📝 Step 1: The Basics
Child’s name
School and location
Class day, time and length
Person to ask about the camera policy
Date I received the written policy
Who may take photos for our family
❓ Step 2: Ask the School
May I photograph or film my child? Ask whether it is allowed in the spectator area and on which days.
Where may I stand or sit? Ask whether phones may be used on the pool deck.
Are cameras banned anywhere? Locker rooms and changing areas should be off limits.
Does the school take photos or video? Ask how it uses them and how families opt out.
Can I have the policy in writing? Keep a copy with this page.
👨👩👧 Step 3: Other Families’ Children
Record only my own child when I can. Frame shots so others are not recognizable.
Ask before sharing anything that shows another child. Some families have reasons to keep images private.
Never film near changing areas. Tell staff if someone else does.
Do not post class group shots without permission. Send them to the families instead.
Remind relatives and friends of the same rules. Share this page with them.
🔒 Step 4: Before I Post or Share
Leave out my child’s full name. First name only, or none.
Leave out the school’s name and exact location. Strangers should not learn where my child will be.
Leave out the class day and time. Posting after the fact is safer than posting live.
Check the background. Name tags, bags, signs and other children.
Share privately when I can. Use a message or shared album and check privacy settings.
🧒 Step 5: My Child’s Say
Tell my child when I am filming and why. Let them say no.
Keep the phone down at key moments. Eye contact and a smile matter more than footage.
Use video to celebrate progress. Not to test or compare.
Watch together afterward. Ask my child what they are proud of.
📈 Step 6: Sharing Log
Look for a pattern. If a rule changes or is not followed, tell the school and keep a note here.
✅ Step 7: Our Family Plan
Who films and who watches the water
Where we keep our photos
Adults and relatives who need a copy
Changes after the first month
Filming is not watching. Know where my child is at all times and stay ready to respond. If my child is in trouble in the water, I get help and call 911 or my local emergency number. Cameras do not replace close, undistracted supervision, barriers around pools or a properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket near open water. Lessons do not make a child drown-proof, at any age.
