A part of responsible parenting is teaching your children about personal watercraft and personal watercraft safety. Most experts agree that it is important to introduce your children to the water as early as possible. A failure to introduce them to the water at an early age might create a fear of the water which will be hard to over come at a later age. Children and personal watercraft can be a safe combination as long as certain precautions are taken.

I have most often heard that the youngest you should start bringing your child out on the water on your pwc is between the ages of 2 and 3. Just make sure you are ready, because once you have started bringing them out with you, you won’t be able to keep them on the shore!

The first step in introducing your child to personal watercraft is to purchase an appropriate PFD (personal flotation device) or life jacket. Always be certain to buy a life jacket that has extra buoyant material on the front of the life jacket. This extra flotation material on the front of the jacket flips the child on to his back once immersed in water. The best life jackets are those that have been approved by the Coast Guard. Check the label on the inside of the jacket for a seal of approval. Every life jacket will have height and weight specifications. Always make sure that your child fits within the height and weight specifications for a particular jacket. Never buy a life jacket thinking your child will grow into it and thereby last 2 or more seasons.

An easy way to introduce your child to personal watercraft is through a canoe. Choose a calm day. Place the child on the bottom of the canoe just in front of the stern paddler. As you start to paddle explain to the child how pushing the water backwards with the paddle makes the canoe propel forwards. Gently show the child how leaning in one direction tips the canoe towards that direction. Talk about the importance of staying balanced in the canoe.

To help you decide when it is time to bring your child out on the pwc, make sure you would be comfortable throwing your child off the pwc. If the child is not able to deal with falling off the pwc, then it is not time to go out on the water quite yet. When you are introducing your child to their first seadoo ride, just go for an idle ride to see how they enjoy it. Again, don’t go at a speed faster than you would be comfortable throwing your child into the water. Remember that a young childs body is much more susceptible to shock and impact, and a hard impact can easily seriously harm a child.

Teaching your child about personal watercraft and personal watercraft safety is important but also can be fun. You can make this important learning experience into something fun for both you and your child. Introduce your child to this wonderful summer time activity slowly. Make sure they grasp the importance of the safety rules. Remember a child that is confident and experienced around the water will be likely to be safer and make safer choices. Teaching your child about personal watercraft safety can be a rewarding endeavor.

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