Swimming goggles are common among kids and adults. Goggles let your kids play underwater for extended periods without irritating their eyes. It’s important to know what to look for when choosing swim goggles for your kids.
It may surprise many parents to learn goggles for children have downsides.
Don’t worry! We’ll help you understand the pros and cons of having your kids wear swim goggles.
Pros of Kids Swimming Goggles
Let’s start with the positive! Goggles increase a child’s comfort, relaxation and orientation in the aquatic environment. Having the extra layer of protection encourages children to submerge and open their eyes underwater. Little ones can open their eyes underwater and see where they are more clearly. They’re great for helping kids learn to swim recreationally and competitively; kids can also practice in general.
If your child is new to swimming, goggles let them explore and experience the water without fear. Goggles allow kids to build water confidence. However, as a parent, you shouldn’t let them become dependent on the goggles. Ideally, your child should be able to swim with and without goggles. In other words, you don’t want to support opposition to swimming without swim goggles.
Protection
The eyes are sensitive; the level of sensitivity varies from person to person. Swimming pools are filled with chemicals to keep them; these chemicals often irritate our eyes. Swim Goggles protect from pool irritants, making the experience more comfortable. Goggles are super useful if your child spends long periods with their eyes open underwater.
Prescription
If your child wears glasses, getting a pair of prescription goggles is a fantastic idea! Opening the eyes underwater is already disorienting, even more so for children who wear glasses. Underwater vision is blurry as it is, even for people who don’t wear glasses.
Cons of Kids Swimming Goggles
Unfortunately, like any product, goggles have faults. Goggles are a swimming aid children shouldn’t become reliant on them. They won’t save them underwater; knowing how to swim will. Consider signing your child up for swimming lessons to avoid developing a dependency on goggles.
Take the quality of the goggles you buy for your child into account. Every brand is different and paying a little more can be worth it. Cheaper goggles are more likely to get damaged and cause injury. Always check reviews before making a purchase.
Dependency
As mentioned earlier, it’s important not to let your child become dependent on goggles to swim. Dependency is a long-term danger. Why? Children who depend on swimming with goggles are more at risk of drowning. That’s because the moment they may find themselves underwater without goggles, they start to panic. The panic and disorientation may lead to drowning.
Parents and swim teachers are responsible for preventing swimmers from becoming reliant on goggles. Encourage children to participate in water activities without wearing goggles!
Faulty or Breakable Goggles
There have been cases where the plastic lenses break, resulting in minor injuries in children. That’s you should choose high quality goggles that fit your child properly.
