There are many things parents do to keep their children safe in the summertime. From sunscreen to floaties, parents are always looking for ways to protect their children in the sun and in the water. Especially, of course, when families have pools at home in their own backyards.
One thing that might possibly slip some parents’ minds are bathing suits.
When shopping for children’s swimsuits, the last thing parents usually think about is color. Instead, they are looking for those sizes that are on sale and fit their children.
However, there are some colors that could elevate the danger of children swimming.
While bright, fun colors are all a part of the summer vibes, some colors can be a bit dangerous when children are swimming.
Recently, one Facebook page shared an important PSA about swimsuits.
CPR Kids is a Facebook page that shares some tips and tricks for helping children in terms of health and safety.
The Facebook page warned against children wearing blue swimsuits.
The PSA post said parents should “Avoid blue, dark or dull colours for kids swimwear.”
Instead, they said to opt for “bright and colourful swimwear.”
The reason behind this is so that parents and lifeguards can always see the child, especially when they are underwater swimming around.
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Blue swimsuits can oftentimes blend in with the pool water.
In a photo shared by the page, one can see it is very difficult to spot the child underwater. In fact, the swimmer is almost unidentifiable.
“What do you see underneath the water here? Take a good look. Anything? A child? Yes, there is a child there,” the page wrote in their post.
However, there is a child swimming in the pool.
In another picture shared, the Facebook page circled the swimmer to show the dark shadow under the water. If the child was drowning or struggling, it would be hard for a lifeguard or parent to see.
The page also pointed out that sunscreen and other lotions can dull the color of the water.
The pool water can become muggy and dark with the mixture of sweat, body oils, and suntan lotion in it. Therefore, the water becomes “not so clear,” making it harder to see the children.
The photo of the pool with the child was staged by the company when a lifeguard noticed how cloudy the water had become after a pool party. The lifeguard asked a child wearing a blue swimsuit to swim to the bottom of the pool and then took the photo.
Soon after, other pages picked the information up to share.
Today shared the video on Facebook, giving information to parents all over the nation.
Many parents in the comments of the Facebook post admitted they had never realized this.
When looking at the photos, the parents admitted they had “never realized” this when bathing suit shopping, but they would keep this in mind moving forward.
Some parents also pointed out some issues with colors.
One mom commented on Facebook that boys swimwear manufacturers don’t always carry bright colors and options in their departments.
Others pointed this out, too.
Other moms pointed out that girls have more options for color and brightness than boys swimwear.
Some commented saying that the swimsuit color shouldn’t matter.
Some on Facebook said it’s more important that someone is watching kids in the pool, rather than just picking a brightly colored swimsuit.
However, others said even with supervision, swimsuits do matter.
Others pointed out that regardless of when someone is supervising, if you can’t see the child, things can get worse before you know it. So, bright colors do matter — even when someone is watching.
