Summer is right around the corner and this is the first year I can confidently say the girls are strong swimmers! We spend so much time near the beach and in the pool so it was so important for us to teach them life-saving skills to ensure they can safely play in the water all summer long.
We started the girls in swim classes at Aqua-Tots two years ago- Nati was only 2 years old! We’ve taken them diligently every week since and it’s amazing to show the progress the continue to make week after week.
Nati started off in the mommy and me classes- a class that teaches babies life saving skills like floating on your back if you fall in the pool, learning how to climb out of the pool and using your arm strength to scoot across the edge of the pool. Now that the girls are older and in much more advanced classes they have learned proper techniques and skills to swim in the water properly.
If I can leave you with one piece of information here- do not sit out or wait to enroll your kids in swim class. It is absolutely essential.
May is National Drowning Prevention Month, a time to pause and acknowledge the reality of drowning. According to The Consumer Product Safety Commission, “69% of children younger than five years were not expected to be at or in the pool at the time of a drowning incident.”
Drowning is the #1 cause of unintentional, injury-related death among children ages 1-4, and that fact is not limited to the summer calendar. Children are exposed to water on a daily basis, and it takes as little as 2 inches and 20 seconds to snatch a precious life.
It can happen to anyone
People have the idea that drowning happens to irresponsible parents and that is 100% not true. It only takes a few seconds for a child to drown and it can happen so quick that even the most attentive parents might not be able to make it to their child on time. That is not the case that any of us want to experience.
Near-drowning incidents can be extremely traumatizing on children and impact the way they view the pool, or even the bath. Aqua-Tots steps in so that kids not only feel comfortable in the water, but so that they understand the importance of staying safe in the water while teaching them what to do in the case of a fall or accident in the water.
Consistent practice is life-saving and it’s all about being consistent and rooting our kids on along the way.I’m seriously blown away with how much the girls have learned over the past two months and even though Ari is swimming independently, I plan on keeping her in swim classes on a consistent basis to continue to strengthen these skills.
Aqua-Tots Swim Schools provides ALL new students with a free introductory class to assess your child’s swim level and if you don’t have your kid in swim classes, DO NOT sleep on this. After every class I get a report card for both of the girls so I can see their progress, as well as what areas we should focus on to improve their skills.
To find an Aqua-Tots near you, click here.
