Although this Swim Academy is no longer around, these are some great tips.
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I started swimming lessons with my daughter when she was less than a year old. She never really took to it fully…I think the water was too cold and the room was loud. So, we didn’t sign up for another lesson until she was close to three. Lenny Krayzelburg, founder of the Lenny Krayzelburg Swim Academy, told me that it is necessary to start your children very young and be consistent with the lessons. He has shared his expert advice with us on water safety.
By Lenny Krayzelburg
Here are some scary statistics that parents of younger kids needs to take a serious look at
– A child can drown at the time it takes to answer a phone call
– Children under the age of five and adolescents have the highest drowning rates
– For every child who drowns, four others are hospitalized for a near drowning
– Drowning is the leading cause of injury death for children ages 1 to 4, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Bottom line these are some scary facts about drowning amongst children. More parents need to take a serious look at this and consider putting their children into swim lessons. Lots of parents are hesitant to get their children into swim lessons because they think they aren’t old enough, they are too scared, etc. What is old enough when some children already drown by age of 1? Learning to be water safe does not have to be fun, it is a skill that must be learned sooner rather than later. Fun in the water comes when a child is water safe and able to navigate in the water on their own.
I believe that there is tremendous value starting infants in swimming lessons as soon as possible. Babies do not have any bad habits, which allow instructors to lay a solid foundation without much resistance. Finding a parent-tot class where they can be in the water with the child is already a big step towards getting their child comfortable in the water.
Another major problem is when parents see their children crying in the water when they first start swim lessons, so they make the quick decision to pull them out of lessons, thinking “my child is not ready yet.” Every child is ready for lessons when they come to the pool. Some take longer than others to adjust, some will cry and rebel, but eventually they will adjust and start feeling comfortable enough to transition into the learning phase. It is the parents that give up on lessons before the kids do. I recommend if you can’t handle your child crying during lessons, just leave the pool deck during the class, don’t watch, but DON’T GIVE UP. Remember, learning to be water safe is not going to be fun, fun comes later when your child is water safe.
Swimming is a wonderful activity that can and should be done all year. A lot of parents still have the idea that swimming lessons are a summer-only activity. Ask yourself a question, what happens to a three or four year old child who has taken swimming lessons three times a week for the whole summer, but doesn’t return until the following summer? By the time next summer rolls around that child will have forgotten everything he learned. That’s why I highly recommend taking lessons throughout the year, as this will help your child attain safety and swimming skills faster.
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Lenny Krayzelburg is a four-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming and former world record holder. The Lenny Krayzelburg Swim Academy (no longer in business) is a year-round learn-to-swim program for children of all ages. Its core purpose is to teach children water safety and to inspire a love for the water and offers a variety of lessons in Brooklyn.