Going Deep: Nannies Who Swim
Is knowing how to swim a non-negotiable when hiring a caretaker for your children?
By Rachel Sokol
Should your Nanny know how to swim? That’s a definite Yes.
Schools out, summer’s here! For most families, this usually means roadtrips, BBQs, S’mores, and, of course, swimming. And when it comes to pool and ocean safety, you can never be too careful.
If you’re interviewing potential nannies this summer, ask yourself how important it is that they can swim. Is it a complete deal breaker if they can’t swim at all? Are you OK with them just being CPR-certified? Is it OK if they can’t swim, but the pool/beach has certified lifeguards on-duty?
For therapist and life coach Daniel Rinaldi, founder of the MNTLTOWN platform for children, when hiring a nanny, especially if you have a pool, “their swimming ability is non-negotiable. CPR certification is essential, but it's not a substitute for the ability to swim. A nanny who can swim is better equipped to supervise and intervene in water-related emergencies.”
Accidents can and do happen
Just because your children were enrolled in swimming lessons doesn’t mean accidents, or worse, can’t happen.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Education Development Center, every year in the United States, 3,572 people die from drowning. Nine hundred and forty-five of them are children. Children account for one out of four drowning deaths.
“In regards to safety, having a nanny who can swim is just one more line of defense in assuring your kids are not only having a fun time, but a safe time,” says “manny” Naveed Mardi, a full-time male nanny for celebrity families in Los Angeles. “As a nanny predominantly working in Santa Monica, I'm always suggesting a beach day or to jump in the pool.”
Mardi believes “it's completely acceptable” to ask a prospective nanny if they can swim. “Los Angeles’s beaches aren’t always staffed with lifeguards, for example, and certainly not private family homes for simple play dates.”
Even if the local beach has a lifeguard on-duty, Mardi points out oftentimes there’s just one lifeguard for every 30+ people. Are they really paying close attention to every single person in the ocean?
That’s why having another set of eyes laser-focused on your kids specifically is beneficial, especially if that adult can swim.
Natalie Hilberg is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at L.A. CADA, and has a young child who loves the water. Hiring a nanny who can swim gives her peace of mind and one less thing to worry about when she’s not home.
“I’m more comfortable knowing my child could be assisted in and out of the pool as well as retrieved in an emergency without my being there.”
Ignore glares and comments
Don’t feel obligated to send your kids to the pool with their nanny because everyone else is doing it.
“Just because other caregivers are taking other children to pools and lakes doesn’t mean it must be the same for your family,” says Sarah Baroud, LICSW, a clinical social worker based in Massachusetts. “Consider other water activities for the yard or local park such as blasters, reusable water balloons, a slip-and-slide, or the good old sprinkler!” These are other great options for water play that don’t require a large body of water.
Baroud stresses the importance of doing what is best for your family without worrying about being judged by others. (It’s also a personal, private decision if you offer to pay for swim lessons for your nanny, as a family we spoke with said they did.)
“Make the choices that will allow you to be calm, worry-free, and productive while you are away from your kids,” advises Baroud.
But, of course, safety first.
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