Ensuring Your Child’s Safety and Confidence:
What to Look for in High-Quality Swim Lessons
As moms, we constantly worry about our children’s safety and well-being. We childproof our homes, select the healthiest foods, and carefully choose schools that will nurture their developing minds. But when it comes to teaching our kids how to swim, the stakes are uniquely high. Swimming is not only a fun and healthy activity but also a critical survival skill. This makes choosing the right swim lessons as important as any other decision we make for our children. Here are the dos and don’ts when looking for the right swim program to ensure your child not only learns to swim, but more importantly, learns to survive an aquatic accident.
Do:
Look for Personalized Lesson plan catered to the individual needs of your child. Every child is different with their own fears, strengths and learning styles. Swimming lessons should consider these differences
Don’t:
Rely on a one-sized fits all program developed for specified age groups without regard to the individual physical and emotional development of every child.
Do:
Allow for young children to be in a one-on-one lesson with the undivided attention of the instructor.
Don’t:
Enroll in a group lesson in a crowded environment where focus is split between several students of different abilities. A second of distraction can lead to disastrous results.
Do:
Consider skills before thrills. Lessons for young children should focus on developmentally appropriate survival skills of rolling back to an independent float or short swims, followed by rolling back to float. There is plenty of time for games and stroke work. Focus on competence before comfort.
Don’t:
Allow your child to be in a lesson that focuses on being comfortable with the aquatic environment before they have competent skills to survive. You would not teach your child to be comfortable playing in the middle of a busy street. Jumping in, blowing bubbles, and using flotation devices can be fun, but they are all detrimental to successful self-rescue skills.
Do:
Find a program that allows for significant skill progression within a relatively short amount of time. Consistent, frequent lessons over approximately 6 to 8 weeks will result in fundamental skill development with the right swim program.
Don’t:
Rely on weekly lessons to obtain retention of skills. Infrequent lessons spread out over an indefinite period will not lead to noticeable progression.
You would not ask your child when they are learning to walk to practice every Wednesday at noon. Consistent small bursts of learning lead to the building of muscle memory and increased confidence in the development of skills.
Do:
Find a program that provides for realistic practice scenarios to prepare your child for the unexpected. This should include teaching children how to manage in the water while fully clothed, not just in swimwear.
Don’t:
Expect that traditional lessons will prepare your child for the unexpected. Even “strong swimmers” who can hold their breath and swim across a pool can panic in a unfamiliar situation. Swimming is only half of the solution. Remaining calm and able to float in a horizontal position no matter how they enter the pool is the key to surviving an aquatic mishap.
Do:
Insist that lessons focus on teaching children to swim and float independent of flotation devices. In an aquatic accident, the only thing your child will have with them is their own skills and understanding of the environment.
Don’t:
Create a situation where your child has a false sense of security or confusion about their skill level. A child using a walker to move around the room is not walking. In the same way, a child using a puddle jumper or other flotation device is not swimming.
Flotation devices should be saved for open water, not recreational use.
Do:
Research and ask about the training level of your child’s swim instructor. Qualified instructors should have extensive, practical, and theoretical training not only in aquatics, but in child development and safety.
Don’t:
Trust your child to a instructor that has received on-line training or a weekend class at the gym. Aquatic skills are life-saving skills, taught by properly trained instructors in a comprehensive program.
Conclusion:
Choosing the right swim lessons for your child is an extension of all the careful choices you make as a mom. It's about ensuring their safety, building their confidence, and preparing them for the future. By focusing on personalized attention, rapid skill acquisition, and real-life preparedness, you can trust that your child is not just learning to swim but learning to swim well and survive the unexpected. Remember, the right swim instructor or program can make all the difference in your child's ability to enjoy and excel in the water.
If you need help finding the right swim instructor in your area, contact us! We’d love to help you find someone you can trust!
