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There is nothing more import for your child than having a good child life vest. Please read this article to become familiar with child life preservers and
related laws.
A child life vest is also called a child personal flotation device or child PFD, or child life preserver. Family waters sports on lakes or rivers use the Type III child vest without the head
pillow since rescue on a lake or river is quick. More aggressive white water rafting or open ocean child life vests will require a Type I or Type II child vest, depending on how far offshore you are, or how rough
the water is. The Type I or Type II child life vest will have the head pillow to keep heads up flotation in rough water or open water where rescue may take a long time.
Generally, families take kids on family
activities on lakes or rivers, not extreme sports in rough waters, so the Type III vest without the head pillow is the most common type of vest for children, and the most common type of vest sold at water sports
stores. The Type III life vest for children is USCGA approved (US Coast Guard Approved). If it is a river rafting child life vest, or a canoeing child life vest, or a kids life vest for boating, or a
children’s life vest for fishing, having a life vest for children is essential and required by Federal and State laws for children 12 and under.
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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