Stay Safe At The Beach

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As it’s the summer, you are most likely planning what you’re going to do during your time off – other than spend quality time with your amazing family. Regardless of where you decide to go, you may opt to spend some of your days out on the beach, because let’s face it, who wouldn’t? The beach is a lovely place to be now the sun is out. You can lie and bask in the warmth, with a cool breeze coming from the sea, and of course, ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream.

While you can expect to have a wonderful time, it’s also important that you think about how to keep you and your family safe too. There are dangers wherever you go, that’s just part of life, but beaches can be distracting sometimes, and that’s especially worrying when you have children. So it’s always good to be aware and know what to look out for so that nothing ends up going wrong.

Here are some things to think about before you set off.

Don’t swallow the sea

You should know this by now as you’re the adult, but if you have younger children, then you should tell them not to swallow the sea water. Make them understand that it’s not like what comes from a tap, and it can really make you ill if you swallow too much of it. This is because the amount of salt, along with various bacteria from the sea, and if consumed, it will upset the stomach and leave you having to run rather quickly to get to a bathroom.

Shade yourself when possible

Part of going to the beach will be to enjoy the sun, so you’re not expected to stay covered by a parasol all day long, but it is wise to have one to stay under when you need to because you don’t want to risk overheating. If you do, you may end up getting sunstroke, and that’s an awful feeling that makes you tired, dizzy, and sick, with the occasional headache or two. And for your children, it would be very wise to have them wear a sun hat like one from My Little Duckling. We all know how kids don’t like to sit still, so it’s the best of both worlds. They can be up and play around in the sand and sea, while remaining shaded from the sun.

Keep your skin covered

Sun cream was put on this earth for a reason, and that reason is to ensure that our bodies don’t get burnt from the powerful rays of the sun. So don’t even think about stepping foot outside of the house until each and every one of you is covered in it. It does a job and it’s very good at it, so use it. Keep an extra bottle of it in the boot of your car, and your handbag, so that you always know you have some with you. Fun fact: Even when the sun isn’t out to play, you can still be harmed by the UV rays, so regardless of what the weather is doing, you should be wearing this every day anyway. Even in the winter.

Refrain from bringing the valuables

If you were planning on bringing your designer bag, wearing your diamond earrings, and playing on your iPad – think again. You’re going to the beach, surrounded by sand, and sea. The last thing you want is to lose one of your valuable items and waste a day trying to look for it, which you probably won’t be able to find anyway. Not only that, it might get damaged from the sea or the sand, so why take the risk? Before you leave the house, question whether it’s worth taking, or best to be left at home, in the safe, secure, environment.

Keep yourself hydrated

Water is what keeps us alive, our bodies need it to function properly, and that’s just in general. So when you go to the beach, you will need it even more than usual because you’re exposed to the sun and you will be sweating. The sweat that you produce is coming out of your body’s water supply, so the more you sweat, the less water you have. Once that goes down, you will start to feel pretty rough because that’s when dehydration kicks in. Your head will hurt, you might feel dizzy, and the worst case scenario could be you even passing out. So make sure you have bottles of water with you. Ensure your kids drink enough too between them playing, as they will need it even more, the more active they are.

Don’t swim off too far

When you go to a beach, there are often signs or flags stuck in the sand that let you know where you can and can’t swim. It’s there for a reason, so don’t ignore it just because the water looks better on that side than the other side. The most common reason that rule is put out there, is because of strong currents, and those aren’t something you want to mess with. No matter how good of a swimmer you are, currents are stronger, as they burn out your energy quickly, and once that’s gone, there will be no more fight left in you, and that’s when the current takes you. So don’t get overly confident and break rules.

Watch the little ones

This is something that you do every day anyway, as you’re a parent, and your eyes are always focused on your kids. But you will want to be on extra high alert when going to the beach. Not because there’s anything to necessarily be afraid of, but if it’s a nice day, a lot of families will have come out too, and it may become crowded. When this happens, it’s very easy to lose sight of your little one, especially if they like to be on the move and run around. So have a word with them before you leave the house, telling them to stay with you at all times, and just keep an extra eye open.