Docks are different from beaches. On docks and around boats, people can get trapped, fall and hit their head, etc. Adults and strong swimmers, too.

Maturity/judgment/calmness matters too in addition to swimming well.

Anonymous wrote:We have never done life jackets for active swimming but we were just at the beach and I was surprised how many I saw. The ocean is a different beast. If I had this to do over with my kids I think I would do life jackets in the ocean until they were able to pass our pool’s swim test — for our kids that’s 6/7, but they’re great swimmers.

This is really dumber because people die in freshwater at a vastly greater rate. I grew up in the south and have a pool, I don’t think bodies of water are inherently dangerous with the proper precautions. In lakes, that includes a life jacket at almost all times. Even as an adult I use one.

Nonswimmers and new swimmers had to be within arm’s reach of an in-water parent.

Stronger, more confident swimmers had to have a parent with eyes on them, who was able to hop in if there was trouble.

Experienced swimmers of all ages needed to swim with a buddy, let an adult know they were going in the water, and report in on a regular basis.

In natural/murky water, we moved back a step. So even experienced swimmers needed someone actively watching them, and swimmers who were younger/less experienced needed someone actually in the water with them.

We have never done life jackets for active swimming but we were just at the beach and I was surprised how many I saw. The ocean is a different beast. If I had this to do over with my kids I think I would do life jackets in the ocean until they were able to pass our pool’s swim test — for our kids that’s 6/7, but they’re great swimmers.

Virginia law requires them on any boat that is underway for 12 and under, so that’s easy.

When we’re at anchor and swimming, case-by-case basis.

Any one who is water skiing or tubing, child or adult, obviously wears one for those activities.

My kids are all swim team, and the older ones are lifeguards.

Anonymous wrote:On a boat or dock - my kids will wear them as long as I have a say

Boat, I agree 100%. Dock to me depends on what they are doing.

— OP

Never used them at the beach, which is where we spend 99% of the summer. I rarely see kids in life jackets just running around. If we were at our friend's lake house and swimming off the dock, he wore one until he was at the swimming level where if he fell off the dock he would be able to surface and tread water/swim to the ladder. Probably 5 or 6? Even then, DH or I was in arms reach and paying attention at all times.

It helped that DS grew up around water

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When they swim very well.

What do you consider “very well”?

When they can swim at least a 25, if not 50 in a few different strokes and thread water for a few minutes.

On a boat or dock - my kids will wear them as long as I have a say

Swim well, age and maturity. We only used on the beach and at the pool until around 4.
At 4 my kid could swim a width of a normal pool. She was always in sight and arms reach though.
Never used on a dock.
I’d say I was ok not being within arms reach around 6 but still in sight at all times.
Around 10 I was ok dropping off at the pool with a friend. ( lifeguards)

Honestly we never used life vests unless on a boat. Just always stayed in arms reach.

We relaxed a bit around 8, once they had done 2 summers of swim team (which we required, and they all hated, LOL) and followed instructions reliably.

“Relaxed” meaning we could generally just sit and watch them (most of the time). Not that we left them alone or anything.

Anonymous wrote:When they swim very well.

What do you consider “very well”?

When they swim very well.

If you put life jackets on your kids at the beach, or if on a dock, when did you stop? Was it at a certain age, or swimming milestones, or behavior milestones?