The case in summary Many parents are unsure when it is safe for their children to bathe alone. Jan Kjensli from the Norwegian Swimming Association believes that it is difficult to set an age limit because you also have to take into account the children’s swimming skills. The rescue company recommends that parents have a conversation with the children about safety and swimming etiquette, and does not give a specific age recommendation. It is important to assess the children’s swimming skills, understanding of safety and where to swim. Before letting your own children swim alone, you should assess the bottom conditions, depth, water temperature, currents and waves in the water, whether there are lifebuoys on site, and whether the emergency services will arrive if an accident occurs. In the water park Aquarama in Kristiansand, children are allowed to swim alone from the year they turn 11. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – The most fun is jumping off the mountainside and just being in the water with friends, says Nikolai Thuen Eriksen. Together with his family, he splashes in the water at Bystranda in Kristiansand. At home in Bergen, he has been allowed to swim alone with friends for the first time this summer. Many parents with children who are approaching their teenage years feel uncertain when summer arrives. Because when is it actually safe to let children swim alone with friends? – We have been a little strict about it and held back until now, says Nikolai’s mother, Monica Thuen Hansen. Nikolai (13) has been allowed to swim alone with friends this summer. Here he is with his little sister Cornelia and his parents Monica Thuen Hansen and Eugen Eriksen. Photo: Heidi Ditlefsen / news Hansen says his son and his friends have clear rules to adhere to when they bathe. – They are not allowed to push each other and not press each other under water. And if they jump from cliffs, they have to wait for each other in the water. When do you think it’s okay to let the children swim alone with friends? Have your say further down in the matter. Talk about safety and swimming skills Tanja Krangnes in the Rescue Company says they will not recommend a specific age for when children can swim alone with friends. She says it depends on how good the children are at swimming and how well they understand safety. Where they will bathe is also important. – There is a big difference between swimming 200 meters in a heated pool and outdoors. The water is much colder there and there are waves, wind and current. Head of Department for Drowning Prevention at the Rescue Company, Tanja Krangnes, recommends parents who are with their children on the beach to put away their mobile phones and follow along. Photo: Redningsselskapet Redningsselskapet recommends all parents have a summer talk with children and young people about safety and swimming skills. For example, about what to do if someone is about to drown. – Someone who is drowning panics and can pull others under, so try to save people in other ways. For example, by throwing out a lifebuoy or holding out something for them to grab onto. She otherwise has these tips for talking to the children: You should never swim completely alone. Remember to check the bottom conditions before you dive and that you can get out of the water safely again. Know your own limits. Don’t do something you don’t really have the skills for. Don’t encourage others to do things they can’t do. Call 113 if anyone has problems. May end up in an accident Jan Kjensli is responsible for swimming training in the Norwegian Swimming Association. He points out that you can be confident in your own children’s swimming skills, but do not necessarily know the swimming skills of the children you are with. – Your child may end up in an accident where they have to save other children. If you get a sad outcome, you have put the child in a very difficult situation. Education consultant Jan Kjensli at the Norwegian Swimming Association says children neither have the knowledge nor the skills needed to be a lifesaver for their own friends. Photo: Thomas Nikolai Blekeli / news Kjensli says it is also important to take into account whether the emergency services arrive if an accident occurs. – A pond in the middle of the forest can be a great place to swim, but it can be a challenging place if an accident happens. The nine rules of swimming etiquette 1. Learn to swim. 2. Before going down, make sure you can get back up. 3. Bath preferably with others. 4. Only dive where it’s deep. 5. Swim along shore. 6. Do not swim under piers or in front of diving boards. 7. Do not push others into the water and never submerge anyone. 8. Stay on land if you feel cold or unwell. 9. Call for help only if you are in danger – never otherwise! Source: The rescue company Don’t overestimate the children The mother of 13-year-old Nikolai in Bystranda has let her son swim alone in a water park with friends, even though he has not been allowed to swim alone outdoors until now. – We have let up a bit more at the water park because there are lifeguards there, says Monica Thuen Hansen. Nikolai finishes bathing and dries himself between mum Monica and dad Eugen. Photo: Heidi Ditlefsen / news In the water park Aquarama in Kristiansand, children are allowed to swim alone from the year they turn 11. General manager Vibeke Holm Ruud says it is important that parents do not overestimate their own children’s swimming skills. – If you can’t swim, you shouldn’t go here without an adult, says Ruud. General manager of Aquarama Vibeke Holm Ruud has the impression that the vast majority of parents are available the first time they send their children alone in the facility. Photo: private Ruud knows that some parents, including herself, let their children go alone to water parks before letting them swim alone outside. – I don’t send my own 11-year-old down to the local beach to swim, but they get to swim in Aquarama. If something were to happen, there are lifeguards here, she says. When do you think children are old enough to swim alone with friends? Hello! Welcome to dialogue at news. Since you are logged in to other news services, you do not have to log in again here, but we need your consent to our terms of use for online dialogue Published 03.07.2024, at 05.20
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When can the child bathe alone? – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
