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Home> Life

Published 16:16 30 May 2023 GMT+1

Swimming instructor warns parents not to put towel around kids' shoulders

Parents are flooding to social media in appreciation after a swimming instructor revealed the proper way to wrap your child up in a towel

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck

Parents are flooding to social media in appreciation after a swimming instructor revealed the proper way to wrap your child up in a towel.

Nikki Scarnati - a certified ISR swim instructor, water safety advocate and drowning prevention educator - has taken to TikTok to educate parents about the best way to dry off their child and wrap them up in a towel after they've been for a swim.

It's such a minor adjustment to make but could potentially save your little ones' life.

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'Naturally' many of us would go to wrap a towel round a child's shoulders.
TikTok/ @scarnati.swim

In the video, Nikki demonstrates 'a proper way to put your towel around your child' by comparing it to the way most parents would 'naturally' go to dry off their kid.

She explains: "I see it happen so many times, and I myself, as a parent, did it without even realising it was a thing."

Nikki then shows the typical way - the towel over the kid's shoulders and keeping them snug and warm.

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However, the method could prove unsafe.

If your child falls, their arms would be restricted by the towel.
Pexels/ Kindel Media

Nikki explains: "If they were to fall in the pool this way, all of their limbs are going to be restricted under a wet towel."

Instead, you should dry their arms off, then get your child to lift up their arms and wrap the towel around them - like you would yourself after getting out of the shower.

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"That way, if they end up in the water, they still have access to their limbs to self-rescue and they're that much safer," Nikki resolves.

It's safer to put the towel underneath the child's arms.
TikTok/ @scarnati.swim

Viewers have flocked to the post in agreement with the tip and to thank Nikki for raising awareness of the issue.

One TikToker said: "I can confirm this is true. When I was two I fell into the deep end of a rec pool with my towel on around my arms and I had to be rescued."

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"Also if they trip, they can catch themselves before hitting the ground," another added.

Parents have flooded to the post in appreciation of the tip.
TikTok/ @scarnati.swim

A third wrote: "That's a great idea! I bought my son an oversized towel hoodie so his arms stay covered but he's got mobility."

"Good tip thank u," a fourth said.

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However, some users noted their child would likely rip off the towel if they tried to put it round them in such a way or their arms may get cold.

Nikki replied: "Try using a different style towel! They have tericloth robes they can wear after swim time tia tag warm also that helps keep them warm."

Featured Image Credit: TikTok/@scarnati.swim

Topics: TikTok, Social media, Parenting, Health

Poppy Bilderbeck
Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.

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