One of the most popular family vacations is getting away to an all-inclusive resort for some much-deserved rest and relaxation. Your food, drinks and activities are all covered, and most of the major resort chains are completely kid friendly. Many resorts even offer kids' clubs, where parents can leave their children for a few hours and get some downtime.
Often, swimming in the resort pool or nearby body of water is one of the activities the kids' clubs program will include. However, just because the amenities are kid friendly doesn't mean that they are safe. Every hotel has its own set of rules for kids' day programs, and you need to make sure the club puts your child's safety first.
“The fact that a hotel is luxurious and expensive and/or many other families are participating does not mean swimming in their kids’ club is a good idea,” says Amie O'Shaugnessy, the editor of the family travel site Ciao Bambino. O'Shaugnessy recently wrote an in-depth article on the safety of hotel swimming programs, and facilitated a Facebook discussion to get opinions from her community of family travel writers.
No matter how well-maintained and properly staffed a resort pool is, there is no substitute for parental caution and supervision. So, ask yourself these four questions before you drop your children off at a resort kids' club:
1. Who is Watching Your Child?
When you're choosing a caregiver, you may have months to search for the perfect babysitter. While you don't have the same chance to screen the person who watches your kids at a resort, such as calling references or arranging an in-depth interview, you still need to ensure that the person who is running the program can properly supervise your child.
First, ask about the program leader's qualifications. “For a lot of parents, the expectation is that the instructor is CPR-certified, and in addition, that there are lifeguards at the pool,” says O’Shaughnessy. “A lot of resorts have no lifeguards on duty, and instructors aren't certified.”
If there are lifeguards, observe and make sure they watching the pool without any distractions, such as using an electronic device. “It's not just about swimming,” says O'Shaugnessy. “For example, if kids are horsing around, holding another kid under water, parents need to know who's managing what they're doing.”
2. What is the Instructor to Child Ratio?
For the majority of family travel writers O'Shaugnessy received feedback from, the importance of safety had to do with child to instructor ratios. Many felt that 4-1 was a good ratio, while others were fine with 6-1. There is no magic number; it's up to you, as a parent, to decide what level of superivsion you are comfortable with. However, make sure you know exactly how many children the instructor will be supervising during the time you're away, and ensure that they will be 100% focused on the activity at hand.
3. Do I Need To Supervise?
If you feel at all wary about leaving your child at a resort day camp, you can always supervise them during the swimming part of the program. “For some parents, they may not think it's a good form of downtime,” says O'Shaugnessy. “But, swimming is an activity that has a lot of risk.”
Samantha Wilson, president and founder of Kidproof, agrees. “Nothing beats adult supervision,” she says. “Exercising common sense and good judgement are still the best ways to keep your kids safe.”
4. What Can I Do?
The most important thing you can do before leaving your child at a resort kids' club is talk to the activity leader who will be interacting with your child. “The main issue is communication,” says O'Shaughnessy. “Step one is just knowing if the program has a swimming component or not. The swimming component is not always stated, so check. The age of kids and their swimming ability is also important – are the kids in the baby pool, or the big pool? Some programs say they only stay in the shallow end, but even kids who are good swimmers can drown in the shallow end.”
Parents should read the program outline and know exactly what their child is doing the entire time they're participating in the kids' club activities. After you've spoken to the resort staff and program leader, make sure you feel comfortable with all their answers. You have the right to choose if you want your child to participate, and should only do so if you feel completely comfortable.
If you're at all unsure about a program leader's answers or qualifications, or have any qualms about leaving your child there, don't! Also, don't be afraid to make your concerns known; resort management should hear your thoughts to help them improve the safety of their kids' programs in the future.
By Erin Stringer
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