The most important thing you’ll watch this summer isn’t your screen

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 15, 2026

SUMMER ON THE Olympic Peninsula means beach days, paddleboarding, boating, camping, swimming and making memories with family.

Those traditions are worth protecting.

A few intentional safety habits can make the stories we tell at the end of summer joyful ones.

Being a parent or caregiver means we’re multitasking all the time. It seems like it takes just a quick moment to respond to a text, answer a work email or make a grocery list, but those brief distractions can have major consequences when children are around water.

In fact, 88 percent of child drownings occur when at least one adult is present.

To help prevent these tragedies, the Olympic Peninsula YMCA is proud to participate in a national campaign called “Phones Down, Eyes Up,” encouraging families to put away distractions and stay fully focused while supervising children around water.

Here on the Olympic Peninsula, we’re surrounded by incredible waterways — from lakes and rivers to beaches and backyard pools. Every body of water deserves our respect. Whether at our local pools, one of our many rivers or favorite vacation spots like Lake Crescent, staying focused and reducing distractions around water is the first step in drowning prevention.

The statistics are sobering and highlight the critical need for caregivers to stay alert when supervising children around water. This campaign encourages families to keep their phones away and stay focused while supervising children while recreating near bodies of water.

“Our Y is excited to be part of this important campaign,” said Savannah Minker, lifeguard and lead swim lesson instructor at the YMCA of Sequim. “People think they’ll hear someone if they’re struggling in the water, because that’s what we see in TV and movies,” Minker said. “In actuality, drowning is silent and can happen in as little as 30 seconds. When we’re looking at our phones, we don’t see what’s happening around us.”

As part of the campaign, the Y is calling on families to designate a “Water Watcher”— an adult whose sole responsibility is to supervise children near water, free from distractions like phones, conversations or alcohol. We know how easily distractions can happen around water, but just one moment of inattention can have serious consequences. The Y is committed to empowering families with the tools and information they need to stay safe around water.

The campaign’s website, phonesdowneyesup.org, offers a variety of helpful resources for families, including digital safety materials, a pledge to commit to water safety and educational tools to help families stay safe this summer.

Minker emphasizes, “This campaign is a good start, but there is no single solution that prevents drowning. Safety comes from layers: swim lessons, life jackets, barriers around pools, active supervision, CPR training and a family plan for emergencies.” She continues, “Learning to swim is more than a recreational skill. It’s mastering life-saving skills that build confidence, reduces risk and opens the door to a lifetime of safe enjoyment around water.”

The YMCA’s of Sequim and Jefferson County (Port Townsend) both offer group and private swim lessons for all ages and skill levels. These skill-based lessons cover water acclimation, movement and stamina as well as stroke introduction, development and mechanics, and they can begin as early as 6 months.

Even though drowning is the No. 1 cause of death of children ages 1 to 4, according to the American Red Cross, the good news is that drowning is preventable. Every phone set aside, every life jacket buckled, every swim lesson attended and every attentive adult watching the water makes a difference.

This summer, let’s choose vigilance so every family member has the chance to return home safely.

For more information on swim lessons, go to www.olympic peninsulaymca.org/swimlessons.

You can also find information on community CPR courses on the Y website.

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Jodi Minker is director of community engagement for the Olympic Peninsula YMCA.