Swim Lessons

The kids just completed a 2-week session of swim lessons. It is VERY important to me that my children learn to swim and to be safe in and around water. So, we enroll them in swim lessons every summer, starting at the preschool age (around age 3). I also work with them whenever we go to the pool for family swim.

I used to take swim lessons when I was a kid, because it was important to my Dad that his children learn to swim....and learn to swim with proper technique. His efforts to provide swim lessons, set me up to later join a swim team in high school, and to work as a lifeguard in my teen years.

I can only hope and dream at this point that my children will acquire a love for swimming that may lead them to swim teams and/or lifeguarding jobs. For now, I just want them to learn to swim well and be safe.

There are a handful of swimming pools in our town that are open during the summer months, and a few that are open during the winter. We actually drive a little out of our way to take swim lessons at a pool that is not the closest one to our house. The pool itself is bigger, and also has a bigger area that is only 3 or 4 feet deep. The new swimmers really like having that much space where their feet can touch the bottom of the pool when they stand up. It seems to give them much more confidence when they are first learning to swim. An additional reason we go to that specific pool is because they have some of the friendliest lifeguards in town. The lifeguards who teach the swim lessons are very sweet and encouraging, and my kids really like them. It must be a nice place to work, because we see the same lifeguards there each summer, as they work themselves through high school and college.

The city swim program offers a parent/tot class and a preschool class. The goal of those classes is to help a young child become comfortable in the water.

As soon as a child is comfortable getting into the water, and maybe even blowing bubbles, they start the child swim lessons program. This program has 6 levels, and the skills build upon each other as they progress. The 6th class includes a lot of junior lifeguarding skills as well. At the end of each 2-week session, the kids are given a card with their name on it, and all the skills for that level class. The instructors fill in the bubbles on the card to show us what skills the child has demonstrated. As soon as all the bubbles are filled in for one level, the child is ready to enroll in the next level class. It is a great system for our family, because it shows me how the children are progressing through each level.

This summer, the kids astounded me with their efforts. We were only able to register for one session of swim lessons, but they all still managed to complete all of their skills for the class they were in. (It often takes 2 sessions at a class level for them to complete all of the skills). So, next summer, they will be ready to move up to the next level. I am thrilled to report that I now have 3 swimmers and only 2 non-swimmers. I feel so much relief each and every time one of my children learns to swim well enough to get themselves back to the side of the pool.

Jersey #5 seemed comfortable enough in the water to join the preschool class. But, after the first day, he refused to return. He sat out the next day. After that, we both joined the parent/tot class. He loved swimming with Mama. He is back to being real comfortable in the water again. We will try the preschool class with him again next summer. A year to grow and mature should help his cooperation.

Jersey #4 did great in the preschool class. She fully participated each day, and had a blast. She is actually the most comfortable in the water of any of my kids at that age. I wonder if swimming will be a sport that entices her in the future?

Jersey #3 has no fear. As a result, I usually have to rescue him during swim lessons. This time, he learned how to swim underwater and get himself back to the edge of the pool. So, I did not have to utilize my former life-guarding skills with him this summer. Jersey #3 spent most of his time underwater. He also splashed his entire class every time he jumped into the water. His teacher didn't seem to mind. She liked his enthusiasm.

Jersey #2 can now swim 10 yards on her own. Last summer she was nervous to put her head underwater. This summer, she is a fish. She has gained a lot of confidence. She is so sure of herself that she was giving the instructors suggestions on what skills to work on.

There were times when I would just stop in my tracks because Jersey #1 caught my eye. I can hardly believe the skills she has learned. She can swim an entire length of the pool (25 yards) using front crawl stroke and backstroke. She also took an interest in diving into the pool. She practiced diving from the side of the pool, swimming across the deep end, diving off the low dive (with the help of the instructor and a mat that she slid off)....and then jumping off the high dive the last day of class...

I just love seeing my kids enjoy swimming.