Summer Swimming Lessons

Moving back to an area with lots of water we decided we needed to put the kids in swimming lessons.  Before we moved we were going to go with an instructor from ISR.  The lessons are expensive so we waited because the need wasn't as great in TX. 

Infant Swim Resource teaches self-rescue swimming skills. You won't learn any strokes from these classes.  They teach babies 6 months to 6 years how to save themselves if they were to end up in the water alone. Years ago I saw this video on a morning news show.  It's hard to watch but amazing.  It shows this little boy getting out through the glass doors out to the pool in his p.j's with no one noticing.  The baby falls in, is able to turn himslef over and float until he is found.   These skills saved a friend of mines two year old. 

The lessons are for only 10 minutes a day.  It doesn't sound like a long time but trust me, the kids are exhausted after 10 minutes.  The lessons usually take about 6 weeks for the kids to master all the skills.  I was lucky with Aiden, it only took him two weeks.  Ava took about 5.  Kids age 1 and over first learn to float on their backs.  Then they are turned over face down in the water and they learn to flip over to their back and float.  Then they learn to swim - float and look around for a way to get out of the pool and swim float swim until they can get to the edge or the stairs.  They are taught to swim with their face in the water with eyes open so they can see where to go.

Once the skills are mastered they put the kids in summer clothes and sandles and they get in the pool.  They are flipped over backwards and they have to demonstrate swim - flaot -swim and get them selves out of the pool.  Once they can do that they are put in winter clothes, jeans and a long sleeve shirt and heavier shoes and have to demonstrate the same thing. 

At first all of this is hard to watch becuase the kids usually cry.  After a few days though they start to get the hang of things and it's not so bad and the crying stops.  We had a cousin do the lessons with us with her 12 month old and a couple other friends which brought the cost down. I know lessons aren't a substitute for supervision but it makes me feel much more comfortable around pools and lakes.  They still have to wear jackets at the beach.  I love watching Ava do cannon balls.  Aiden on the other had has already attempted back flips which gave me a heart attack and was quickly put to a stop.  It's so him though.  I think diving lessons will be next for him.