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Accidents happen in the blink of an eye, whether at the dock or when the boat is slowly navigating shallow water. A majority of states now require
children to wear a childrens life vest, and that child pfd must have the USCGA approval label or stamp inside the vest be compliant. Those states that don't have this law are covered under a federal USCGA
kids life vest law for children 12 and younger. This means that the children must wear the vest, not simply have the vest available somewhere in the boat. Families are especially at risk of violations in cases
where authorities come to the scene of a boating accident and learn that a child is not wearing his or her child vest.
Children are experts at manipulating parents to get their way, as every parent knows.
Many consistently succeed in getting to stay up just one more hour, getting one last cookie, or playing one more video game. That skill will prove dangerous when it is time to go boating with your children, as
children often pressure their parents to not wear a child life vest. Out in the water, a child can convince a parent to take off the kids life vest after wearing it for a short time.
Here are some
suggestions for using a child vest to keep your child safe while boating, fishing, rafting, waterskiing or doing any other sport in the water.
1. Let children show style in picking the color of the kids
life vest to wear. A cool graphic will go a long way toward making wearing the vest a positive experience. It will allow the child to feel some ownership, rather than having it forced upon them.
2. Choose
a neoprene life vests for children. Neo is more comfortable than Nylon. Neoprene will conform better to the shape of your body. Neo Child Life Vests can be worn a long time without being
uncomfortable.
3. Try out the kids vest in a pool to see that the kid life vest works. If you can pull it more than three inches above the youngster's shoulders, it's too big. When a child
is in the water, they risk slipping out of the vest. Crotch straps are an important feature on a life vest for kids to help hold the vest from slipping off if the vest is a little loose. Crotch straps are found
on most Child PFDs such as the Kidder Child Life Vest.
Child life vest sizes range from Child Small (30-50 pounds; 2-6 years old) to Child Medium (50-90 pounds; 6-12 years old). Parents should also be
aware that cheap inflatable life vests found in emergency areas of ships and boats are not USCGA approved and are not recommended for children. It is recommended to buy a high quality life vests for your
children.
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