Young Children And PWCs
A part of responsible parenting is teaching your children about personal watercraft and personal watercraft safety. Most experts agree that it is important to introduce your children to the water as early as possible. A failure to introduce them to the water at an early age might create a fear of the water which will be hard to over come at a later age. Children and personal watercraft can be a safe combination as long as certain precautions are taken.
Children of any age can be introduced to swimming. However, it's best to wait until your child is 3 or 4 before introducing them to personal watercrafts.After age 3 or 4 most children can remember certain routines and safety rules which will make their experience more enjoyable.
Of course it's a given that you must have a fitted, safety-approved lifejacket for your child. Make sure that it suits the age and weight of your child, so the extra safety features such as straps and neck supports are available. Make certain that your child wears his life vest any time he is close to water, not only when they are in the water or on the pwc. You should always wear your pwc as a reinforcing good example.
If you have other boats available, such as a pedal boat or a canoe, you could introduce your child to non-motorized boats before bringing them out on your seadoo. Make sure the water isn't rough and there isn't too much wind. Often a windy day can cause children to not enjoy their experience out on the water. When your child is in the boat, talk about the rules of being in boats. Always sit down in the boat, no jumping or running or sudden shifts in weight. You can also give them a science lesson about what is making the boat move through the water, and how you turn the boat.
Try to make watercraft safety fun and interesting. Make your child feel a sense of responsibility about the rules of watercraft safety. Compliment your child on how responsible and mature they are being with respect to the rules of watercraft safety. Teach your child about the importance of life jackets and the laws regarding boating. Teach them about the different safety equipment, such as noise makers and bailers, that must be brought on boat trips. Give your child a small chore that they must take responsibility for. Perhaps they can bring the life jackets from the boat house.
Teaching your child about personal watercraft and personal watercraft safety is important but also can be fun. You can make this important learning experience into something fun for both you and your child. Introduce your child to this wonderful summer time activity slowly. Make sure they grasp the importance of the safety rules. Remember a child that is confident and experienced around the water will be likely to be safer and make safer choices. Teaching your child about personal watercraft safety can be a rewarding endeavor.