It's a well-known fact that most kids love splashing around in the water: pools, lakes, streams, the bathtub! There's nothing like a good Free Willy moment when you're a bitty.

But there's one seemingly harmless thing many parents do that can actually be life-threatening to their little ones: wrapping a towel around their arms and shoulders when they're swimming or playing by the water.

How many of us rush to wrap our kids up tight in a warm, cozy towel when they're standing there shivering with purple lips and pruny fingers? Still, it's imperative we resist the urge to turn them into adorable burritos, lol.

Until recently, we had no idea how dangerous it was!

Nikki Scarnati, the momma who went viral on TikTok for teaching us about the dangers of blue, white, and flesh-toned swimsuits, is making waves again with more pool and water wisdom.

Wrapping a towel tightly around their arms can make them a drowning risk. *If* they were to fall into a body of water or, say, even a shallow bathtub, wrapping their arms tight can make it nearly impossible for them to move and stay afloat.

Nikki's warning was a heartbreaking and eye-opening revelation for us.

That's why it's SO, SO, SO important for parents, especially Idaho parents, where there's a river, stream, and pond around every turn to make their kids' arms stay completely free whenever they're near water.

As parents, our kids' safety is our top priority. How so many of us have overlooked this poolside danger for so long is, well, horrifying. We don't mean to be alarmists, but we think this is a pretty darn urgent matter that merits way more attention than it gets.

So, this summer and every summer from here on out, let's be unwavering in our commitment to keeping our kids' arms free when they're in or around water.

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