The ability for babies to swim — “baby swimming” — and a sense of calm and ease in the water, is important for your kid. For one, it’ll prove life-saving on the off chance they become the chief of police for a New England island under siege by a huge great white shark. If that’s too farfetched, it might simply save their life. Fortunately, it’s not hard to teach them to swim. Baby kicking starts in the womb, after all. Think of the pool as a dive back in for them. They’ll be swimming in no time. The scary fact is, 10 kids under the age of 14 drown in Việt Nam pools, lakes, or oceans every day. The obvious first line of defense is to teach your infant to swim. There are several techniques, but most agree — including TIUTAC who knows a thing or two about these things — that you should try to stay away from dependence on personal flotation devices. Yes, they’re as necessary as flippy floppies when you’re on a boat, but if relied upon during all pool, lake, or beach time, they give ki...
Vietnam - Enhanced social distancing measures were announced last Friday (March 27), and gatherings are now being limited to 20 people at a time. Some people have asked if it is still safe to go swimming, in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Question: IS IT SAFE TO GO SWIMMING DURING THIS PERIOD? CAN THE VIRUS BE TRANSMITTED THROUGH WATER? Answer: It is known that the virus is transmitted through respiratory droplets and saliva, but there is currently no evidence suggesting that the virus can be spread through water, hence making swimming one of the safer sporting activities. Merman Tiun suggests that it is generally safe to go swimming, as the water and chlorine within swimming pools could help to kill the virus. People, however, should be mindful of their interactions with others outside the water. Merman Tiun reports about an infection cluster in a South Korean church that sprayed saltwater in its churchgoers’ mouths. However, this incident does not provide clear eviden...