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MERMAID
There is nothing more
precious than our little guppy’s
safety, and when it comes to
mermaiding, there are some
real dangers and risks.
So what can we do to protect
children (guppy’s) who would
like to get started in the
magical world of mermaiding? include:
The first and most important
factor is swim safety.
Before anyone, child or adult,
starts wearing a mermaid tail,
they need to be a strong and
confident swimmer.
Children should always be
supervised while in the water,
and no one should ever swim
alone.
I also advise that children take
a swimming class to learn
general safety knowledge and
how to swim.
Try to swim where there are Your child may have difficulty
lifeguards present or with speaking or breathing and may
someone who is knowledgeable not clearly express or tell you about
on CPR.
Also, be aware of the signs of
dry and secondary drowning.
Sometimes, while kids play in
the water, they may have an
incident that leads to them
choking on a bit of water but
otherwise seem fine.
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child, you want to use a tail
company that uses a quality
monofin. But many of the cheap
tails are made of hard plastic that
SAFETY FOR may not offer propulsion which can
be a huge drowning risk. Some of
these cheap monofins have even
CHILDREN broken, leaving sharp edges that
can cut and pierce the skin.
When looking for a child mermaid
BY: TIFFANY KAY MEYER ©2021 by Tiffany Kay Meyer tail, determine if the maker/
@PURPLE.DESERT.SIREN | FB PURPLE.DESERT.SIREN company is using safe materials
and products and see if the tail has
any safety features. Make sure to do
your research to purchase a quality
Knowing the signs of dry and safety and know how to swim, the
secondary drowning can save second step is learning how to swim product.
a life. with a tail, like a mermaid. However,
before putting on a monofin, your Lastly, and still a major safety
Symptoms to some, this is a no-brainer, and for
child will need to know how to concern, is internet safety. For
watch for after do a “dolphin kick.” It may also be purchasing a safe product—more that cheap and knockoff tails are many with younger children, it’s
referred to as the “butterfly kick.”
an incident Anyone who swims competitively on that in just a bit. While learning unsafe, but what makes them so? not a pressing issue. But those who
to swim in a monofin, your child
have older children with their own
knows what I’m talking about. It is should not be in a tail or any item For one, the material and method social media accounts should be
an up and down kick while keeping
legs and feet together. of clothing that can hinder their leg of stitching is not designed to be careful.
movement or hinder getting out swam in. Their poor design can
1. Difficulty of the monofin quickly in case of often lead to improper collecting For example, many in the mermaid
breathing or Once your child is proficient with emergency. of water which can cause the tail community post photos of
speaking the dolphin kick and ready for to slide down the legs or even drag themselves in their tails online.
a monofin, make sure you are I highly recommend using a someone down. In addition, the What should be just harmless fun
2. Irritability kickboard to hold onto while material can tangle around one’s of sharing a passion could become
learning and perfecting swimming legs and thus be difficult to remove dangerous. So if your child has social
or unusual using the dolphin kick with and in emergencies. Then there are the media and wants to post photos
behavior without a monofin. There are many monofins. and videos of themselves in their
instructional videos available online tail, make sure you monitor what is
3. Sleepiness or to show you how to properly do a When purchasing a tail for your happening on the account to avoid
low energy dolphin kick, if you need more help child predators and cyberbullying.
and guidance.
4. Coughing Owning and swimming with a
Now let’s talk about purchasing a mermaid tail can be a magical
mermaid tail. dream come true for many. For
5. Chest pain myself, I wanted a tail for over ten
Quality really does matter. Many years before I finally made my first
places can be found online that tail purchase. Talking to others
sell mermaid tails. Remember, you in the mermaid community, I
are not just paying for esthetic, researched and made the best
but you are paying for something choices for myself.
safe for your child to swim with,
their symptoms or how they may be
feeling, so it is important to monitor and swimming in a mermaid tail Many mermaids are willing to give
does have risks. Some companies
them after any incident that out there make inexpensive and their advice and tips for the new
little guppies. It can be daunting,
happens in the water. If you suspect beautiful tails, but that doesn’t
dry or secondary drowning, seek mean that is the tail you should be but please don’t be discouraged
medical attention immediately. purchasing for your child. from helping your child live out
their mermaid dreams; just make
While dry and secondary drowning sure you are doing it safely.
are quite rare, they can be fatal. I have often heard the remarks from
others in the mermaid community
Once you have learned basic water
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