Little Swimmers Blog



Keeping Swim Skills Tuned Up
Last Season Miss Nadine and I introduced Tune Up Lessons into our Middle Georgia Little Swimmers Program. What is a Tune Up you ask? Well think of the things we do to Tune Up our cars ...oil changes, spark plugs, checking fluids etc...all things to keep our car's performance at its best. One of the things that has become most apparent to me over the past 13 years of teaching is something that Jim Reiser, president of Swim Lessons University, said at a recent conference we attended this past February, "Learning to Swim is a Process..not an event!" So what does this mean? It means that learning to swim and swim well is not achieved by signing up for once in a lifetime swim lessons. Your child will require continued practice and instruction in order to maintain his or her skills and continue to progress.

For years I have suggested to parents at the end of a successful lesson series, that they contact me and schedule periodic lessons here and there throughout the season such as once a month, every other week or that they brush up their skills toward the end of the season. Only a few parents took advantage of this suggestion. The kids who did come did much better at retaining their skills and the following season, less instruction was required to get their skills back up to par. The Tune Up program was born as an idea to have parents make a commitment to bringing their children back for additional instruction throughout the season by making an investment in lessons at a reduced rate in advance. This advance financial investment resulted in more kids coming back periodically to maintain their skills and also continuing to progress with the skills that they had learned at the beginning of that that season's instruction.

This year, Middle Georgia Little Swimmers introduced a 4 day swim schedule. This means that we now have Fridays as a dedicated day for availability to serve students who wish to take advantage of the Tune Up option. It is flexible meaning you don't have to commit to coming every Friday... just here and there. Other days are available as well...just check with your instructor. The opportunity for practice means skills are maintained. Floating is practiced and required and for older children particularly those who are new to swimming there is an opportunity for continued practice and instruction. The results of this program are amazing, and the kids are getting better and better. Parents who do it, love it!

So now hat you better understand the concept of Tune ups and swim lessons consider making this a part of your child's swim instruction this year, there is still a lot of Summer and swimming left before the Georgia Heat leaves our area this Fall!

May is Mother's Day and National Water Safety Month
Since the Month of May began, I have been planning to post about National Water Safety Month. Seeing so many old pictures of everyones Mom in honor of Mother's Day inspired me to write about these topics together.

No one can argue that a big part of Water Safety is learning to swim. This is one of the best things that we as Mothers can do to protect their children. I can clearly remember my own swim lessons. First, I remember learning at about age 5 at Summer Day Camp. Then, I remember Summer after Summer at the local community center in our neighborhood being enrolled in group lessons. I know my own Mother was not a strong swimmer. Despite this, she made sure that I did learn to swim and swim well. Lessons were in 2 week sessions and throughout the 3 month break from school, I was in lessons progressing from Beginners, Advanced Beginners, Intermediates and all the way up through Junior Lifesaving. I can still remember the tests 30 minutes of continuous swimming and 10 minutes of face down survival float fully clothed. I had to learn all the strokes and techniques to pass each level.

Little I'm sure did my mom imagine that some day I would be the swim instructor and that this would become my career of choice. I myself never imagined this either especially during my 4 years of college or 3 years of law school, it just kind of found me when I became a mom, had my own children and wanted them to learn to swim and swim early. It was amazing to see my kids learn to swim when they could barely walk and be able to float fully clothed. Just as my mother had done, I brought my children to lessons summer after summer, year after year making sure that they were strong swimmers. I also did things that my mother would have never done teach them to snorkel even taking them out into the middle of the ocean in the Florida Keys and the Bahamas. I am proud to say that all 3 children are strong swimmers.

As Mothers, we do many things for our children. Of all the things my mother did for me, I would have to say that making sure that I learned to swim has been one of the most significant for me. Being able to swim meant that as a child I could safely spend a lot of time during the hot Florida Summers at the pool and the beach both with my family and with my friends. Once I became an adult, it meant I could enjoy vacations fishing, snorkeling, tubing and boating confident that I could swim if need be and not just a short distance across a pool. As a mother, this commitment to learning to swim was something I came to value and pass to my children. There was never a question about teaching my own kids to swim. And finally, although my mother surely had no idea at the time, all that time in the water and all my memories allowed me to see myself teaching others. I love working with children. I love seeing the progression of my students from tiny babies learning to float to confident swimmers who are able to enjoy all that water has to offer. So thanks so much Mom, hope you are smiling in Heaven knowing that this gift you gave to me enabled me to become a swim instructor and gives me great joy to share with others year after year. Thanks Mom, I love you. Victoria

My Middle Georgia Aquatic Home
One of my recent Facebook status posts was as follows, "Swimming the best Part of My day." Despite that being in the pool and teaching kids is my job, it is also my passion. Some days it is a little bit of therapy as well.

Here is what makes what I do so worthwhile, first I get the opportunity to meet and work with some wonderful families. This was true when I lived in Florida but it has been a God send living here in Warner Robins. Moving to the area in 2006 with my 3 kids after living most of my life in Florida was really hard. My 2 oldest were teenagers and my youngest was a 5th grader. Many of you younger parents may take for granted the social opportunities that you get having younger preschool and elementary aged children. You go everywhere with your children and get to meet and know other parents. With older children, this was not the case and despite meeting a few wonderful people in the neighborhood and through the girls' cheer gym, it was a lonely year from Jun- May 2007. My first summer in the water I met so many wonderful people from the community and their children and I began the process of putting down roots and bringing a new and much needed program to the community.

On most days just getting in the water can transform even the worst of days. Did I say that I am currently the parent of 3 teenagers? Most of you know this and many of you have seen or heard about some of the challenges that I have experienced with them over the years...from pink hair to totaled cars. Teenage years are very trying. (Thanks to Rhonda from Southern Accent Salon, for keeping me blond even though my kids are giving me grey hair!) When I get in the pool, my focus is totally on your little one. At that point all the troubles of the day fade away and I am in my own little world. Most days there is an accomplishment to celebrate in some way... a child rolls back for the first time, a child who was very apprehensive of getting water his face starts to enjoy lessons or a child learns to float independently. Seeing your child learning new things and seeing your pride and joy in your child's accomplishments is so rewarding to me.

Finally what I do provides me some affirmation. I know what I do is worthwhile. I know what I do has saved a few lives. When I realize that there is a parent who because of what I have taught their child can tuck him or her in at night I feel incredibly blessed to be doing what I am doing. When I am in the water working with your child and see him succeed and learn, I feel incredible because teaching swimming is something that I believe I do well. Even on days and weeks when I feel that I am caught in an unending struggle with my own teens and feel like nothing I do is right, I have my time in the water to assure me that I can accomplish great things. Although some of you may think that I'm nuts to actually love being in the water all day with sometimes unhappy little ones, let me assure you I love what I do.

So thanks for all that you give to me. Thanks for putting your trust in me and thanks for sharing your precious little ones with me and also recommending me to others. It is being in the water that has truly made me feel at home here in Middle Georgia.

From Tears to Cheers
First Days of Swim lessons are often filled with tears. Even my returning little ones who loved the water last year typically start off the new season with a day or so of tears.

For new students tears usually fall into 3 categories. First the little one who would just as easily start to cry if left in the church nursery is reacting to being handed by their Momma or Daddy to an unfamiliar person. Second, starting lessons is an introduction into a whole new experience with the water. Some have only been in the bath before. Some have been in the pool but never had their face in the water. Finally, tears are fairly common in the older child who has gotten comfortable wearing their floaties or staying only on the pool steps. Many of these children are cautious by nature and have become somewhat reluctant/apprehensive regarding the idea of learning to swim.

Seeing a child cry during lessons can be one of the most difficult parts of the process. As a parent who loves their child that is completely understandable. Here's a few things to help both you and your child through this time. First remember your child's cries are caused by many different things. It is still the way that they communicate when they are frustrated, angry, hungry, tired etc. Try to be encouraging and positive before during and after your child’s lesson. If your child brings up swimming for example saying , “No swimming lesson Mommy,” you can either gently redirect him or her to something else or say something like Mommy is so proud of how you are learning to swim like a fish. Don’t get caught up in a discussion trying to rationalize with him…it won’t work! Also don’t apologize for making her go to lessons or say, “I know this is scary.” This only focuses both of your attention on the negative and will promote more tears. During lessons, your child wants to see your confident smile when she looks at you on the pool deck. Let your child see that you feel good about what is going on in the lesson and your pride at how hard she is working. Clapping and smiling works great! Once the lesson is over praise him for his hard work is a must. Say, “Daddy saw you use your arms and legs to get to the steps. Wow, you went underwater just like Nemo or Ariel!”

As the days pass, you will be amazed by your child’s accomplishments. Most parents will see a decrease in their child’s level of crying and in some cases it will stop as the child feels the sense of accomplishment and revels in the praise he or she is receiving. It is this transition from tears to cheers that I find most satisfying as an instructor. I accept that some tears are part of the process but when a child shows up happy and ready to swim truly enjoying the experience this is as good as it gets! Nevertheless even if your child does continue to complain throughout the lessons, don’t despair. He or she is learning a valuable, potentially lifesaving skill and by next year that child will probably be done with tears. Some children also cry at every lesson but don't cry at all in the pool with Mom or Dad. Every child is unique.

As hard as these days seem, you will look back and be so grateful having made the commitment to giving your child this instruction at an early age. And sadly for his or her instructor the day comes when lessons will not even be a memory and your child will only remember the joy that comes with swimming.

Remember When?
Once upon a time, almost 16 years ago, I was the parent of 2 young children, Will and Emily. We had just moved from Tampa to Orlando and had a new home and a backyard pool. My son was 3 and my baby, Emily, was just 18 months. Will had taken some lessons the prior summer but I had heard about a program called Infant Swimming Resource “ISR” and knew that even with a pool fence blocking access to the pool we needed more. I opened my phone book since way back the internet was not much in use, and looked up a number for ISR. My call was returned by Kelly Whittemore who was one of the newer instructors and was available to teach lessons. Kelly did not have her own pool so I offered mine. That was 1994 and over that summer my children, the neighbors and a few other students learned one of the most important skills of their young lives. The backyard pool was also turned into the source for many happy times for our family.
The following spring, 1995, Kelly came back to give my children their refresher lessons. The group she taught at my home grew as well. For 3 years I was happy to have Kelly use my pool for lessons. I told everyone I knew about this amazing program and how this technique and Kelly’s ability to teach them made so many children into little fish. During these years I came to not only respect this program but my desire to become an instructor myself was born. For 5 years something told me that this would be something I would love, could believe in and would be good at.
In 1999, I finally took the plunge literally and Kelly became my Master Instructor. The training was demanding and I wondered if I could ever do this myself on many days. Finally, I finished my training and could teach on my own. That year I think I taught 50 students.
In 2000, we moved into a new home with a large pool and I continued with what had become a passion. Since my pool was so big, I invited Kelly to teach her students alongside me. Watching her continued to inspire me and I can truly say that working with her made me better and better. At some point, Kelly suggested that I might consider training myself as a Master Instructor. It took a bit of convincing because although I was flattered it was hard to imagine me being about to train others. But Kelly who after all these years had become not just my training instructor but most importantly my friend apparently believed this was something I could do.
So once again with Kelly as my supervising instructor/mentor, I was certified as a Master Instructor and a few years beyond that reached Senior Master Instructor. Teaching ISR has been an amazing part of my life for the last 11 years. I have taught hundreds of students, trained close to 20 instructors and travelled to Washington, DC and San Diego, CA. But as I look back, I realize that it all began with me being a parent and being absolutely amazed with watching my own children in the pool learning with Miss Kelly.
Miss Kelly & Emily
Will age 3
udson loving lessons 4th day back
Lauren P and baby sister Kaitlyn
Lauren was my first Georgia student! 
These smiles brighten any day!
Tune Up Lessons for Floating Practice
Keep 'em Swimming!
Practice Means Confidence for Annlyn