DIY Swimming Lessons

It is my personal belief that teaching your children to swim is one of the most important life-skills you can give them.  With any other sport, if they don't like it or can't do it well, it's not a big deal.  No one ever died from being bad at soccer, right?  But swimming is another matter.  Yes, you could avoid situations in which you'd have to swim.  But what happens if your child falls into a lake?  Tips over in a boat?  Heck, with all the flooding going on recently, what if your child has to swim for his/her life?  I encourage every parent out there to start their kids out right when it comes to water safety and adjustment.  Take them to a parent/tot class.  Sign them up for swimming lessons as soon as they turn 4.  Make them stick with it until they at least pass level 4 in the RC program, whether they like it or not. 

I do understand, however, that not everyone has access to a good Red Cross swimming program, for geographical or financial reasons.  Even without that resource, it's possible to start your child off on the right foot when it comes to learning to swim.  You can teach your child to swim yourself in your own backyard or local pool by following the steps outlined in this article:

DIY Swim Lessons for Kids: A Guide For Parents

Keep in mind that all children will go at their own pace, but that motor-skill development is fairly predictable among children 0-5 years of age, so your child is probably physically capable of the skills mentioned in each section. 

Have fun swimming!

Swimming Lessons: Passing to the Next Level

In the past month, I've had two different cases of parents deciding to move their children up to the next level after the previous teacher had not passed them.  They felt that there was no progress being made at the current level, and thought that the solution was just to sign them up for the next highest level.  In both cases, the student was a Level 2 and ended up in my level 3 class.

In the first case, I was able to work with the student get her skill level to improve up to a level 3.  The other student, however, was not progressing in level 2 because of her over-dramatic fear of drowning.  This did not improve with a move to the "big pool".  She became even more worried, and refused to try even those skills she had already mastered because she couldn't touch the bottom.  In this case, her mother actually set back her progress by pushing too hard, too fast.  I recommended private lessons to work through her fear of deep water and hopefully make some progress that she wasn't getting in regular lessons. 

This article was written for all the parents who are tempted to push ahead even if their children are not ready for the next level of swimming lessons. 

Swimming Lessons: Passing to the Next Level

It explains why it's not a good idea, and gives tips for what parents can do to ensure their children are progressing in the correct swimming lesson level.

Swimming Lessons: Private vs. Group Lessons

When it comes time to enroll their child in swimming lessons, many parents are unsure what situation will lead to the best results. With so many programs out there, each with their own goals and strengths, how is a parent supposed to choose? One of the first decisions to make is between enrolling your child in private swimming lessons or group swimming lessons. Knowing the benefits and weaknesses of each approach will allow parents to choose the best swimming lesson for their child.

Group Lessons

When someone says “swimming lessons”, they are usually thinking of group lessons. In this set-up, there are multiple children per instructor. Numbers vary from 3-4 students for young children to 6-8 for older, more experienced swimmers. Red Cross and YMCA are two of the biggest providers of group swimming lessons in the US.

Advantages

Group lessons are often the cheapest option. Prices generally range from $20-$50 for about 8 lessons. They are also easy to find; most health clubs, community centers, and sports complexes offer some form of group swimming lesson.

The biggest advantage to group lessons is the social interaction between students. Kids benefit from being able to watch their peers try skills and accomplish tasks. It gives them the confidence that they might be able to do it too! Swimming is more fun for children when they get to play games and show off for their peers. Group lessons also allow kids to get some rest between activities, as other students take their turn. A swimming lesson can also teach kids good social skills such as taking turns, sharing, and playing fair. There is also the opportunity for students to learn how to encourage each other in a scary setting and be patient with other people.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantage to group lessons is lack on one-on-one time with each student. Even the best teacher can only spend so much time with each child on focused correction and feedback. She may have to spend time disciplining a challenging child or coaxing a fearful one, leaving the other children with lots of free time. As a result, kids in group lessons may not advance as fast as they would in a private lesson setting. Group lessons are also highly standardized and may not be a good fit for every child and skill level.

Private Lessons

Private lessons consist of one instructor and one student. Some parents may choose to have siblings of similar ages “share” a private lesson.

Advantages

In a private lesson, the student(s) get focused, one-on-one attention. Instructors are able to concentrate on the needs of the individual child. Drills can be customized to the skill level of the student. As a result, students tend to advance faster in a private lesson. Discipline can also be tailored to the student's challenges, leading to a better learning environment for both student and instructor. The lesson can also meet the personal goals of the student and parents, from water adjustment to safety skills to competitive swimming skills.

Disadvantages

Private lessons can be expensive, starting at $15 per lesson. It may also be more difficult to find a good private instructor. There is a lack of social interactions with peers, which may cause motivation challenges, as lessons may seem more like work than play. There is no opportunity for children to watch their peers try and master skills, which could benefit a nervous child. Private lessons also make it more challenging for an instructor to keep a child engaged for the entire session.

So which option should a parent choose?

Group lessons may be the best option for families in which cost is a major issue. It is also a good option for children who may be unsure of the water and slightly shy, where the social aspect of group lessons will allow them to observe their peers. While children will advance at an acceptable rate in group lessons, this option is best for parents who are less concerned with speedy results and want their children to learn to love the water and interact with their peers.

Private lessons may be the best option for parents who have a specific goal in mind. It might be to learn to swim in time for a vacation, or improve stroke performance for swim team. A private lesson is also a great option for those children who may have have had a traumatic experience with water and need to progress slowly. Students who may become distracted by other students or need specialized direction and discipline would also benefit from a private lesson.

Swimming Lessons Reduce the Risk of Drowning in Children

The debate over swimming lessons for small children has been heated for a long time. There are those that maintain children should be in the water as soon as possible, learning self-rescue techniques. Critics of early swimming lessons feel that allowing young children to feel comfortable in the water actually increases the danger of drowning. Now there is finally a study that tackles this very debate.

The study was conducted by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. “Association between Swimming Lessons and Drowning in Childhood” was published by the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine in March of 2009. This is the first definitive study to show that taking your child to formal swimming lessons can reduce their risk of drowning. The study focused on case studies of 88 children who drowned between 2003 and 2005, and the families of 213 control children of the same age, gender, and location. The study revealed that among the 61 children between the ages of 1-4 who had drowned, only 3% of children had had formal swimming lessons, versus 26% of the control group. The risk of drowning in that age group was determined to be decreased by almost 88%.

I applaud this study as an excellent starting point for exploring the benefits of swimming lessons. But critics of the study, myself included, would like to see more. Swimming lessons programs vary greatly in the skills they prioritize. Some programs, such as Red Cross, focus on water adjustment, while others consider safety skills to be the main objective. In a response to the LA Times article reporting the results of the study, Dr. Harvey Barnett, Ph. D, founder of Infant Swimming Resource LLC outlines six approaches to swimming lessons; water adjustment, structured play, swimming readiness, swimming with devices, survival swimming, and modified adult strokes. He would like to see studies that break these categories up to discover which approaches are more beneficial to drowning reduction in small children. These studies would be incredibly complicated to undertake, as the samples sizes may not be large enough to give any conclusive data.

It is my personal belief that the main benefit of formal swimming lessons for children ages 1-4 is parental awareness. No swimming lesson can drown-proof a child, and only a select few concentrate on infant survival skills in which the child can “rescue” themselves. But the vast majority of swimming lessons for this age group rely heavily on safety information for parents. The Red Cross Parent/Infant classes involve safety tips in every lessons, from allowing children to enter the pool to the benefits of taking a CPR class. It is, of course, up to the parents to follow through with the safety techniques, but it is my personal opinion that the simple awareness of drowning dangers and prevention play a significant role in the drowning-risk reduction seen in the study. Dr. Barnett also credits parental awareness to reduced drowning risk. In the same letter:

“Regardless of whichever particular approach further research shows contributes most to the reduction of the risk of drowning, care giver and parent education must be a primary effort. Lessons for infants in the water whether formal or not must include comprehensive and effective adult education. The programs should aim to make the baby safer in the water and the family safer around it.”

So if the information given in a swimming class is the significant factor in drowning prevention, does it stand to reason that reading a book or doing an internet search would be just as effective? I believe the answer is no. Active instruction lets parents and children practice safety skills. Parents are able to receive answers to questions and get feedback from experienced instructors. And experiences in swimming lessons allow the parent and the child to remain much more calm in an emergency, making good decisions that can save lives.

Sources

Ruth A. Brenner, Associations Between Swimming Lessons and Drowning in Childhood, Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, March 2009, Vol. 163 No. 3

http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/163/3/203?maxtoshow=&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=swimming+lessons&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT

Shari Roan, Swimming Lessons Lower Drowning Risk In Toddlers, Los Angeles Times, March 2 2009

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/03/swimming-lesson.html

Preparing Your Child For Swimming Lessons

The Red Cross program is designed so that students can start with no previous swimming experience.  Your child can be totally "green" when it comes to pools, water, and swimming.  Instructors expect a certain number of first-time students to show up in our classes, and the objectives for Pre-School 1 and Level 1 contain pool orientation and safety information.  All that being said, just because your child can start from scratch doesn't necessarily mean that there's nothing you can or should do to prepare them.  The list below outlines some suggestions that will help your child feel more comfortable in swimming lessons. 

1. Take your child swimming.
This one may seem obvious, but some families do not swim.  Maybe there is a lack of facilities nearby, or one of the parents has had a bad swimming experience and is fearful of water.  Whatever the case, if you decide to sign your child up for lessons, it might not be the best idea to have their first water experience be in a lesson.   Swimming is a weird sensation.  The the size of the pool area, the temperature of the pool water, the change in balance and buoyancy can all cause hesitation and anxiety at first. Let your child experience the water wherever is most convenient and comfortable for you, from a lake to a wading pool.

2. Swim without floatation devices.
Life jackets and suits with built-in floaties are great for initial introduction to the water, but are usually not allowed in a formal swim lesson.  If your child is used to swimming with floatation, it may be best to have a few sessions without any of these devices to prepare them. 

3. Read up!
Red Cross has published two books;  Raffy Learns To Swim and Waddles In The Deep. Both are illustrated children's books about a brother and sister duck and their activities at swimming lessons.  The advantage of using the Red Cross books is that the activities that Raffy and Waddles go through will closely correspond to those that will happen in your child's class.  The books also offer safety information and skills checklists for the levels associated with each book.  Raffy Learns To Swim deals with Pre-School levels 1/2 and Level 1.  Waddles In The Deep correlates to Pre-School Level 2/3 and Level 3.  While I recommend these books specifically, any book that can help your child understand what will happen at their lesson will make them feel more comfortable. 

4. Visit the pool at which the lessons will take place.
Even if your child is familiar with swimming, the unknown of a new pool can still cause anxiety.  Some children might fear that they cannot find the bathroom or won't know where to meet their teacher.  A visit to the pool allows parents to point out lockers (we will put our stuff in here), parent areas (this is where I will sit and watch while you swim), bathrooms, etc.  Swimming at the pool allows children the chance to test it out.  How warm is the water?  Which areas are shallow, and which are deep?  Where are the ladders and stairs?  When the child returns for the class, they feel more confident knowing their way around. The only "new" thing is the lesson its self. 

5. Go over pool rules and safety.
Shower before swimming
No running anywhere
Lifeguards are here to help
No jumping in head-first in shallow water (diving)
Do not enter the water until given permission
There may be other rules at your specific facility that you will want to go over, but these five are pretty much standard at any pool you may go to. 

6. Watch a swimming lesson. 
If your facility has classes going continuously, such as mine does, you may be able to observe a lesson. You can point out to your child the rules of the class, and get feeling for the skills being taught.  Kids can see where they will be swimming and what they will be doing.  This is also a good idea if your child is older and you are unsure that they are in the right level.  If you and your child observe a level 1 class, and your child's skills are more advanced, you may be able to move them to a level 2 before they even start classes. 

7. Practice listening to the teacher and taking turns.
For some students, swimming lessons may be the first "formal" class they ever take.  Children must be able to listen to the instructor, stay put when told, and take turns.  If your child has not had much experience with formal instruction, practice with them.  Hold a "pretend" lesson. Have your child sit on the side or hold the wall until you allow them to move, or count to three before jumping in.  Play "Simon Says".  Come swimming with friends and practice waiting their turn to hop across the pool or throw a ball.  Talk to your child about following instructions.  A good instructor will have many methods of class management, but it never hurts to plant a few seeds!

8. Take a Parent/Child Class.
If you would like to work on some actual swimming skills with your child, you can sign up for a Parent/Child class.  The goal of a Parent/Tot class is to acclimate young children to the water, and to teach parents some skills they can work on with their child.  Children up to age 5, with their adult partner, can participate in Parent/Child lessons.  Read Red Cross Swimming Lessons: Parent Child for a brief overview of skills taught in this class.  The class is loosely structured so that children experience following directions, and there is some instructor/child time to get the kids used to trusting other adults in the water.  This may be a good option if your child is under 3 years of age, or you feel they are otherwise not quite ready for independent lessons. 

These are simply my suggestions for ways to prepare your child for their first swimming lesson.  Please share any others you may have found useful!

Goggles

I love goggles.  I'm one of those people that does not care to even go underwater without them.  My eyes are sensitive to chlorine, or just sensitive.  I even kick with my goggles on, on the off chance that someone splashing will get in my eye.  I would even wear goggles while I teach, but they tend to fog up above the water which makes watching a group of 8-year-olds harder than it needs to be.  I do carry them with me and put them on to watch strokes underwater.

I've run into lots of parents over the years that are hesitant to let their kids wear goggles for swimming lessons.  I guess I get the sentiment: kids should learn to put their faces in the water without any "crutches"  (although why this philosophy doesn't extend to nose-pinching I will never understand).  I do think there is something to be said for this, as you aren't always going to have your goggles with you.  When you fall out of a boat or get pushed into a pond, it helps not to panic if your eyes get wet without protection.  There are even tasks in Level 2 that need to be done with eyes open underwater, preferably without goggles.  Lifeguards are not allowed to use goggles during training, as they need to be able to complete rescues without them. 

When it's time to start learning actual swimming strokes, however, I am very pro-goggle.  They keep eyes from being irritated as students spend more and more time with their faces in the water.  It also helps to be able to see underwater when working on surface dives and flip turns.  If students don't already have goggles by level 4 or 5, I write it on their report card that goggles are recommended for upper levels.  If parents are hesitant, I remind them that even Olympic swimmers wear goggles; it is a piece of sports equipment, not a weakness. 

The problem with goggles is that many times, students or parents pick the wrong goggle.  Goggles that leak are actually more distracting than no goggles at all.  Here is a list of goggle pointers: 

1. No snorkel masks.  Snorkel masks cover the eyes and the nose.  Swimmers should be exhaling out of their noses during lap swimming, which is impossible to do with a snorkel mask.  They are also large and unwieldy, and can be dangerous to dive in. 

2. Get the proper size.  There is a difference between goggles made for children and adult goggles.  Children's goggles have smaller eye cups, and the cups are closer together to fit faces with smaller nose bridges.  Adult goggles on a small child's face leave gaps around the out corners of the eye, causing leaks.  By about ten years of age, kids can start wearing adult-sized goggles.  If you are getting them for your four-year-old, go for the children's size.  Speedo Junior Goggles

3. Double straps.  Find goggles with a split strap, especially if the wearer will have a ponytail.  The double strap gives more stability if you are going to be doing any head-first entries (dives or block starts)

4. Spend some money.  You don't have to drop a huge amount of money on goggles, but dollar store goggles are not going to last very long, and probably won't work well.  Spring for the Speedos or Nikes. 

5. Tight!  Goggles should be tight.  The suction cups can only do so much to hold water...the rest is all in the straps.  Goggles should feel snug on the face, and may leave marks under the eyes if worn for an extended period of time. You will get used to the feeling.  Loose goggles are leaky goggles.

6. Strap placement.  The straps should be above the ears, around the widest part of the head.  Teach your kids to place their goggles on their foreheads when not on their eyes, rather than pull them down around their necks. It is safer and makes then easier to put on. 

7. Test the goggles.  Before you send your child off to lessons in their new goggles, test them.  Have them swim with them to make sure they actually keep water out of the eyes, and adjust the tightness accordingly.  Have them do bobs, swim, flip, dive in with them on to see how they work.  Make sure they stay together, that the straps won't slip out of place. Adjust the nose piece.  Teach your kids how to put them on.  I can't tell you how many hours I've wasted over the course of my career "fixing" goggles.

 Go goggles!