😅 Welcome to the hottest part of summer. Oh, wait, it’s still May!
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The butterflies are free! 🐛🦋
I’ll get to the weather in a bit here, and swimming pools, but first I have some breaking news:
I am happy to share that our five caterpillars successfully metamorphisized into beautiful butterflies!
I’ll be honest: For a few days I thought we were in some trouble. I thought I was going to have to tell you that our bugs didn’t make it. The caterpillars were inside their chrysalises for more than week! I thought it was only going to be a few days. Then, suddenly, we noticed three of them were out and jumping around the little mesh house.
We gave them orange slices to eat. They need to eat when they come out -- duh -- and the oranges are what they say to give them. Seems like that worked out well for half a day in their little mesh house. You can see the little orange slices in the photo above in the bottom of the house.
After about 6 hours, we let them go outside. Then two days later the other two were out of their cocoons and ready to eat and be set free!
I had to coax them out carefully:
That was fun! We’ll do it again some time.
If you are interested in doing this, here’s the kit we used: Insect Lore - BH Butterfly Growing Kit
🌼 As I noted in the previous newsletter, I planted some special wildflowers that are supposed to attract the butterflies. Those have not come in yet -- I planted seeds that came along with the kit. I’ll keep you all posted on if or when those grow, and then if they actually attract any butterflies to our yard.
And yes, that’s me wearing sandals with socks. I am a dad, after all. 🤣 The whole getup is a complete mess, I know. I have no shame.
Pool party 💦 🏊
Temperatures are nearing 90 degrees this week. I am betting a lot of people -- kids, in particular -- will be seeking the pool. My kids started demanding the kiddie pool when temps hit 70 -- and the slip ‘n slide! While many public pools remain in limbo during the pandemic (expect more and more to open soon), backyard pools will be in full effect this weekend.
It will be fun, and it will be dangerous. Yes, I am here to bust up the party a little. I know I am going to sound a bit preachy here, but I just want everyone to be safe.
Safety first
Here’s a stat that I hate (per the American Academy of Pediatricians): Drowning is the leading cause of injury death in U.S. children 1 to 4 years of age and the third leading cause of unintentional injury death among U.S. children and adolescents 5 to 19 years of age.
With three kids ages 4 and under, you know I worry about this. But worrying gets us nowhere if we don’t act on our concerns. Here are some expert tips that I am following, and we all can, to try to be safer with the pools -- even if it’s just a kiddie pool a few inches deep:
Assign a “Pool Watcher”
- When there are many adults around a pool, everyone thinks someone is watching, but that’s not always the case. Assign someone and make it known. You can even give them a bracelet or necklace to wear. An adult’s job is to watch the pool at all times. If that person needs a break, make sure they tap in another adult to be the “Pool Watcher.”
An arm’s reach away
- Stay in arm’s reach of kids. The person watching over the swimmers should always be close by the pool, not watching from afar. My youngest son is 1 year. He is barely walking. We have the kiddie pool set up in the yard this week. The other day I was watching him as he stood up next to the pool and fell face first into the 4 inches of water. He quickly pushed himself back out, instinctively and amazingly, and immediately cried for help. I was right there. This happened in a split second.
Buddy system
- If you’re in a bigger pool, make sure kids are always swimming with a buddy who can get help if they start to struggle. This is about older kids than mine -- mine are much too young to even suggest being alone in a large pool right now. The adult has to be the buddy.
Whistle alert
- Experts also say to hang a whistle in the backyard near the pool so the buddy can blow it if a child starts to drown. Parties can get loud and sometimes it can be difficult for a child’s voice to be heard. I think this is a great idea for kids, again, who are old enough to understand when they would need to use such a whistle.
No one in the pool
- Remind your kids that no one goes in or near a pool until an adult is there and states out loud they are watching and ready for them to jump in. Look, it’s all about teaching kids how to be safe. They have to understand that yes, pools are fun, but there has to be a level of safety to consider every time you are in or around one. An adult MUST be there before they can even consider going in.
Put the toys away
- Too many floatation devices in the pool can be dangerous and can trap someone underneath. I was always told this as a kid. And I had it happen to me once. It’s disorienting when you try to surface from underwater only to run into a heavy floatation device.
Secure your pool
- Completely surround your pool with a 4-feet high fence or barrier with a self-closing, self-latching gate. Place a safety cover on the pool when not in use. Remove any ladders or steps used to get in. I am pretty sure most municipalities have ordinances for this type of fencing. I can’t imagine being responsible for some other kid who just wandered into your yard, into your pool, especially without you knowing.
Swim jackets
- Have inexperienced swimmers wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Obviously, probably not necessary for the kiddie pool, but I might consider it for my 1-year-old as his older siblings want the pool to be a bit deeper than is safe for him.
Clean and clear
- Keep your pool water clean and clear. Make sure you’re maintaining proper chemical levels, circulation and filtration. I don’t have one of these fancy pools, but if you do (nice!), you have to take care of it if you want it to be used safely. That’s just the way it goes. This is one of the reasons I don’t have one!
Establish and enforce rules
- Gladly -- Rules and safe behaviors, such as “no diving” and “no running,” should always be enforced each and every time kids are getting into the pool. I used to be a youth ice hockey official, so I have no problem placing a child in timeout if he or she breaks the pool rules. Follow the rules, or you’re out!
CPR
- If you own a pool, make sure everyone in the home knows how to respond to an emergency by taking water safety, first aid, and CPR courses. First aid and safety equipment should be in the house as well. My wife was a swimming instructor and lifeguard, so she is tasked with knowing all of this. But I want to learn more, whatever I can do to help keep the kids safe.
Swim lessons
- Think about signing up your kids for swim class or a water safety program. Learning to swim is a gift each child should be offered. I want my kids to get lessons (they have not yet, although like I said my wife is skilled in this area) before they go to the big pools.
If you are an adult and you want to learn to swim, it’s never too late. Check out this story we did last year about how you can learn to swim at any age. You and the kids could learn together.
Single parents and dating 💑
I want to share something from our Live in the D show. They are looking for single parents who are dating to share their experiences on what the scene is like right now in Metro Detroit.
If this is you, go here to let them know what’s up. Sorry, I can’t help you in this department. I’ve long been out of the dating game.
Next time ...
I have a little something to share about backyard clubhouses ... let’s just say it involves some light construction. More than I expected, at least. 🔩
Next time! But until next time, take care!
Let me know how it’s going for you 👋
If you have an experience to share or concerns you’d like to address, please contact me, Dave Bartkowiak, here: dbartkowiak@wdiv.com. 📧
You may also send me a note through our form here. I love to review any ideas or your personal experiences. This helps me stay connected with you.
📖 Supplemental reading:
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Check out some of our other newsletters:
- Morning Report: Your daily deep dive into important and interesting local topics!
- Data Drop: Using data to tell important local stories.
- In This Climate: An in-depth look at climate change in Michigan and beyond.
