“When it comes to swimming, Marlene Bloom and Mindy York have mastered the art of child safety. In many states, the leading cause of death in children under the age of 5 is drowning, and the majority of those deaths take place at home in the family pool – as Bloom and York caution, even a moment of distraction can prove fatal.
For that reason, they began the Baby Otter Swim School in 2000. Their swim instruction is based a simple yet crucial technique, the Turn, Kick, Reach method, and, with five days of training, they can have a toddler water-ready.
Their program has made such an impression (they count Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter Apple among their successes!), they have now produced two DVD’s for families to learn more about swim safety at home. Educational and fun, these videos are truly indispensable when teaching kids to swim.
An animated DVD and accompanying coloring book help kids learn the rules of pool safety, while “Is your child’s life worth ten minutes? Safety: A Pool Owner’s Visual Guide” is an essential tool for all parents who own a pool. The video teaches families about the importance of pool safety and the obvious – as well as the often overlooked – ways of keeping kids safe, from the common hazards everyone should be made aware of to the correct way to respond to an emergency. A large focus of the safety instruction is on the “Layers of Protection,” which consists of 7 safety measures which every parent should take seriously, as each one has the potential to save a life.
While much of it may seem like common sense, York, whose own daughter nearly drowned as a baby, warns that, in an emergency, calm thinking often goes out the window. When it comes to a child’s safety, these things simply can’t be left to chance. In a clear, simple, and compelling way, Bloom and York are able to get their important message across, giving parents all of the information and tools necessary to prevent drowning and put their minds at ease. More importantly, by giving both parents and children the confidence to know what to do in an emergency, Baby Otter takes a huge step towards making the water a safer place for kids. And for every parent who understands how to keep their kids safe, that could mean one less accident around a pool.”
Warmest,
Stacy
Stacy DeBroff
Mom Central, Inc., Founder and President
