Private Swim Lessons: Only the Best for My Child (or is it...?)

For many years, La Petite Baleen did not offer semi-private or private lessons. There are many reasons why we didn't offer this type of lesson, one of which was pool space. When we only had 2 locations, we were literally "overflowing" with students and needed to accomodate as many kids as possible.  Once we opened our 3rd location in San Francisco, we finally had some breathing room and slowly opened up private lessons. 

Today, we have noticed a trend in parents requesting private or semi-private lessons for their children. At LPB, we suggest parents give group lessons a try before jumping right into private lessons for many reasons:

• Peer pressure. In our extensive experience, children learn faster with their peers (yes, peer pressure can be a good thing!)
• Kids thrive in a group environment. Burn out is much more common in a private lesson simply because it's more fun to swim with friends!
• Private lessons can be very intense "one on one" with a grown up. This can intimidate small children.
• Life lessons. At LPB we're not just teaching swim skills, we're teaching life lessons. Waiting your turn, following directions, and good sportsmanship (yes, sometimes a classmate will earn a sticker or ribbon before you...say "congratulations and give them a big high five!)

Private and semi-private lessons serve a purpose and in some cases they can be helpful. 

• If your child has special needs and cannot be mainstreamed safely, private lessons are a perfect match. 
• If your child is close to their next ribbon but need a little extra "tutoring" on the side a few private lessons can help get them to their goal. 
• Semi private lessons are great for parents of multiples or siblings under the age of 3. Children ages 30 months and up can go in without an adult in a semi private.

Typically, young children thrive in our group lesson program. As discussed above, there are some circumstances where a private or semi-private lesson would be more appropriate, but more often than not group lessons are best. Give it a try before you invest in private/semi-private lessons!

Happy Splashing,

No Such Thing as Drown Proof!

Last week I saw a post on a local mother's club forum asking about Infant Swimming resource (ISR). We often get asked by parents whether LPB offers this "drown proofing" technique at our schools. Our answer is, there is no such thing as being drown proofed.  Here is my response on the mother's club forum:

Q: I watched a YouTube video of a baby floating on his back after falling in a pool. I want to teach my 10 month old Infant Swimming Resource drown proofing, but I can't find anyplace locally that offers this program. Does anyone know of a pool where this is taught? I just want to make sure my baby never drowns!

Anya's Response:

hi there,

i just wanted to chime in here and let you know that infant swimming resource is very risky and imo, causes trauma to babies and toddlers.

first of all, there is no such thing as being "drown proofed", or "water safe". these terms are completely unfounded and any swim school or program that claims they can "drown proof" your child is a MAJOR red flag. nobody is ever drown proofed...not even michael phelps!

regular swim lessons are the best way to develop a healthy relationship with water. yes, there should be a slight "respect" or fear factor involved in swim lessons of all kind. after all, we are dealing with a suffocating liquid. infants and toddlers can grab onto the side of a pool and hold their breath. this should be taught in a nurturing and encouraging environment, which is not the approach ISR takes. ISR basically bullies a child into back floating with the hope that the child will be able to do this 100% of the time. ISR programs recommend that you put your child down for a nap on his/her side because vomiting after a "lesson" is not uncommon. this is not ok!!!!

lastly, ISR instils a false sense of security in parents. please do not ever think (even for a second) that your child is going to be safe after taking ISR. here's a likely scenario: your child falls into a pool or fountain and hits his head badly on the way in. he could pass out, he could cry from the pain (letting all of his air out) and not be able to adjust himself to a float position. ISR is so misleading, it's almost a crime.

i am PASSIONATE about child development and swimming, and i wish i could tell every new parent this information. swim lessons are extremely important as a layer of protection against drowning, but there are no guarantees. drowning is the #1 cause of accidental death for children under the age of 5. the only way to prevent drowning is by using layers of protection (http://www.swimforlife.org/programs-services/):

safer response: parental supervision, making sure caregivers know how to swim and can perform cpr

safer water: barriers for all pools, hot tubs, fountains, etc...don't forget to empty dog bowls, buckets, etc!

safer kids: regular, year round swim lessons can give your child a healthy respect for the water while teaching them how to hold their breath which can buy you precious seconds!

learning to swim is a lot like learning a language...if you don't use it, you lose it. it's important to make swimming a part of your child's regular routine so that their muscle memory and skill retention remains constant. those winter and spring break trips to palm springs or hawaii won't go over so well if your child hasn't been in the water for months!

please let me know if you have any other questions/concerns. as a professional swim teacher with decades of swimming experience at all levels, i encourage parents to avoid this method of "drown proofing".

happy (and safe) splashing,

anya hall
curriculum director, LPB

Year 'Round Swimming

From Anya Hall

LPB Marketing and Curriculum Director

Watch these great videos on our Media page on our website:

http://www.swimlpb.com/about/media/

Summer is upon us! It's time to break out the sunscreen, and put down the iPhone as we venture out to different bodies of water. Be it a lake, a hot tub, a swimming pool or the ocean, parents must always watch their kids around water.

At this time of year, we always see a wave of new students. Most of these students come from families who may not be aware of the many benefits of year round swimming. We get a lot of requests for "intensive" lessons or "Drown proofing" classes. Parents want some sort of crash course in "guaranteeing" their child will be "water safe" in X amount of lessons.

This approach to swimming is antiquated and dangerous. First of all, learning to swim is not like learning to ride a bicycle. You won't always remember how. It's more like learning a language or playing an instrument. If you don't use it, you lose it. Swimming deals with a foreign element...water. It uses different muscle groups that are not used on land. This is why Olympic swimmers train 4+ hours a day in the pool all year round. 

My dad, John Kolbisen (co-founder or LPB) has memories of growing up in the 50's and being thrown into the pool at the beginning of each summer. He remembers having to learn from scratch everything he had learned the previous summer, because he hadn't practiced his skills during the school year. 

These days, we have lots of opportunities to enjoy our swim skills year round. Winter break trip to Hawaii? Spring break in Palm Springs? Indoor pool party for a friends' birthday in March? These are all things that more and more families enjoy year round. It sure is a shame to see kids struggle when they haven't been in the pool since August. 

Year round swimming provides an opportunity to keep students swim skills fresh with proper technique and form. Yes, there is the added value of safety as well. If your child hasn't been in a pool since the end of summer and they happen to fall into a fountain at the local shopping center in may, you'd want them to remember how to hold their breath and most of all be comfortable in the water, avoiding panic which quickens the drowning process. 

So parents, please! Do yourselves and your children a favor and keep them in lessons year round. You'll enjoy those expensive vacations much more knowing your child is ready to swim, and you'll have the added confidence knowing that if your child fell overboard on "It's a Small World" it wouldn't ruin your trip to Disneyland either. 

Remember, there are no guarantees in life. Any program that claims they can "drown proof" your child in a certain amount of time is a MAJOR red flag. There is no such thing as being water safe or drown proof. Water "safer" yes, but nobody is ever completely safe in the water. 

Our next entry will take an in depth look at the Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) technique and why LPB cautions those considering this program for their infant or toddler.