Sea, pool and paddling pool: water safety for a Greek childhood

A child growing up in Greece will spend a good part of every summer in or beside water. That is a gift. It also means water safety here is an everyday matter, the way road safety is in a city.

The fact to start from

In the United States, drowning is the leading cause of death in children aged 1 to 4, according to the AAP. Most of it does not look like the films. It is quiet and fast.

And most of it does not happen during swimming. The AAP reports that 69% of drownings in children aged 4 and under happen at times when nobody planned for the child to be in the water: the pool gate left open during lunch, the toddler who wandered out while the adults were unpacking.

Arm's length

For babies, toddlers and weak swimmers, the rule is touch supervision: an adult within arm's reach, in the water or at its edge, the whole time. This applies in the sea, the pool, and the bath.

Not watching from the sunbed. Not glancing up from the phone.

One named adult

At a beach with three families, everyone assumes someone else is watching. Name a water watcher: one adult whose only job is to keep eyes on the children. Hand over every 15 to 20 minutes, out loud: "You have them now."

About the armbands

Every kiosk in Greece sells inflatable armbands and rings. The AAP is direct about them: avoid floaties, water wings and inflatable toys. They can deflate, and they do not prevent drowning.

For a child who cannot swim, in or near the sea or on a boat, use a properly fitted life jacket. In Europe, look for the CE mark and the standard EN ISO 12402 on the label; part 4 ("100 N") is made for adults, children and infants in calm or sheltered water.

The pool

Holiday houses and family homes with pools are where the 69% happens. The AAP's standard is a fence on all four sides, at least about 1.2 metres high, that fully separates the pool from the house, with a gate that closes and latches by itself.

Many Greek rental pools have no fence at all. If yours has none:

• Keep the doors to the pool side locked whenever you are not out there together.
• Decide who is watching before anyone opens a suitcase.

Buckets and paddling pools

A toddler can drown in very little water. Empty the paddling pool on the balcony and the mop bucket completely after use, and turn them over.

A child should not be alone in the bath until at least age 6.

Swimming lessons

Children can start lessons after their first birthday, depending on readiness. Lessons help. They do not make a small child safe alone, and they do not replace the adult at arm's length.

If something happens

Call 112. It is free, it works across Greece and the EU, and it alerts every service that needs to be involved.

Learn child CPR before the summer. An hour's course is the one piece of beach equipment you hope never to use.