Swimming Lessons Really Do Keep Kids Safer

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And I thought I "hit the nail on the head!" Excellent work, Coach Katrina!
Jim Reiser, M.S.
Founder, President
www.swimlessonsuniversity.com

Jim Reiser of SC 12:42AM October 31, 2010

No doubt infant aquatic survival techniques -- where young children fall into a pool and show independence to get to the pool side using a float-swim-float sequence -- come off as an amazing feat. But what parents don't understand is the cost that comes with such forceful tactics that can cause serious water trauma, unconsciousness and is some cases, even death.
Drown-proofing doesn't exist, but sensationalism in swimming is alive and well. Don't fall for programs that want to do something better than you -- instead sign up for programs that want to show YOU how to do something better. And that is done through natural progression or a comfort-based approach that treats learning about swimming and water safety as a lifelong process the family understands and develops together; not as a singular, spectacular event.
Katrina Ramser
Squidkid.org

Katrina of CA 10:59PM October 30, 2010

Clap your hands! Give yourself a hand if you have your child in a swim lessons program that teaches swimming skills in a child friendly environment. Swimming Lessons should promote a life long love affair with the water first, and improve swimming skills second, thus making the child "SAFER in and around the water."
NO CHILD IS EVER SAFE OR DROWNPROOF, and learning to swim isn't a substitute for constant supervision. If a child can't swim the length of the pool then the child should be within arms reach of the parent. If not, then the parent should employ constant supervision combined with the child wearing a life jacket.
SWIMMING LESSONS DO SAVE LIVES. But make sure your child is enjoying life when he or she is learning to swim. Remember too that learning to swim is a process, not an event, and children should continue instruction until the formal strokes are mastered, not just until they learn to get back to the side of the pool or float on their back. While those are skills are nice to have, the more proficient one is in the water--the safer they are. Drowning is preventable, but a "layered approach" must be employed at all times!
Jim Reiser, M.S.
Founder & President
Swim Lessons University
www.swimlessonsuniversity.com

Jim Reiser of SC 7:21PM October 30, 2010

criticized http://www.usatoday.com arrives http://bjr.birjournals.org

shattuckho of AK 9:18PM February 24, 2010

tar service working area alone 180 probably reduction

arundelhor of AK 9:17PM February 24, 2010

lemyaskin rulezz

lemyaskin of NV 9:48PM September 22, 2009

Just teaching the kids to get out of the pool is key. Learning to elbow - elbow - knee - knee will prevent a drowning. If your in San Diego noonanfamilyswimschool.com had an infant program called splashbabes that teaches just this.
The price you pay for a lesson or 10 will change their lives.

noa of CA 11:10AM August 17, 2009

62ws9g

Zrhctulw of OH 4:09AM July 14, 2009

It is important to make the distinction between Drownproofing - the water survival technique that was invented and taught by Fred Lanoue at Georgia Tech. - and the new fashion for immersion of very young children.
The best advice I can give to parents who are considering enrolling their infants into one of these programs, is to stand back and take a detached view of what is going on. Imagine that, instead of human children, you saw puppies and kittens being subjected to similar treatment. Would you immediately call the ASPCA?
My own view is that there is children should be introduced very gradually to swimming. They should be allowed to learn at their own pace rather than being pushed to fulfil parental ambitions.
If you want to know about real drownproofing, look at www.drownproofing.com

Mike Kearney 3:05PM April 07, 2009

"Drownproofing" infant/toddler swim classes have to be the dumbest thing I have ever seen in my life. The babies usually scream at the top of their lungs when they come up to the surface, swallow water and go back under the water. Repeat this scene over and over. I think these children will actually have a higher chance of drowning. Their parents are lulled into thinking that they don't have to watch their children every second they are around water, including bath tubs. Another possible scenario is that these children are so traumatized by these "lessons" they will not want to take swimming lessons - therefore increasing their risk of drowning. Would we take elderly people and drop them into the deep end of the pool, watch them scream, choke and go back down under the water? Of course not! Why do this with small children and babies? It is absolutely ridiculous.

Allison Peyton of TN 5:40PM March 19, 2009