You may have seen the videos online or heard stories about water survival lessons showing babies falling in the pool and floating. You may have even been tempted to enroll your baby (age 4 months old through 30 months old) in lessons that teach this method.
Deciding what is best for YOUR baby is a tough choice and shouldn't be taken lightly! It is important that you get the facts about the differences between swim lesson programs before choosing between a FUN, non-fear-based swim school such as Houston Swim Club and other survival teaching methods.
While both types of programs are certainly concerned with the safety of babies around water, there are undeniable differences in the approach taken to get results.
Houston Swim Club Swim School believes strongly in parental involvement during baby swim lessons. In fact, we have seen many benefits to having the classes structured so that a parent is always in the water with baby.
Throughout the lessons, parents will help the baby learn new skills under the supervision and instruction of the teacher. First and foremost, it creates a special bonding time for the baby and the parent. It is comforting to the baby (and to the parent) to have both involved in the learning process and new experiences that swim lessons offer.
Houston Swim Club Swim School offers a positive environment for learning. We consider our approach "LOVINGLY DISCIPLINED" by teaching with love and joy in a happy, positive, and structured atmosphere. We combine a safe, nurturing, and loving environment with over 50 years of professional experience to teach babies to achieve swimming goals while having FUN!
When a child is ready, and not until we KNOW they are completely ready, HSC will offer our famous "Float Test" to a student. We will simulate a fall into the water, fully clothed, and watch them "save" themselves by floating and/or swimming to the side of the pool and climbing out.
This test is HEAVILY praised and rewarded with bells, cheering, and even a ceremonious handprint painted on the wall. Performing this task before a student is ready (as is the case in most baby water survival programs) can be very traumatic to the child and should NEVER be done as an introduction to learning to swim.
Our Float Test is one of the most important steps of our program and is what sets us apart from other swim schools! It is imperative that you train a child on what to do in an emergency situation BEFORE there is an emergency situation!
Houston Swim Club Swim School offers year round lessons with levels that build upon the previous one. Lessons are progressive and are meant to complement each other in order to teach proper strokes from the very first lesson. The longer a child swims with us, the more confident and comfortable he or she will become, whether they choose to swim competitively or recreationally.
We don't stop when a child finishes the survival portion of the program! Our goal is to teach a LIFE-LONG LOVE of swimming and water activities!
There are numerous differences between fear-based survival swim classes and baby swimming classes at a swim school like ours. Ultimately, it's up to you as the parent to learn about the reasons behind the approaches, and make the decision as to what will work best for your child and your family.
We are VERY PASSIONATE about what we do and why we do it and will be happy to guide you and give you our professional advice at any time.
We love your kids!
We teach them life-saving skills and SO MUCH MORE!
Creating memories for your family is our family business.
That’s #theHSCdifference
Written by Tammy Schoen, Owner, Houston Swim Club
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