How many lessons should I sign up for?

As many as you can! I find that learning a little bit on a lot of days is the best recipe for success. My results have shown that students who are exposed to swimming more often excel more steadily than students who have lessons infrequently. Combining the "2 Week Intensive" package and the "3 Week Consecutive" package (17 lessons total) will provide a solid foundation of water skills and is my recommendation for most students.

When will my child learn to swim?

Each child is different in their process of learning. You know your child. Does he/she act tentatively to new experiences? Is he/she usually fearless when it comes to physical activities? Normally children will respond to learning to swim in much the same fashion they do with learning most anything new. Whether or not your child has had any negative association with water will also influence how comfortable they are in the pool. To answer the question of when your child will learn to swim – your child will swim when he/she decides to! The frequency of lessons and the bond they establish with the teacher will help your child excel, however, it is only when a child decides to try that he/she will experience success.

My child seems afraid of water, how will he/she learn to swim?

I do not believe that a child is born with an innate fear of the water. It is usually due to a negative association with water or simply having a cautious nature that creates uneasiness in the pool. If your child seems to have an unusual amount of fear, it may be helpful to think back to any times where there may have been an unfortunate association with water. This may be anything from a hot faucet burn, to witnessing another child falling into water, or being submerged forcefully. My teaching style utilizes gentle, reassuring methods to help a child create his/her own level of comfort and safety in the water. I believe any child can master the art of swimming through consistent practice, trust, and a strong bond with a patient teacher.

Why are lessons 20 minutes in duration?

For children under the age of 6, I have found that 15-20 minute lessons are the optimum amount of time for a child’s attention span. I have found it to be difficult for children under the age of 6 to focus in the water for longer than 20 minutes at a time. Lessons between 15-20 minutes will produce the best chance for success for each and every child. I have observed group lessons which teach several students at one time, some lasting 30 minutes or more, and  have noticed that during that group lesson less individual time may actually be devoted to your child. I teach only private lessons to ensure my attention with be focused entirely on your child. During a private lesson I can provide a teaching style which is particularly suited for each individual student. When your child is one-on-one with me I can take into consideration any special needs they may have, identify specific fears, and determine how to best motivate your child towards success!

Why must the pool be heated between 88-92 degrees?

Comfort is the key; if you want optimum results you need to provide the optimum environment. I have found that 88-92 degrees is warm enough for most children to ensure that they all feel warm and at ease in the water. Please understand that your child may have swam in pools that are much cooler and not complained of being too cold. However, during a lesson their bodies may be moving around in the water much less. Water in a pool feels much cooler than the air temperature to a child. Childrens’ bodies lose heat much faster than adults and a pool heated to 90 degrees may feel significantly cooler to a child than an adult.


What is the difference between a “water safe” child and a swimming child?

Drowning accidents are the leading cause of injury/deaths among children under five, many of whom were considered “water safe”. But what is “water safe”? I believe this term refers to a child who understands and respects the water. Your child should be able, if accidentally submerged into a pool, to make their way to the side and pull themselves out. This differs from a swimming child in that a swimming child is able to move freely in the water, demonstrates a comfortable buoyancy, and is able to come up for breaths frequently. However, even a young child who can swim should not be considered “water safe” There are many situations where water can lead to death. In California, drowning surpasses all other causes of death to children ages 14 and under. Furthermore, of all preschoolers who drown, 70 percent are in the care of one or both parents at the time of the drowning.  We must remember to teach respect for the water and never leave a child unattended or unwatched.


Will “floaties” help or hinder my child’s progress?

Each year I talk with parents about the use of various flotation devices or “floaties”. Flotation devices are meant to keep a child’s head above water therefore maintaining the body in a vertical position. When learning to swim one of the most important lessons to learn is how to keep your body horizontal, or on top of the water. Often, I can tell if a student has been using something in the water to “help” them stay afloat before they are able to swim by themselves, because of the way they are kicking their legs. The type of kick needed to propel a child though the water while using “floaties” (a bent leg kick) is not the type of kick that will help them to stay afloat once the flotation device is removed. Actually, this type of bent leg kick and vertical positioning will actually assist in sinking their body lower into the water, submerging their head, and sometimes causing panic. Therefore, it is necessary to teach an entirely new kicking style and how to feel relaxed in a horizontal position on top of the water. Sometimes this old kicking style is the hardest habit to break and unfortunately, most students who have used “floaties” need additional lessons to “unlearn” the techniques they have used.