed around every pool and that parents actively supervise when their kids are swimming. The next age category that the Lifesaving Society identified is kids aged five to 14. Here, the biggest risk factor was only being in the company of other minors. Even if your child is a confident swimmer, there should always be an adult supervising when kids are in the water. Above the age of 15, risk factors become common among all age groups. The top risk factor in all adult drowning deaths is not wearing a personal floatation device when relevant. According to the Canadian Red Cross, 87% of drowning deaths that happen while boating occur when the victim either isn’t wearing a PFD or didn’t have it done up properly. In most of these cases, victims never intended to enter the water. After not wearing a PFD, the next three risk factors for adult drowning deaths were:
This is a lot of information - but what can we do with it? By controlling for any or all of these factors, you can actively decrease drowning risk for yourself, your family and your friends. Is it dusk at the cottage and your husband (who’s had a few beers) wants to go out for a swim? Maybe you can convince him to wait until morning. Or, your 20-something nephew is taking the younger cousins out for a ride on the family’s boat? Why not ensure every person aboard - your nephew included - is wearing a properly fastened PFD? Knowing these risk factors grants you the power to act against them. Stay safe this summer. And happy swimming! [Part 2] Why Risk It?: Survive swim season was first seen on: TheAquaLife There have been key moments throughout my life when I've thanked my lucky stars I became a lifeguard. Once when I was 16, I stepped in to teach the father of one of my students. This jovial man explained to me that he could do front crawl and just wanted to work on his breathing. He swam across the shallow end comfortably, so I asked him to swim to the other end. Halfway down the pool he looked up at me, his eyes grew wide and he began to drown. Turns out he’d never swam in the deep end before. I was momentarily confused, but then my training kicked in and I quickly rescued him. A couple years later, a car turned into oncoming traffic outside the tourist information centre I worked at. I ran with my first aid kit to see if I could help. A middle aged lady had been hit head on in her car and a small crowd gathered around her. I did a quick assessment of the scene and she was obviously in shock. Her eyes were unfocused and she had a deep red welt on her forehead where it hit the steering wheel. She muttered for someone to help her out of the car, but her legs were twisted at strange angles. They were probably broken and moving her could injure her further. As a bystander moved to help her from the car, I stopped him - she had to stay until the ambulance arrived. In addition to her legs, there was no way to know what internal or spinal injuries she had suffered. I held her hand and spoke to her to keep her conscious until the paramedics arrived. Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross prepare you for a fun summer job, but they also do so much more. These courses change you (and your perspective). When I took my first course at 14, I wanted to look cool sitting on top of the lifeguard tower. That was seriously my motivation. But, just a few years into my career, my training had made me a valuable member of a lifesaving team - in many different scenarios. You might be the one to jump in the water to rescue a victim, but you also have teammates on deck to grab the first aid kit or clear the pool. While the training can prepare you to be a hero, the most practical thing about lifeguard training is that it makes you an asset rather than a liability in an emergency situation. I’m very grateful for the skills my training has given me:
Whether you go on to be a lifeguard or have zero desire to sit on the lifeguard chair, this training comes in handy at the most surprising times. Bronze Medallion & Bronze Cross, while they’re the first steps to becoming a lifeguard, are so much more. Do you have your Bronze Medallion or Bronze Cross? We’d love to hear more about how these courses have helped you - in any area of your life! Share in the comments and join us on Facebook! Why become a lifeguard? was first published on: http://theaqualife.ca/ |