How Do Your Children's Programs Compare to ISR?

Let's cut to the chase: no swimmer is drown proof.   Not even Michael Phelps is drown proof.  We teach safety skills in each of our classes, but you cannot offload the responsibility of staying safe in the water onto a child.  

We emphatically disagree with the ISR method and, instead, teach with a parent/child approach.  Parents play a critical role in the safety of their child whenever they are in a water setting. This is as much true in a bathtub as it is in a pool or lake.  In our classes, parents run the show and they will act as a cue for all the activities in our classes; your children are taught explicitly not to start any activity without your approval.

We do not teach all of the safety skills in one class because some of these skills exceed the what we can teach a child at a particular age.  Be rest assured: your child will learn safety skills in each class, however, we will not focus on getting through a checklist of safety skills at the expense of a child’s readiness or self-respect.  One of the best safety skills we teach in the water is to maintain relaxation   We do not teach skills that cause tears and tension, because this does not build confidence in the water, only fear.

Think of Daniel in 'The Karate Kid.'  He may not be as strong, as tough, and as physically skilled as Johnny and the Cobra Kai's, but Mr. Miyagi has shown Daniel that learning karate is not just learning to fight but learning to find patience, respect, and inner-peace, and through this, Daniel ultimately becomes the victor.  Like Mr. Miyagi, we don't just want to teach you and your children how to swim but we want to encourage each of our swimmers how to love swimming, respect the water, and listen to their parents.  Your children will have a lifelong passion and appreciation for the water just as Daniel will have a love and respect for karate.

Fundamentally, we believe that children learn best through play, at their own pace and when it is age-developmentally appropriate.  Otherwise, what you get is a build-up of anxiety and tension in the water.  We want kids to love swimming and love the water.

Swimming lessons are but one part of a larger safety strategy that should be employed by parents regarding the water.  These include but are not limited to:

• Pool alarms and pool barriers (e.g. gates)
• Infant/child CPR
• Active monitoring of your child's whereabouts at all times when in proximity to a water setting

Please remember: a child can be safer but never completely safe.  Parents play an integral part to the safety of their children.

For more detailed information on how we structure our classes in comparison to ISR, please read this article and, remember, "Wax on, wax off."