Mermaid Secret #7

The Floatie Myth: Unleashed

Inside this blog:

My unbridled opinion about the 9 most common floaties: What ones are the best of the worst and what ones to avoid like the plague.
How to avoid your child being reliant on them.
Why life jackets are NOT “floaties.”

Want an extra POP? Get A MERMAID’S GUIDE (The book) to augment these blogs! Reading the blogs is like watching Avatar in 2D. But having these blogs with A MERMAID’S GUIDE by your side is like watching Avatar in 3D. So, snag a copy of A MERMAID’S GUIDE and experience what it REALLY feels like to be a blue alien. Or, wait. No. But you WILL get an even better picture about what these blogs are talking about.)

Here are my “not favorite” floaties:

1) WATER WINGS. The most insane of all because it teaches kids that they float from their arms!

2) OTTEROO. I mean, if we don’t float from our arms we certainly don’t float from our neck. PLUS, this object teaches our children to swim vertically. (Not good, folks!)

3) LEG FLOATS. Why are kids learning to swim with floats attached to their legs? Such an odd invention.

Here are some OTHER floaties:

1) LIFEJACKET – a MUST for water safety issues. Don’t skimp on a life vest. (Which is NOT really a “floatie” - this is a life saving device that needs to be worn on boats etc…Why don’t I call them, “Floaties?” Would you ask your Uncle Bob to put on his “floatie” before water skiing? Nope! LOL)

2) PUDDLE JUMPERS. Not my super favorite, but at least these keep the buoyancy center in the proper place!

3) FLOATING DONUT TUBE THING. (Yes, that is the technical term. Or not. Photo below for clarity!) These can be dangerous because I’ve seen them flip over and the child get stuck under them. DANGER! DANGER! Don’t turn you back on these for a single moment. The only reason they are on this list is that I like these better than the other floaties because your child isn’t “swimming” in these. There’s no “learned” behavior that they need external assistance to hold them up. They are more in a boat!

4) NOODLE. Once your kid can swim this is the ONLY floatie I recommend. Why? Three reasons.

NO ONE gets stuck under a noodle.
Your child isn’t attached to it.
They are soft, bendable, and oh, so fun!

5) BOOGIE BOARD. Fun for the ocean or lakes, DANGEROUS in pools. Why? Kids LOVE to jump from the side of the pool and land on these. What happens when the board slips out from under them and they are too close to the wall? Not cool, boogie board. Not cool.

6) KICK BOARDS. Good for technique classes and practicing kicks for different strokes.

If your child uses a floatie for fun and play, just make sure you practice WITHOUT the floatie EVERY time they swim. Remind them that if they take a deep breath the water will HOLD THEM UP. No floatie needed! (BUT only if they SWIM WITH A GROWNUP!)

Go to A MERMAID’S GUIDE and read page 43 for a case study about floaties.

Enjoy the video of AFTERNOON LIVE to hear about some great mermaid tools to use in the pool! (And what ones to avoid!)

Love the ideas in the vide?

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A MERMAID’S GUIDE GIFT BOX

Click on the link to be transported to my amazon “store” where you can find quick links to all the products.

Pair A MERMAID’S GUIDE with “Mr. Sharky,” Sunscreen, Stickers, and other fun items! It makes a great baby shower, birthday or holiday gift!

Baby Shower Gifts and Floatie Myths