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Swim Babies Swim
Our specialization is in infant & young child survival swimming Instructors hold certifications as Infant Survival Swim Instructors, as well as Infant/Child CPR/First Aid & AED. Instructors have studied child psychology, anatomy as well as child hood development as it pertains to safely teaching swimming and survival skills to infants and young children. Swim Babies Swim is registered and approved as a qualified Infant Survival Swimming program in accordance with Chapter 64E-9.008 (1) (a) of the Florida Administrative Code.
Lessons are 3 times per week, up to 10 min in duration for infants and children 6 – 24 months.
Lessons are 3 times per week and up to 15 minutes in duration for children 24 months and above.
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How are these skills taught and why are they so successful?
• Your baby/child’s safety and well being is of the utmost importance to us and will be treated with respect at all times.
• Skills are taught both safely and gently! Babies/young children are never thrown into the water.
• Lessons are always one instructor per child. Instructor’s are continually monitoring the safety of your child while teaching these valuable skills.
• Lessons are 5 days per week, up to 10 min per day. This allows for consistency and repetition of learning skills by gradually teaching a little bit more each day. This allows enough time for skills to be retained without your child becoming overly tired.
• The proof of our success is in the many returning families we have year after year. After seeing how happy and skilled their child is in the water, they come back not only for refresher courses and stroke development, but they bring their new babies as soon as they are at the appropriate age to begin lessons.
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Why do babies/children sometimes cry?
• Babies and young children use crying as a way of communication, especially for the non-verbal infant. It is important for the parent to have a positive attitude. Smiles, clapping and praises from you are so helpful and encouraging; your child will be comforted by your approval.
• Most babies and young children are used to being with people they know. They may go through stages where being separated from their parent/caregiver may cause them to become anxious and uncertain in the beginning. They will be unfamiliar with the instructor and the environment. However, overtime your child will get to know their instructor and build a level of trust, as this happens the crying usually subsides or stops.
• Instructors most often wear protective clothing – sunglasses, big hats, etc. to protect them from the many hours in the sun. This can be a little unnerving to the new student and may contribute to the crying. With a little bit of time however, they will adapt to our attire; so much so that students will often not recognize us without it!!
• Your child will feel much better if you are positively reinforcing the lesson experience both at the pool and at home. You are an extremely important part of these lessons. Focusing on the crying aspect of the lesson will only increase the crying and in most cases prolong it. Keeping a positive attitude and expression is the best approach to the crying. Your child looks to you for approval. They can pick up on vibes and emotions easily; this is why it is important for you to maintain an encouraging and positive attitude. A smile can convey a thousand unheard words!
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Why are refresher lessons so important?
When babies or young children take a prolonged break from using their survival skills, (as is usually the case during the winter months because of the cool temperatures), a refresher course is very important. Young children grow at such an incredible rate that when they enter the water after a long break everything feels different because their bodies are so much bigger. A refresher course simple re-acquaints their bigger bodies with the skills they have previously learned. After being out of the water for a while you will find the child is very timid and somewhat hesitant about entering the water. After only a couple of days back in the water with us you will be pleasantly surprised at how quickly they regain their previous skill level.
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Will these lessons make my baby/child fearful of the water?
No, because of the positive and gentle way our lessons are taught your child will not become fearful of the water. If a child is away from the water for a period of time they will more than likely be hesitant to just hop in. This is a good thing, because it means they have learned a very healthy respect for the water and realize at an early age that the water is not just a place for have fun and play games. The water can be a dangerous place for the unsupervised and unskilled child. For the child who has been away from the water after a prolonged absence our refresher lessons will re adapt and reacquaint your young child to the aquatic environment.
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Why not use floatation devices?
This is the worst thing you can do for any child. Any form of floatation gives both the parent/caregiver and the child a false sense of security. Floatation also teaches your child improper positioning in the water and it may take a while to correct. Floatation teaches a vertical body placement and head-up position in the water as well as a creating a bicycle kick. Even the water noodles can produce this effect until your child has learned to swim properly. Should your child enter the water without their floatation device, they will immediately emulate the position that they have become accustomed too, this will cause them to sink quickly feet first; obviously this presents a very dangerous situation. Please, please, refrain from using floatation devices on your children. (The only exception to this is when you are boating, all children should wear a lifeguard approved vest). The best thing you can do for your child is to get them the necessary skills to help them be safe around the water. No one is ever ‘drown proof’ but these lessons can provide an extra layer of safety.
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ADULT SUPERVISION IS AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTION FOR THIS CONTINUAL SUPERVISION WHEN A CHILD IS IN OR AROUND ANY BODY OF WATER.
We welcome you to come and watch our lessons, talk to other parents/caregivers by the pool whose children are participating in the lessons and ask any questions you may have. Remember, at one time they were in the same position as you and not sure which kind of lesson would be best suited for their child. We as the instructors invite you to ask questions.
When selecting any swim program for your child, it is imperative that you verify that the program is accredited and /or the instructors hold current certifications in teaching aquatics to young children. Safety should always be the primary concern when enrolling your child in any form of aquatic instruction.
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Thank You – Swim Babies Swim