“I see my daughter just full of blood,” said Maria Pedrozna, Monserrat’s mother.

At first, Pedrozna feared the worst. Her daughter entered surgery with concerns of a serious head injury. In the end, Monserrat suffered serious cuts and bruises, but she is relatively OK. Pedrozna says while at the hospital, her daughter made a surprising request.

“The first thing she told me is, I need to talk to the principal,” said Pedrozna.

Monserrat wanted to share with her classmates the importance of wearing a seat belt and using a booster seat. She believes that saved her life.

“It’s important that you put your seat belt on,” said Monserrat. So, less than a week after the accident, she has started going from classroom to classroom at her school in northeast Denver, Smith Renaissance Academy, to tell them that she is only battered, not broken, thanks to being properly restrained.

“It makes me feel proud ’cause I would’ve never thought that she would just come out of the blue and tell me that she wanted to do this,” said Pedrozna. “She calls it a campaign.”

Monserrat talks to students and shows them pictures of the car and of her head injuries before her surgery.

“She’s got a magical spirit to her,” said Jason Krause, principal of Smith Renaissance School. “She turned seven Sunday and here she is with a vision of how she can take this horrific incident to help people.”

Krause is working with Monserrat’s family to put together some sort of car seat and booster seat donation drive at the school.

“I was thinking to myself that this is one of those situations where the parents can influence the kids,” said Krause. “But it became very clear very fast that this was coming from her.”

Krause says it’s a welcome effort because there’s a sad reality at his mostly low-income school serving mostly Hispanic families.

“Many families transport without car seats,” said Krause. “When I first became principal over here, I was quite surprised.”

Krause says he tries to contact families who do not use car seats or booster seats to drive their young students, but he cannot force them to use car seats. And, he says, many families just cannot afford them.

Pedrozna says it is also a cultural thing.

“Oh, they’re already in kindergarten, in first grade, and they could just wear their seat belt,” said Pedrozna. “No, it’s not enough. That’s what happens with a lot of families.”

Krause is looking for people to donate new or gently used car seats to the school Street in Denver.

A child passenger safety expert says handing out used car seats may not be the best idea, but she has contacted the school to work with them on a proper campaign.

Pedrozna hopes that families can change the way they think about car seats, all thanks to a 7-year-old girl.

“She’s just a very brave and strong little girl that has a big heart,” said Pedrozna.

She arrived safe, check.  Next on the mission, buy a ticket and sprint into the zoo like a gazelle before the group makes it to the area. The perfect bench awaits me adjacent to the entrance, where I can see her and my entirely covert attire will keep me in the shadows. She thinks she got permission to go on a field trip from school alone, they always do.  I spot her; the teacher is keeping the group close as they move through the zoo.  She’s being watched well, check.

I’m standing behind a column as her group is petting a llama, and I hear my name.  Mama mia, it can’t be!  This has been mission accomplished for six years.  One of our great friends I spotted coming in (and avoided greeting) calls my name twice and says, ‘is that you’ before I turned around.  He and his group of two boys stop so he can find out if I’ve lost my mind.  I explain that this is my thing; I have to keep an eye on my kids and I know it’s borderline crazy.  He laughs, more in shock than in humor, and tells me he will never let me live this down. Much to my chagrin, I agree to field trips so they don’t feel left out. Truth- I don’t feel totally safe about my kids unless they are with me, literally.  There are times I do let the kids see me and say I wanted to surprise them, and other times I get to be agent 003.

Something primal was pumping through my veins when I became pregnant, and I felt an immediate need to protect. The world we live in just isn’t safe for our children.

There is no one that can guarantee the safety of my children, nor would they want the responsibility of a tragedy. I accept that responsibility and will risk my own life for that exact safety.  I will not blink an eye without them walking in front of me outdoors, I will keep a safe distance from other cars and not use my phone when I drive, I will look at the people around me as potential abusers to my children and know this world full of variables will be safer for my three if I behave this way.  Sofia, Giana and Lorenzo are fully aware of the reasons we do certain things; when we walk outside we call it bird formation, I’ve told them that bad things exist in the world and that I want them kept as far away from them for as long as possible.  I may be a bit over the top, but that is okay with me, in honor of three people I wanted to bring into this world.

The key:  The instincts you feel deep inside your gut have been placed there to guide your life; follow them ferociously and without apology.

Trina M. Fresco, Vice President of Operations for the IT firm smarTECHS.net since 2007 and NBCLatino Contributor, was named one of “50 Powerful Minority Women in Business” by MEA Magazine. Fresco is the Chair of the Chicago Foundation for Women Investment Subcommittee and serves on a number of additional boards & committees. Fresco resides Chicago with her husband, George and their three children Sofia, Giana and Lorenzo. You can contact her at FrescoRealTalk@gmail.com or on Twitter @trinafresco.

Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn signed Illinois’ measure into law Sunday in Chicago. Backers, including Quinn, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and some of the state’s top Republicans, tout it as a public-safety measure. They argue that required facial recognition technology is reliable enough to prevent fraud.

RELATED: Opinion-Driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants are a smokescreen

They hailed it as an important step for immigrant rights in Illinois, which approved its own Dream Act in 2010 to create a privately-funded scholarship program for immigrant students. President Barack Obama plans to discuss his plan to overhaul the immigration system during a trip to Las Vegas on Tuesday.

“This was a bipartisan effort to pass an important law,” Quinn said. “When the president speaks on Tuesday, he can say about his home state of Illinois … we not only passed the Dream Act last year, we passed driver’s licenses for those who are undocumented .”

However, the law’s opponents have pointed to hundreds of fraudulent cases in New Mexico, Washington and Utah after those states began giving undocumented immigrants permission to drive. Illinois will not require applicants to be fingerprinted, for fear that would discourage immigrants from applying.

“How many people would apply for this document knowing that fingerprints will be going to (federal authorities)? Probably not all that many,” said Fred Tsao, policy director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, a driving-force behind the measure.

RELATED: Some undocumented immigrants afraid of going for driver’s licenses

Proponents say it will allow an estimated 250,000 people unlawfully residing in the state to apply for a three-year temporary driver’s license and require them to get training and insurance. The Illinois secretary of state’s office said the licenses will be available starting in October.

Those ready for the change include 45-year-old Victoria Chavez.

“I need to get my driver’s license because I have two kids,” the Chicago woman said. “They need my support. This is a victory for all of us in the immigrant community.”

The licenses will be like those already issued to certain foreign-born, legal visitors. Applicants will be photographed, and their photo will be entered into the state’s facial recognition database – like the rest of Illinois’ licensed drivers- to verify their identity.

But other states’ driving programs for undocumented immigrants have been abused. New Mexico and Washington both issue licenses, while Utah issues a permit.

An Associated Press investigation last year found a striking pattern in New Mexico, suggesting immigrants tried to game the system to obtain a license. In one instance, 48 foreign-born individuals claimed to live at a smoke shop in Albuquerque to fulfill a residency condition.

Authorities also busted a fraud ring last year that forged documents for undocumented immigrants to use after driving from as far as Illinois and North Carolina to obtain a New Mexico license. Republican Gov. Susana Martinez has vowed for years to repeal the decade-old measure, but the Legislature has rejected such efforts.

Washington’s requirements attracted national attention when Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, revealed his undocumented immigration status in an essay for the New York Times Magazine in 2011. Vargas chronicled how he obtained his Washington license. State authorities conducted an investigation that revealed Vargas did not reside at the address he stated in his application and canceled his license.

Utah’s permit is not valid for identification. Illinois’ law follows suit.

Utah’s Republican-controlled Legislature amended the state’s law in 2011 to require undocumented immigrants to be fingerprinted, and mandates that the state notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement if an applicant’s fingerprint check yields a felony on record. If the applicant has a misdemeanor warrant outstanding, the state must notify the agency that is seeking the person’s arrest.

That kind of information-sharing between state and immigration authorities worries Illinois’ immigrant-rights advocates, such as Tsao, who pushed for the legislation without a fingerprinting requirement. They say fingerprinting could deter potential licensees from applying for fear of being identified and deported.

Local law enforcement officials argue in favor of fingerprinting.

“We could see if they have committed a crime; it could be a crime in another state or it could be a crime in their home country,” said John Kennedy, executive director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.

The Illinois secretary of state’s office says its facial recognition database is highly sophisticated and accurate. The program uses an algorithm to match more than a dozen facial features that are not easy to alter, such as eye sockets and sides of the mouth.

“The integrity of our driver’s license system is a priority,” said Henry Haupt, a spokesman for the office.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Edward Acevedo, a Chicago Democrat, said state roads will be safer because undocumented immigrants will receive training and be tested before obtaining a license. They also will be required to purchase insurance, Acevedo said.

Tsao’s organization estimates uninsured undocumented immigrant drivers cause $64 million in damage claims each year, an expense currently covered by increased premiums.

—

Garcia Cano reported from Springfield, Ill.

Quinn and the bipartisan supporters of the legislation say the measure will improve traffic safety in the state. “This common sense law will help everybody, regardless of their background, learn the rules of the road, pass a driving test and get insurance,” Governor Quinn said. Despite the stalemate on immigration reform in Washington D.C., Illinois is moving forward. As a result, our roads will be safer, we will create more access to job opportunities and our economic growth will be strengthened.”

For Illinois residents such as Eugenia Flores, a 41-year-old undocumented immigrant from Mexico, the new law could provide protection from criminal prosecution. Currently, if undocumented immigrants decide to get behind the wheel, a routine traffic stop could lead to fingerprinting and possible deportation.

“I’m a good driver,” says Flores. “But my kids get scared when the police stop me. They don’t want me to drive anymore. But I tell them I have to because who will take them to school?”

Proponents of the controversial law, including Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, count about 250,000 undocumented immigrants in the state who drive without licenses. These untrained and untested drivers lead to crashes and higher insurance costs for other motorists, with unlicensed immigrant drivers accounting for around $64 million in damage claims every year, according to the Illinois Highway Safety Coalition.

Unlicensed drivers will continue to drive with or without a license says Lawrence Benito, president of one of the chief lobbying groups for the bill, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. “They have to continue to bring their kids to school or go to church or drive to work,” he says.

The issue has divided lawmakers in Washington, Utah and New Mexico, the only three states that provide identification for undocumented immigrants who wish to drive. The debate has picked up momentum ahead of federal legislation that will soon require state driver’s licenses to double as national identification. Opponents of the measure, including Governor Susana Martinez of New Mexico, cite concerns that these types of licenses will lead to fraud.

In November 2011, two road test instructors for the Ilinois Secretary of State were indicted for accepting money in exchange for fake driver’s licenses as part of a crime ring.

Meanwhile, Illinois Representative Dwight Kay argues that the law will lead to an influx of undocumented immigrants to the state.

“Granting individuals who came to our country illegally and giving them a benefit sends the wrong message,” Kay said in a statement after the Illinois House passed the legislation. “A driver’s license is a privilege, not a right; giving illegals the privilege to drive in our state legally when they broke our laws to come here is bad public policy. We must follow our Constitution and not pass laws based on whichever way the wind blows.”

Applicants for the license must provide a form of identification such as a passport, as well as proof of Illinois residency.  License holders won’t be able to purchase firearms, fly on commercial planes or vote — the card can only be used for driving. But, for Eugenia Flores, that privilege is more than enough.

“I don’t want to spend my life just inside my house,” says Flores. “When the police stop you, you feel like a criminal. Now, I can feel free.”

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner wrote in US News that the National Rifle Association’s solution to gun violence was an “unequivocal message” that the NRA is not willing to end gun violence and that they are committed to policies that will kill our children. Well, fine, but what was the unequivocal message to minorities and the poor when those same policies have been accepted as a matter of practice in their neighborhoods? Where’s was the outrage then?

When Wayne LaPierre, the Executive Vice President of the National Rifle Association, suggested that a meaningful response to the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary was to employ armed guards to protect children at schools, the backlash against him by liberals was swift and indignant. David Gregory of Meet the Press interviewed Mr. LaPierre about his proposal with a sense of ire that was visually palpable.

Mathew Yglesias of Slate called the proposal foolish and the New York Times reported that school administrators throughout the country said it would be “paranoid” to deploy armed guards at schools. Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post said it was insulting and from an alternate universe to suggest we need armed guards at school.

The Daily News called Mr. LaPierre the “craziest man on earth” and the New York Post called him a “gun nut” for doubling down on guns.

However, the ensuing derision by the anti-gun intelligenstia that armed guards in schools was a ridiculous option is the perfect example of how mainstream America is often ambivalent to the way minorities and poor neighborhoods live every day throughout the country.

Lost in the discussion over the horror of armed guards in schools like Sandy Hook, in Newtown, Connecticut which is over 95 percent white and where the median income is over $100,000, is that many minority children already go to school overseen by armed guards without so much as a peep from these folks.

Sandy Hook, like the Aurora shooting and the Tucson shooting, shocked the nation because the tragedy disturbs the narrative of the mainstream as peaceful and good-natured. These shootings mobilize the national conscience illustrated by Ms. Rowe-Finkbeiner for reasons beyond their simple tragedy, but because they offend our image of ourselves

Yet, the media continues with its fascination with these tragedies with a perverse sense of voyeurism, while feeding the outrage in Congress determined to finally put an end to these grotesque events. Guards in school are not the answer not because they really wouldn’t prevent another Sandy Hook, but because it would be a surrendering of the soul that we have already written off among minority communities.

Violence and soullessness is what consumes the poor and the underprivileged. Armed guards are but a thread of the tapestry of how we define minorities, and it is less shocking than it is expected that these communities would need police officers patrolling their schools.

In a study of school security measures throughout the country, it was found that schools with large minority populations at all levels of instruction were more likely to use metal detectors. The author of the study concluded that treating students like criminals was less about addressing criminal behavior, and more about the preconceived notion that minorities are inherently more dangerous.

And when violence does hit minority schools, the righteous rage in demanding humane solutions and the recoil against treating them as if they were in a prison, is lost from the discussion. Metal detectors, drug-sniffing dogs, armed guards, and patrols are legitimate options for handling violence in poor or minority neighborhoods.

However, nationalizing these measures, as suggested by Mr. LaPierre, is an affront to the respect we demand of a dignified citizenry. Where was the outrage then?

Stephen A. Nuño, Ph.D., NBC Latino contributor and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics and International Affairs at Northern Arizona University. He is currently writing a book on Republican outreach into the Latino Community.

“The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) would first like to thank all of our immigrant families and immigrant rights activists who have been fighting to pass such legislation during the past 13 years,” said Lawrence Benito, ICIRR’s Chief Executive Officer. “Illinois has now shown that we have the courage to work in a bipartisan manner to pass sensible legislation to protect public safety, welcome immigrants, and protect our families,” said Benito.

SB 957 will allow more than a quarter of a million undocumented immigrants in Illinois to apply for a Temporary Visitor Driver’s License (TVDL).  This requires an undocumented immigrant to pass a driver’s test, as well as obtain a license and insurance.  To be eligible, a person must show proof they have lived in Illinois for over a year.  The license would have to be renewed every three years.

Benito said it was not just Latino groups and legislators who advocated for the driver’s licenses; a coalition of business, labor, healthcare and religious groups had come together as the Highway Safety Coalition to argue for passage of the bill.

“With TVDLs, undocumented immigrants will be able to drive to work, school, worship, or shopping without fearing the risk of deportations, and their children will now have one less worry,” says the Illinois Coalition for Immigrants and Refugee Rights.

The bill had bipartisan support. While some state legislators and officials said fingerprinting should be part of the process, other legislators such as Chicago Democratic legislator Eddie Acevedo, one of the bill’s sponsors, said that would be very costly.

But the idea has run into some resistance among undocumented immigrants themselves.

For many of Illinois’ estimated 250,000 undocumented residents of driving age, volunteering an address, photograph and birth certificate to a state database seems like a risk, possibly more than driving without a license.

“They will have my record, maybe one day they (authorities) will just stop me,” said 19-year-old Faviola Villagomez, who was brought illegally to the U.S. from Mexico as a child. The Chicago college student said she’d be hesitant to apply because it could make her and her six siblings — none of whom are citizens — more easily identifiable for deportation.

RELATED: GOP support in Illinois helps move immigrant driver’s licenses

Mistrust of authorities in immigrant circles is not a new phenomenon, but the proposal expected to come up for a vote before lawmakers next month has reignited concerns and could potentially affect how many would apply if it becomes law.

Immigrant rights advocates acknowledge the problem, even as they support the measure and gear up for community outreach.

“There is a distrust,” said Cristobal Cavazos, a leader of Immigrant Solidarity DuPage. “People are concerned.”

The proposal sailed through the state Senate with little opposition and could be called for a vote in the House as early as Jan. 7. Gov. Pat Quinn has already said that he’ll sign it if it gets to his desk.

A key sponsor, state Rep. Edward Acevedo, dismissed the concerns of some undocumented immigrants, saying their fears were unfounded. The Chicago Democrat said the bill is a matter of public safety, not immigration reform. Making sure drivers know the rules of the road and are insured would reduce accidents and keep insurance costs from rising.

RELATED:  California moves to give undocumented driver’s licenses

“This is not about helping illegal immigrants here in this country,” he said. “This is about helping protect our citizens here in Illinois.”

If it becomes law, Illinois would join New Mexico and Washington in allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses. Utah issues permits and a handful of other states are considering proposals.

Under the Illinois proposal, the licenses would be modeled after the state’s temporary visitor driver’s licenses. They’re granted to non-citizens with legal status, such as foreign-born college students. The licenses are granted for three years instead of four, require a photograph and cost the applicant $30.

One company, MedAire, an air-to-ground medical company based out of the Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, handles 90 percent of the world’s airline onboard medical needs.  In 2011, they logged up to 22,594 in-flight medical cases that required an air to ground call.  Despite the high volume of consultations, it is important to remember that there are literally hundreds of thousands of flights that occur with millions of passengers annually; therefore, the risk of something happening aboard any typical flight is actually quite small.  According to the FAA and a Mayo Clinic study, neurological emergencies are the most commonly occurring urgent calls but cardiac problems are most responsible for emergency landings.  Nevertheless, here are several tips that you as the passenger can take so that you are not the one that will be receiving the help from a good Samaritan or find yourself spending your holiday at an unexpected hospital location midway to your expected destination.

  6 Tips to prevent travel related medical problems:

1. Remember to always carry your medication on with you.  Never ever place your medication in your checked bags.  This is important, especially if you have conditions such as asthma, seizures, diabetes, high blood pressure or other medical issues that require immediate intervention and quick access to your medication.
2. Limit your alcohol consumption and drink water, juice or club soda instead.   One of the most common causes of medical emergencies are those related to dehydration caused by poor fluid intake often exacerbated by alcohol.  Typically the signs and symptoms include dizziness and fainting.  Alcohol increases side effects of medications, and the lower oxygen level found in planes may increase the bad effects of alcohol.
3. Stay rested and relaxed.  This is easier said than done with all the concerns about getting through security, having enough space for your luggage, and all the other challenges associated with flying.  Try to fall asleep on the plane to avoid sleep deprivation.
4. If you and your physician are considering an operation or change in medication, postpone it until after travel is completed.  It is not uncommon to have new side effects from new drugs or have problems associated with a recent surgery or procedure.
5. If you have a serious chronic illness like epilepsy, asthma or diabetes or you are pregnant, please carry an ID, a medic alert, or health documents that may help individuals in case of an emergency.  Always check with your doctor about traveling so as to prevent problems.
6. Should you develop a new onset of flu, or other contagious infection, realize that the plane is probably one of the worst places that you can be both for yourself and the public at large and that postponing your travel will probably be best.  The last thing one wants is to have you and your fellow passengers quarantined due to an unknown bug, as has happened on a few flights in the recent past.

Following these suggestions will hopefully get you on your way to your holiday getaway.

Dr. Joseph Sirven is a first-generation Cuban-American. He is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Neurology and was past Director of Education for Mayo Clinic Arizona. He is editor-in-chief of epilepsy.com and has served U.S. and global governmental agencies including the Institute of Medicine, NASA, FAA, NIH and CDC.

According to a study conducted by Utica College and funded by the U.S. Justice Department, an estimated 92,000 of the 570,000 registered sex offenders nationwide are using the internet to live freely and undetected while seemingly abiding by “court-imposed or statutory restrictions.”

“These are offenders who are flying under the radar and authorities don’t know it,” Don Rebovich, the Utica professor who directed the study told NBCNews.com. “The authorities really don’t have the resources to keep on checking on these people. Offenders find where the vulnerabilities are in the system and exploit them.”

The greatest fear parents have regarding these “double-life” sex offenders is that these offenders can live where they choose, living without any fear of legal controls or constraints. But Kristin Helm, a spokeswoman for Tennessee’s sex registry, challenged the study’s findings.

“Fingerprints obtained by law enforcement identify individuals regardless of a name or Social Security number,” she explained to NBCNews.com, adding that sometimes name changes occur by marriage and that less than 1 percent of Tennessee’s sex offenders are truants.

And although the physical proximity that offenders may have to schools, parks and other gathering areas for children is a concern, the fact remains that these offenders are using digital means for manipulating their identity – making their access to children online a very real possibility.

“It’s important for parents to interact with their children about their online activities, just as you would talk to them about the friends they’re physically hanging out with,” explains Rey Junco, a professor in the department of Academic Development and Counseling at Lock Haven University. “Be aware of what they’re doing – it’s not necessarily about technology, but about having a good relationship with your child so they’ll be open about what they’re doing online.”

While the chat rooms of the 90s – which infamously hosted sexual predators – may have waned in popularity thanks to social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter, Junco reiterates that strangers can continue to find ways to interact with children online.

“According to research, children aren’t necessarily reaching out to strangers on popular social media platforms, but it’s still a good idea for parents to warn their kids about accepting strange friend requests and unusual activity,” says Junco.

“Sure, it’s easy for people to hide – but the authenticity that new online spaces demand makes it easy for parents to caution their children about safety.”

Safe Swimming Saves Lives: Vamos a Nadar is a Spanish-language swimming program for kids organized by the American Red Cross of Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties in California. Vamos a Nadar hopes to teach safe swimming to children as young as five years old, as well as provide parents and guardians proper water safety tips for free.

“When you learn how to swim, you learn water safety as well,” says Rosiris Guerra, founder of the program and nurse assistant training manager for the American Red Cross of Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties. “There are a lot of other components in our swim lessons, it’s not just how to backstroke and butterfly,” she adds.

The program began nine years ago when reports of Latinos drowning in the Russian River increased.

“Seventy-five percent of the deaths were Latinos,” says Guerra. “We needed a long-term solution.”

The program provides one free swimming lesson for children, as well as a water safety presentation for their parents, provided both in English and in Spanish. After the class, participants are given a coupon to continue lessons at participating pools for a largely reduced price.

Children at the Vamos a Nadar Program learn not just to swim, but how to swim safely.

A study by USA Swimming shows 58 percent of Hispanic children, and 69 percent of African American children, do not have the skills needed to stay afloat.

“Participating in the program can be very powerful when you’ve lost someone to drowning,” says Ellen Silver, regional communications manager for American Red Cross of Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties.

Factors for these low skills include fear of drowning or injury, inability to pay for lessons, and lack of family and parental involvement and encouragement.

“We think that it could be that many of their parents or grandparents never learned how to swim,” says Patty Davis, spokesperson for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). “We want to encourage parents to get swim lessons for their children. It could be lifesaving,” she adds.

The CPSC recently launched their annual Pool Safely: Simple Steps Save Lives campaign, which highlights and encourages parents and caregivers to make sure their children know how to swim.

“Our whole campaign is geared to these populations, these vulnerable populations, which include Hispanic and African American communities,” says Davis.

While many families cannot afford swim lessons, many programs such as Vamos a Nadar and Pool Safely are available to provide assistance. The Pool Safely campaign partners with the Josh Project, an organization that helps families who have suffered the loss of a child to drowning, to provide scholarships and funds for families seeking swimming lessons. Another economical program is YWCA of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Los Pececitos (Little Fish). This program provides full scholarships for swimming lessons for Spanish-speaking children as young as three-years-old.

Another, more technological resource, is online video tutorials such as uSwim, which provides tips and the necessary processes to teach your child to swim.

According to Latina Lista, uSwim states that a parent does not need to know how to swim in order to teach their child.

“Some of our best teachers over the years have been non-swimmers. As long as you are comfortable in the pool, and able to stand with your head above the water and move around freely, you can communicate with the child and show them the correct actions and give appropriate support,” states uSwim on their Frequently Asked Questions page.

But all free resources may not be the best solutions.

“Swimming is a very physical activity. It’s hard to translate into a bodily experience,” says Silver.

“There is no substitute for actually being in the water,” says Davis. “It should be paired with in-the-water swim lessons,” she adds.

Some tips for pool safety, provided by Davis, include:

• If you’re at a public pool, do not rely on a lifeguard. Watch your children.

• If you are at a backyard pool, make sure you have a self-closing, four-sided gate around the pool, to prevent falls into the pool. The first place to look for a missing child is in the pool.

• Simple steps safe lives. Make sure you have layers of protection around your house, including a fence around your house so other children do not attempt to dive into the pool, as well as a pool and spa cover that locks.

A full list of pool safety tips can be found at Pool Safely and the American Red Cross.

“There are definitely fewer numbers of drowning-related deaths since we began doing this,” says Silver. “There’s a tremendous desire to learn.”