Do you make your kid wear a life jacket at the beach all the time?

[Anonymous]

My 7 year old is a new swimmer and still wears a coast guard certified life vest when swimming at the beach, unless we're in a protected bay/cove area without much waves/undertow. Definitely on in areas with frequent rip currents. I imagine next summer will be the same.

[Anonymous]

I’ve never seen a child wear a life jacket at the beach! I live in CA and go somewhat often. I’m scared of the ocean and just use common sense. Play in shallow water when little, with adult nearby.

[Anonymous]

Beach lifeguard made me take my kids coast guard certified life jackets off. I don’t remember the exact reason but he said it wasn’t safe and they could not go into the ocean with them on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Beach lifeguard made me take my kids coast guard certified life jackets off. I don’t remember the exact reason but he said it wasn’t safe and they could not go into the ocean with them on.

This is BAD advice. That lifeguard was misinformed.
Technically, according to the Red Cross and other similar organizations EVERYONE should wear a USCG PFD in open water. Boats are actually required by law to carry them and in most states children on board must wear them at all times.
Maybe merely swimming or wading on a river, lake or other nontidal water body is low risk. But even wading in the shallow surf of the ocean can be risky and unpredictable. A rogue wave could take you by surprise; the sand is shifting; the current can change suddenly. My rule is, until my kids have completed several years of swim lessons, if they are playing in the intertidal zone of the ocean they are wearing a life jacket.

[Anonymous]

I am shocked at the number of people who don’t put life jackets on their children at the beach and/or have the attitude that as long as they are within an arm length away from their child at the beach, they are safe. Wrong!! No young child is safe in an ocean even if they are next to their parents and are good swimmers. Ocean currents, undertows and riptides can knock a child off their feet in ankle dip water and pull them out of a parent’s reach in seconds. A child doesn’t have a chance if they get pulled under. Why would a parent take a chance with their child’s life like that? That is irresponsible parenting. Children and adults drown at the beach all the time and those children’s parents are devastated and hysterical not understanding why their child drown. Well they drowned because their parent did not put a life jacket on them!!! Be a responsible parent and protect your children. Be safe, not sorry because living without your child for the rest of your life is the alternative. The fact that parents ask other people if their kids should wear a life jacket at the beach is insanity. A parent should know that answer but if they don’t, they should have kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We predominantly go to pools at home and since there is a zero entry pool, I don't bother having the kids wear one. They take swim lessons but they are only 3/5.

We are traveling to Florida , I say yes to wearing one but they don't while playing on the sand. I remember growing up not wearing one and even now don't see kids wearing them at beaches. Overthinking it?

What, so they can be pulled out to sea in a riptide to be eaten by sharks? No thanks, I prefer they just drown.

[Anonymous]

Most parents do not put their little kids in life jackets at the beach. There certainly is a danger of drowning at the beach but most drownings of little kids occur in home pools. Drownings in natural bodies of water like oceans and lakes actually increase with age.

I think you need to:
1. Supervised your kids closely at the beach
2. Know your kids. If yours tend to run away a lot, are likely to run into the waves, a life jacket could be an extra safety measure. If they are nervous around waves and therefore don't constantly run into them, good at staying close to you, then close supervision may be sufficient.