Superhero Swim Instructors

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No! It’s your child’s swim instructor! Swim coaches are not just instructors; they are life-savers. And, as life-savers, they are superheroes, doing the same job that Superman or Batman aims to do. They may not wear red capes or run faster than a speeding bullet, but they are saving children’s lives every day.

By teaching your children how to swim, swim instructors are teaching them to be safer around all kinds of water and situations, from pool parties to beach outings. Children who know how to float, how to swim to the edge of the pool, and how to climb out of the pool can save their own lives. But, really, what saves them is the coaching from their swim instructor. And we all know what a real threat drowning is, especially in our area, as we watch more and more stories of childhood drowning on TV and read them in the newspaper.

But, swimming is not just a life-saving skill; it is a life skill. Think of the countless vacation activities you may engage in that involve water: fishing, boating, canoeing, paddle boarding, surfing, snorkeling, and scuba diving. Children must know how to swim in order to be able to be a part of the fun as they are growing up.

And, many professions your child may choose will require swimming skills and/or will take place near water. Some jobs that require swimming skills are an EMT, fire fighter, the armed services, and the Coast Guard. Ask any parent who does not know how to swim and you will hear how concerned they are about not having water rescue skills. You don’t want your child to grow up without these skills.

And swim instructors are creating some of the superheroes of the future too! Knowing how to swim and swim well will have a significant impact on your child’s choice of careers, living situations, and vacationing. Swim coaches are inspiring children to become swim instructors when they grow up. So, if your child is enrolled in swimming lessons, he or she may live out a dream: to be a super hero one day!

Know the Signs of Drowning

Do you think you would know if your child was drowning? You might be surprised. Drowning doesn’t look or sound the way you expect it to. There is often no splashing, screaming, or waving of hands. Drowning can be a silent killer.

About 375 children drown each year within 25 yards of their parent. In some of these cases, 

according to the Centers for Disease Control, the parent is watching the child, but misses the signs of drowning. As a parent, you need to be aware of the warning signs that your child may be drowning.

When a child is drowning, the respiratory system focuses on breathing first, so it may be impossible for him or her to call out for help. A drowning child is not likely to wave for help either. Their arms will probably be extended laterally in order to press down on the surface of the water. Their arms are therefor too busy to wave.

It may even seem that a drowning child is taking in breaths, because his or her mouth will often go above and below the water. Drowning also occurs very rapidly. It may take just 20 to 60 seconds of struggling before a child’s body submerges below the water.

Other signs to look out for:

Hyperventilating or gasping

Head low in the water, mouth at water level or head tilted back with mouth open.

Legs not moving

Glassy or unfocused eyes

Watching your child while he or she is in the water is not enough; you also have to watch for the signs of drowning.


Find out more here.

Try, Try Again

Remember my daughter, Ruby's, first swimming lesson at USSA? Well, if you recall, it went swimmingly. So, we were excited for the second lesson. But, was Ruby all smiles and giggles this time? No. Actually, that word about sums it up. "No." That was all she would say to any request the swimming coach made. "Blow your bubbles, Ruby." "No!" "Turn over on your back, Ruby." "No!" Now, there's the child I'm used to at home. 

So, this experience, needless to say, was disappointing. I ran into her swimming coach after the lesson and shared my frustration. She assured me that this phenomenon of the second nightmare lesson is very common. Children can sense things, as we all know. So, they know parents' expectations have been raised now and they have more to live up to. She even recommended that, after the first lesson, parents should not overwhelm their little ones with kudos. Kids do not like to disappoint their parents and often shut down rather than let their parents down. Swimming lessons are also just like any other learning experience. There will be gains and set-backs, a step forward and then a step back. Children need time to absorb all that they are learning.

There are several things we, as parents, can do to help make sure the lesson goes as well as possible:

1. For the first lesson, arrive 20 minutes early so that your child can process everything that is going on at the school.

2. Expect your child will have appropriate behaviors. Talk about what is appropriate in the positive - " Ruby, be sure and talk to the teacher using your words so he/she can help you." If you expect a major fiasco of screaming and tears, you probably will get it!  Besides, who says swimming lessons have to be frightening - not us! 

If your child is having a difficult swimming lesson, here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Children are not built to be put in life threatening situations, real or perceived. Never leave your child alone with an instructor. A very scared child can't learn. If a child believes she is in real danger, the brain uses it fear or fight mechanism which will cause cortisol to be secreted,  which can be harmful.

2. Give the swimming coach the full lesson time if your child is not in terror. Often, the child needs time and the teacher needs time to find which one of her teaching tools will work best with your child. 

Remember, here at USSA, your child is enrolled in developmental lessons. The swimming coach will take into account the child's state of mind and will work from the developmental stage he or she is at.

Not every lesson will be perfect, but not every one will be difficult either. So, remember what we tell our children. Don't give up! Try, try again!

"Quickie" Swimming Lessons: A Big Mistake

The following is a letter written by the executive director of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, in response to a parent's request for "quickie" swimming lessons:

I heard from the US Swim Academy that you would like to take “quickie” swim lessons. A “guarantee” that your child can roll over or float is not a guarantee that your child will not drown. These lessons merely state that your child can roll over on their back when prompted by the instructor.

There is a big difference between survival lessons (quickie lessons) and water safety lessons. Building skills upon skills in a skills progression that builds one upon the other is the best way for your child to learn, any skill. Just like any other set of skills, like riding a bike or learning to read, you have to start and build your skills level. Once you learn one skill, you repeat and then learn another skill. Think of it like the learning to read. First, you have to learn to say your abc’s, then you learn to recognize the letters, then you learn to start putting the letters together, then your first word is cat. And that takes pretty much all of their first year of preschool. But once they learn these letters, it never leaves them because of the progression of learning. Swimming is exactly the same way.

In order for your child not to panic later in life in any water scenario, they have to have these skill sets ingrained in their memory. I would like to encourage you to rethink the “quickie” solution. Just like in tennis or anything else, you can’t learn any sport/skill in a week. It may take years, but you are building the necessary synapses for your child’s brain to develop into a smarter, more social, more coordinated child.

The Cost of Safety

At United States Swim Academy, we can and do reduce the risk of childhood drowning as part of our daily activities. What is that worth to you? Because we often hear that swimming lessons are too expensive. Are they really? If you are willing to spend money on the newest technology or a lavish birthday party for your little one, shouldn’t you be willing to pay the price for your child’s safety?

Invest in your child’s future by completing their water safety and swimming training. Some training is not enough to save your child. Their swimming lessons must be completed if you want to be sure they are safer around water. And these lessons don’t just affect your son or daughter for a short time; completing their training here at USSA ensures a lifetime of water safety and confidence. A party is over in a few hours. An iPod is outdated in a few months. A child’s swimming ability lasts forever.

Something is expensive when it does not deliver value for the money, time, or effort. That is not the definition of our swimming lessons program! We deliver risk-reducing swimming lessons for all children, a pre-swim skill program to increase learning and skill retention, and we offer the lowest student-teacher ratio in Broward County! The risk of drowning is very real in our community. Already this year, four children have died. We are value-packed and we help to prevent the tragedy of childhood drowning.

So, the next time you are planning a trip to Disney or considering purchasing an expensive toy for your little boy or girl, think about the money it costs to save your child’s life here at USSA. Is it worth it? We think so and we know you will agree as well.

3 Water Safety Tips

*This article is taken from www.parenting.com.

Some experts suggest that you teach your child how to swim as soon as he can walk. So here are some tips for keeping him safe while he learns.

By Stephanie Eckelkamp

© Veer

The next time you take your little guy to the pediatrician, you just might come home with an unexpected prescription for swimming lessons. A new Water Smart Babies program is gaining traction in a few warm-weather states, which is great news considering that children ages 1 to 4 have the highest drowning rates. We talked with Lana Whitehead, spokesperson for Water Smart Babies and an American Red Cross certified water-safety instructor, about ways to ensure your little swimmers are safe.

1. Start young. “Kids can begin swim classes as soon as they can walk,” says Whitehead. But getting them into water for pure enjoyment (with you holding on tight, of course) can be done as early as 6 months, which can be a great bonding experience.

2. Don't skimp on the safety measures. There are certain “layers” of protection you should implement to create a safe swimming environment for a child, says Whitehead. These layers include swimming lessons, putting up barriers (fencing, pool alarms, pool covers), becoming CPR-certified (for classes, visit redcross.org), and practicing “touch” supervision—always staying within arm's reach.

3. Get smart. Find a water-safety class for your child at usswimschools.org. He'll be taught to hold his breath underwater, flip onto his back to float, and swim to the edge of the pool or steps in case he falls in.

Consistency is Key!

As a team we can successfully help our children succeed and learn to swim! The key to successful swim lessons are consistency and repetition. Our children can achieve this with our help.

Our classes are carefully designed to help your child learn to swim. Patterns and repetition are used throughout the lessons. Each class builds on an already learned skill that was introduced in a previous lesson. Why do we use such patterns and repetition? Maria Montessori proved, more than 100 years ago, that children love to practice until they achieve a permanent kind of mastery. Children will not retain what they have learned if it is simply taught once; they need repetition and patterns.

As a parent, you have probably noticed that your child thrives on routine. Sometimes a holiday or trip will cause chaos because your child is out of his or her regular routine. If your child is school-aged, you know they have a certain routine they follow at school which might include snack times, work times and recess. Teachers know that children really crave this regular routine schedule. Knowing what to expect makes them feel comfortable and safe. This is the environment under which children learn best.

If your child misses a lesson and has to re-schedule for a different class time, then they may have a new instructor or a different group of classmates. This can make them uncomfortable and can disrupt their rhythm. We know there will be times when a child is sick or there is an emergency and you need to miss a class. Otherwise, we urge you to be aware of the importance of consistency and early arrival. We need your help with regular attendance and early arrival! Your child will progress so much more quickly. Children who miss lessons fall back multiple classes.

Thank you for being part of the solution to preventing drowning! If you haven't already, reserve your child's spot today! Learning to swim can save a life.