Go Swimming, Don't let your child forget!

The sunrise on St. Simon's Island this winter reminds me that there is a Spring coming!  Just like the tide, the seasons change and soon it will be Spring and Summer again.  Time to think about swimming lessons.   

Hopefully you have been "swimming" in the bathtub.

If you haven't taken your child swimming all winter - do it soon!  Your child may have already forgotten much of what he learned.  You need to treat the time at the pool as a new adventure!  Don't have expectations.  Your child will look at the water with more mature eyes.  His attitude of joy and excitement will depend on you!  Show him how you like the water.  Go under the water first and swim to him.  Laugh and enjoy it.

Turn on my Learn to Swim with Miss Bea dvd, and watch it again and again and your child will see himself in one of the kids that are having fun and learning how to swim.

Practice kicking and floating in the bathtub in the cold months

It is important that your young child not forget to swim during the cold months.  There are lots of things you can do in the bathtub.  Look at my dvd for ideas.

Teach your babies to go under the water.  Have your child put the babies under the water counting to three...

 


Put all her favorite baby dolls (or action figures) in the tub and teach them to float.  Then, have your child float too!

She doesn't like to float but will soon like it more!

You can teach your child the meaning of kicking in the water.  If your child gets used to kicking in the tub, he will kick on his belly in the water so much faster.

 

how to teach your baby to swim (under 7 months)

Here are the proven instructions to teach babies to go under water if under 7 months using the air in the face reflex:

Blow like a gentle gust of wind onto the baby’s face.  You can see your baby take in a gulp of air and/or make a funny face – do this several times before you go in the pool to see if your baby still has this reflex. (This reflex is usually lost between 4 and 9 months)

Follow these steps in the pool:

• After the baby is comfortable and playful in the water, hold the baby under the arms facing you, and make eye contact with your baby. 
• Count to three to set the signal,
• blow quickly on your baby’s face
• watch your baby make the funny face
• smoothly and gently lower the baby’s head completely under the water for one second
• When you raise your baby, wipe your baby’s nose so that not even a tiny water bubble will go into the nose. 
• Give your baby a hug to your chest so that the baby will blow out and not swallow any air.  Skipping this step may cause the baby to develop a hard tummy.  This may become a big burp, and may even lead to throwing up.  
• Immediately distract your baby with a toy.
• Do this about 5-10 times a session if the baby doesn’t show any discomfort.
• Extend the time under the water to up to 5 seconds pulling your baby toward you for a short glide as you step back.
• Place your hand gently behind your baby’s head gliding your baby to another person.
• Scatter underwater practice with practice on the other skills as instructed on the dvd, and playing with your baby.
• Enjoy your time together!

The Family Review Center gave the Seal of Approval to my Learn to Swim dvd!

Offering Honest Reviews on Awesome Products Another GREAT Product !!! Learn to Swim with Miss Bea - A Nadar con Maestra Beatriz -dvd REVIEW ID: 1002466 SRP: $24.95 AGES: 4 mo+ COMPANY: SwimBea Productions WEBSITE: www.swimbea.com DESCRIPTION: Hundreds of parents have used Miss Bea's unique activities  and games to teach their children how to swim. You want the best for your child and you want to start from the baby's first bath! You want to do all you can to make your child not only water safe, but to love the water. Teach your child the basic swimming techniques with this swim lesson DVD for infants and children... You have a brand new baby and want to have your child love the water! You also want to make your baby water safe. Or, maybe your child has not had many water experiences and you want to prepare your child for swimming lessons. Miss Bea's Learn to Swim DVD will help you and your child prepare to get in the water with confidence. Visit Miss Bea's Blog Here REVIEWER NOTES: By following Miss Bea's easy instructions you as a parent or teacher can teach children how to swim, effectively and confidently. She is so easy to follow, which allows you to be in command of the situation from the moment you step in to the pool. Using simple little games and water activities that show them how to hold their breath, have fun and maneuver their body in water, children quickly lose their apprehensions (if they have any) and learn to get around in the water and swim. Watch the video and allow your child to watch it as well. This will enhance your lessons with them as they view other children what you will be encouraging them to do. Whether your child has never stepped in to a pool before, or they have had lessons but still need to improve, this DVD is for you! DVD is about 35 minutes long and teaches in both english and spanish. I fully recommend this one and encourage you to get them in to the pool early in life, before fear steps up to the plate. Water safety is so important, as we hear of so many children drowning each year. Please be sure your child knows water safety rules and learns how to swim at a very early age. You can do this! You need to do this. They need you to do this. They need to do this.

Miss Bea says: "Thank you Family Review Center!"

Swim with the Pumpkins in October

October is the month of pumpkins but don't forget about swimming!

So, swim with the pumpkins!

Don't forget all the fun and skills that you learned over the Summer!  I you didn't learn how to swim, you have all year to prepare yourself for next Summer!  

There are lots of swimming lesson programs for babies!  Don't be afraid of the public pools.  When you take a child to a public pool, check the pool temperature to make sure it is not too cool.  Also after the pool, shower the baby/child to remove the pool chemicals.  Otherwise the public pools are very safe, especially in the off season when there are fewer people in the pool.

Best Practices for parents and swimming lessons

Parents, you teach your own child to swim?  It's not easy!!!

Parents, you want your child to enjoy swimming but when you get serious about swimming lessons your child may fuss or cry, not because he is afraid, but because he won’t want to follow your instructions, he’ll want to play! Or, your child may be uncomfortable with the noise, the water temperature, or even the way you are holding him.  Don’t let it get you! Keep a calm, gentle and fun attitude.  Your child will sense your mood and react to it.  Sing a song, go for his favorite toy, promise a treat, let him dunk you and make funny noises!  You can do it!!

Don't wait "until he is ready", your child needs this life skill now!!

Before you get in the pool:

• Watch these Learn Swim with Miss Bea dvd sections several times
• Become familiar with the positions for holding your child when practicing the kicking, the digging, and the back float.
• Have the child 2yo+ watch the dvd also; comment and ask questions.  They love it!
• Take your child to a pool at least once before the swimming lessons start and practice in the bathtub – make a friend that has a pool if necessary!  You don’t have to put the child under water but play with pouring water on the face.
• Kids will do anything for the teacher.  Tell your child that you are the teacher helper
• Describe to your child what he will be doing, no surprises!
• If the child has water experiences, do some of the same fun things you usually do in the pool.  Try not to behave differently or the child will get anxious.  (Let him use the floaties some of the time.)
• Have the child pour water on your face, or have the child dunk you. Have the child dunk his toy also. It’s fun for them!
• Know that each child is different and not all the kids will progress at the same rate.  Some will cry and some not. Ignore the crying while being sympathetic.
• Offer the reluctant child a treat for after the lessons each day.Have a calm, gentle and fun attitude at all time.  Your child will sense your mood and react to it.
• The more you prepare before you get serious with swimming lessons the faster the child will learn how to swim and be safe in the water.

 Parents, have you ever tried this?  What are some of your experiences?

Is your child addicted to swimming with goggles?

Whenever you see anyone swimming seriously, you see them with goggles.  Why is that?

What are the advantages of using goggles when swimming?  The main reason is obvious, to see better!  But kids swim without goggles and don't seem to mind the water in their eyes.  When they are little, they swim and open their eyes.  It's only the older kids who are amazed when they see a little one with their eyes open and no goggles under the water.

When the child gets older and accustomed to using goggles, they may get to the point that they think they cannot swim without them, and that could get to be a dangerous place to be! 

In my early years of teaching I saw several children jump in the pool without their goggles or fall in the pool without them, panic and not be able to get to the side of the pool.  Since then I insist that my students swim some of the time without goggles.  I tell them that I understand that it is uncomfortable and hard to see but that they need to know that they don't need their goggles to swim.  And they so easily forget.  

We parents are responsible too!  How often do we remind them to put on their goggles?  In fact so much so that we help them subconsciously believe that they can't swim without them.

Most people think that it's the chlorine that hurts your eyes but most often the ph balance of the pool is the culprit.  As a former backyard pool owner of many years, it was a challenge to keep the alkalinity balanced for a sparkling clean pool.  (When we changed to a salt system it was much easier!)

Whenever we go to the pool or we plan swimming lessons for our kids we naturally think of goggles.  But which kind to get?  Many times I was tempted and bought the cheapest ones available but, not a good idea! 

No, I am not going to make it easy for you here and tell you which ones to buy or where to buy them.   There are lots of swim stores on the internet and local shops that sell some very good ones.  There also are very many types and fits for different ages and faces, you will have to try several probably before you find the type that you like.  Just look at this display of images of goggles

But remember, don't let your child get addicted to using goggles!  Periodically have your child get a toy from the bottom, swim to the side, and to you realizing that goggles make swimming more fun.  They are not a necessary tool  to make him a safe, accomplished swimmer.

Just after publishing this post I got an email from Finis - a company from whom I bought goggles for the kids and some new fins.

So here is a reason for the NEW BOLT goggles: to reduce drag and increase speed!!