Is it Important for Nannies to Know How to Swim?

Have Parents Asked if You Can Swim in Nanny Job Interviews?

On Beverly Hills Nannies tonight we saw how important it was for Justin to learn how to swim to work as a nanny. He aptly explains that to keep his job he must be able to fit in with the family. If the kids swim, he needs to swim.

It's no joke, according to the National Safety Council an estimated 5,000 children ages 14 and under are hospitalized due to unintentional drowning-related incidents each year; 15 percent die in the hospital and as many as 20 percent suffer severe, permanent neurological disability.

Infants and toddlers drown more frequently than people at any other age. In this age group drowning is the leading cause of death, followed by accidents in and around the home, and road traffic accidents.

If you hope to work for a family that owns a pool or that will expect you to take the children to the pool in the summer you ought to learn to swim, and even earn lifeguard certification.

If you don't know how to swim, take swimming lessons. If you learn how to swim or take more lessons to become a stronger, more confident swimmer, you can even offer to help teach your charges to swim, which will be most impressive to potential employers.

If you already know how to swim, earning your lifeguard certification is a great resume booster for any nanny candidate. Imagine how having your lifeguard certification will help your resume stand out among a pile of non-swimmers' resumes. What would look better than a prepared nanny who is certified in both adult and infant CPR/First Aid and has lifeguard certification?

As the saying goes, "Safety First!" And when it comes to working with children, knowing how to swim keeps them safe. It is also a great skill to help market yourself to potential employers.

Do you swim?