If there is one thing we have learned from working with children, it is that every child is unique! And nobody knows your child better than you do.

We have made it our mission to help kids learn how to be safe and independent in the water. We train on personality types, developmental psychology, and more; but the journey to independence in the water is going to look different for everyone.

So, what do you do when swim lessons aren’t what you expected? Or your child seems to be struggling with skills more than you expected?

Advocate for your child! Talk to your instructor!

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The first step to being a good advocate for your child is to know what you are advocating for. Take time to assess what you are hoping to get out of lessons. Why are you bringing your child to us? Why is water safety and self-rescuing important to you? 

Our number one goal is water safety, and we will never teach your child unsafe things. We will not teach your child that water is fun and safe unless we are also teaching them the skills that will allow them to be safe. We will not teach your child that they can jump into water unless we are also teaching them how to independently get their face out of the water. However, we will also not do anything during lessons that you tell us you are uncomfortable with. For example: if you are uncomfortable with your child going under or rolling under the water, we can work with them on basic breath control and backfloat skills, but we will not be able to teach them how to roll to get to their backfloat. Take the time to think about what your goals are for your child.

The next step in being a good advocate for your child is to communicate. Start by communicating with your child. Take time to talk to them about swim lessons. Ask them what they like about lessons, what is easy for them, what is hard, what they wish they didn’t have to do, and other questions depending on their age and interests. Then, take time to talk to your instructor. Your child will probably act differently in a “lesson” scenario than they do at home. Ask your instructor what your child is doing well, what they seem to struggle with, how their personality is influencing their learning style, and how the instructor expects lessons to progress. With your knowledge of your child and our knowledge of water safety, we want to find the best way to help your child be independent, safe, and confident in the water.

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Your instructor can inform you about why we teach lessons the way we do, what skills your child is working on, and how you can expect lessons to progress. They can provide insight into what you could do at home to help your child progress. But also, they need your input about the things that make your child unique to help them progress at lessons! 

We want your swim lesson experience to be as unique as your child. Let us know how we can best help you!