Parents Play a Crucial Role in Successful Swimming Lessons

Attention parents, whether you believe it or not, your involvement matters! Parents play a crucial role in the success of their child’s swimming lessons. Sure, you’re not in the water with them during their actual lesson, but once they leave our pool and head home, that’s when it’s your time to shine. Swimming lessons are just like any other valuable skill your child will learn in that it takes practice and repetition to make it work. Read on to learn more about how your involvement is pivotal in their growth and development in the water. 

Once the Lesson Ends

We enjoy our time with your child, but it’s limited. And while we maximize our time together, you’ll need to work with your child outside of swim school to ensure they are practicing their skill set. There are lots of ways to incorporate their lessons into your daily lives. You can make it quality time together in the pool and have them show off their skills. Repetition allows their brains to master the skill and ultimately give them the very tools necessary to stay safe should an aquatic accident occur. 

Did you know that we’d gladly show you all that we are teaching your child so you can work with them outside of lessons? Let us show you how you can swim with them at home so that they are bettering their skillset and continuing to master survival swimming or stroke development. Expanding the lessons from our pool to yours will only further enhance their knowledge and expertise, giving them more time in the water and more practice. 

Take a Tour of the Pool

Whether it’s your home pool or the pool at grandma and grandpa’s house, make sure your kids know what they are getting into. The pool is the most dangerous surface in your home, and rather than avoiding the conversation, introduce them to the pool. Show your kids where the exits are within the pool. Get them in the water and bring them to the stairs and ladders so they know where and how they can get out if necessary. Educate them about where the depth changes or a ledge drops off. Yes, they need to understand the magnitude of a pool and the responsibilities associated with it. By taking them on a tour of the pool, you’re being proactive in their knowledge and helping them retain that safety knowledge should they ever need it. 

Make Yourself Aware

Nobody wants to hear stories about drownings. In fact, many people think they are immune and it can’t happen to them so they don’t worry about that kind of stuff. The reality is, childhood drowning does not care where you are and how many people are around you. Children are unpredictable. And drowning happens in seconds. One of the most important things you can do is let us share with you the behavior that leads to accidental drownings. 

Make yourself aware of how it can happen so you can be as prepared as possible should it ever occur. During your child’s lesson, we will gladly share our wealth of knowledge with you because we are dedicated to ensuring each and every child has the skills necessary to survive should an accident occur. The likelihood is we won’t be there when something happens, but you will. And by being aware and giving your child these lifesaving skills you are already ahead of the curve. 

Katy Swimming Lessons

When it comes to your child’s safety in the water, there’s no better swim school in the area or swim instructors better trained than those you’ll find at Texas Swim Academy. We offer the right kind of swimming lessons for your child, equipping them with the skills necessary to save themselves if ever needed. Contact us today to learn more about why you should choose Texas Swim Academy. 

SWIM SCHOOL IN KATY 

Texas Swim Academy is a state-of-the-art swimming facility offering water safety, survival swim, and kids swimming lessons in Katy, Texas. Owners Kathleen and Bruce McMordie, alongside our certified staff, help parents introduce children to water at an early age through the Infant Survival Swim Program , teaching life-saving techniques and basic swimming skills.

Our Stroke Development Program offers six different levels to help students progress in their swimming skills at his or her own pace. Our Adaptive Aquatics Program was created specifically for children with special abilities. Find swimming class registration information here. By subscribing to Texas Swim Academy’s blog , you can stay current on valuable water safety resources such as survival swim, health and wellness, Texas Swim Academy news and more. Follow our Facebook , Twitter, and YouTube pages for even more news, updates, and tips!

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Are Your Swimming Lessons Cost Effective?

Swimming lessons are often seen more as a luxury rather than a necessity, since many people look at the price tag first and determine they are too expensive. But what if we challenged you to look beyond the initial cost and broke down the value of your investment so you could see just how cost effective your swimming lessons really are…or aren’t, for that matter. At Texas Swim Academy, we know swimming lessons save lives. But the reality is, the right swimming lessons save lives. And not all lessons are created equal. 

Get The Most For Your Money

The first thing you should do is research the swim schools you are interested in and get a better understanding of the way they teach, as well as how they teach. Not to mention how they train their instructors. Just because a school looks good on social media doesn’t mean they have the history to back it up. Ask questions and find out their certifications. Learn more about how the lessons are conducted and the instructors who lead them. 

It’s important to get a better understanding of how the lessons are organized. When it comes to babies 6 months to a year old and survival swim lessons, they do not have the stamina for a 30-minute private lesson. An extensive 15-minute lesson will suffice. Bottom line? If you’re paying for 30-minute lessons, you’re overpaying. 

Also pay attention to your child’s skill retention. After six weeks of lessons, most children will know how to swim and float. If they don’t, it may be time to re-evaluate where they’re enrolled. Skill acquisition is quick and effective, and if you’re aren’t seeing results, your money may not be well spent. 

Private Vs. Group Lessons

While group lessons tend to be the norm, let’s consider the benefits of private lessons. During these extensive 15-minute lessons, you’re getting the one-on-one attention you’re paying for. During group lessons, swimmers often spend the majority of their time waiting on the side of the pool for their turn with the instructor. So if you break it down, a 30-minute lesson may really only be 10 minutes spent in the water with the instructor. Again, if you look at the time your child spends in the water versus the time you’re paying for, they may not be in line. 

With private lessons, your child is getting the kind of instruction that will help them flourish. Our child development based program allows kids to grow throughout their lessons, so we are not pushing them to keep pace with others, rather allowing them to become successful survival swimmers on their own accord. The good news is that after 20 private lessons, your child is already skilled!

The Best Katy Swim School

Texas Swim Academy was established to give area infants, children and even adults the skills necessary to be strong swimmers with a passion for being in the water. We have highly trained instructors who are dedicated to teaching the right skillset — independent swimming skills without the use of floatation devices. 

Contact Texas Swim Academy today to learn more about our survival swim program, as well as our stroke development, adaptive aquatics and adult swimming lesson programs. We are open year round to best serve our community and remain dedicated to giving kids the skills necessary to not become another statistic of drowning. 

SWIM SCHOOL IN KATY 

Texas Swim Academy is a state-of-the-art swimming facility offering water safety, survival swim, and kids swimming lessons in Katy, Texas. Owners Kathleen and Bruce McMordie, alongside our certified staff, help parents introduce children to water at an early age through the Infant Survival Swim Program , teaching life-saving techniques and basic swimming skills.

Our Stroke Development Program offers six different levels to help students progress in their swimming skills at his or her own pace. Our Adaptive Aquatics Program was created specifically for children with special abilities. Find swimming class registration information here. By subscribing to Texas Swim Academy’s blog , you can stay current on valuable water safety resources such as survival swim, health and wellness, Texas Swim Academy news and more. Follow our Facebook , Twitter, and YouTube pages for even more news, updates, and tips!

 

 

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Why Parent-Tot Swimming Lessons Aren’t Effective

There’s a rite of passage that comes with being a parent, and one of those things is the excitement in enrolling in Parent-Tot swimming lessons. The only problem is while fun, those lessons are counter productive, and there’s a reason why Texas Swim Academy does not offer them. A parent definitely plays a role in their child’s success in swimming lessons, but it’s not because they are playing in the water side-by-side with them. It’s because they are giving their children the time to learn survival skills from well-trained experts in an independent setting.

Our number one priority remains providing kids, beginning at the age of 6 months old, with lifesaving swimming skills. Below are a few reasons why we do not offer Parent-Tot lessons and encourage families to enroll in survival swimming lessons. 

1. Parent-Tot Lessons Only Teach Water Acclimation. At the end of the day, the fact is Parent-Tot lessons do not teach anything other than water acclimation. They are designed to get a young child used to being in the water, while in the arms of mom or dad, creating a comfortable environment for the child. If a child associates being in the water with their parent, they are assuming mom or dad will ALWAYS be in the water with them, which isn’t the case when a drowning occurs. Water acclimation is not survival swimming.
2. Parent-Tot Lessons Teach Children the Most Dangerous Surface of Your Home is Fun. Because Parent-Tot lessons focus on making a child comfortable in the water, they are often accompanied with cutesy songs, toys and fun little games. For a young child, these are the things they look forward to because they are considered exciting and fun. Soon enough a young child will make a connection and associate the water with fun. While we don’t want your child to be afraid of the water, we also don’t want them to be so comfortable that they jump in alone and unattended because it reminds them of a good time. A pool is the most dangerous surface of your home, and teaching your children to respect the water and to know what to do should they find themselves in a dangerous situation is imperative.
3. Parent-Tot Lessons Do Not Teach Any Lifesaving Skills. While at most, a young child may learn to float in their Parent-Tot lessons, the likelihood is they are often just taught to kick, splash and have fun. The problem is lifesaving skills are what will help your child if they are ever in a situation where they need to get to the surface or side of a pool to be rescued. Knowing how to use a kickboard will not save a child if they fall into a pool. Splashing around in the water will not save a child if they fall into a pool. Only the proven surface, roll-back-to-float and breathe, and swim to wall survival swimming skills will help them survive. 

Survival Swimming Lessons in Katy

Survival swimming lessons teach children, as young as 6 months old, independent swimming and floating. According to the Drowning Prevention Alliance, a child who has had formal swimming lessons (not Mommy and Me swimming classes) is 88 percent less likely to have an aquatic accident. 

Parents are an important part of the learning process, which is why our trained instructors teach parents to work with their skilled child at home after lessons. Allowing children to continue to practice their skillset is vital in their growth and development, and we will provide our parents with the tools necessary to continue those skills outside of class time. Contact us today to learn more about our survival swim program and how your child can benefit from learning survival swimming skills. 

SWIM SCHOOL IN KATY 

Texas Swim Academy is a state-of-the-art swimming facility offering water safety, survival swim, and kids swimming lessons in Katy, Texas. Owners Kathleen and Bruce McMordie, alongside our certified staff, help parents introduce children to water at an early age through the Infant Survival Swim Program , teaching life-saving techniques and basic swimming skills.

Our Stroke Development Program offers six different levels to help students progress in their swimming skills at his or her own pace. Our Adaptive Aquatics Program was created specifically for children with special abilities. Find swimming class registration information here. By subscribing to Texas Swim Academy’s blog , you can stay current on valuable water safety resources such as survival swim, health and wellness, Texas Swim Academy news and more. Follow our Facebook , Twitter, and YouTube pages for even more news, updates, and tips!

 

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Saving Lives After School Through Swimming Lessons

Everything you can do to help keep your child safe in and around water is important. Proper fencing, water alarms, keeping doors locked, vigilant supervision, and just plain common sense make a world of difference. But absolutely nothing can compare to the layer of protection that comes with proper swim training. As school starts back in session, it’s important to take note that swimming lessons are the ONLY afterschool activity that can save your child’s life. 

Drowning is fast and silent. In an instant, a child can be pulled underwater and within moments drowning can occur. That’s why enrolling your kids in swimming lessons at Texas Swim Academy is the most vital layer of protection against drowning. When you’re creating your fall schedule, keep your kids in mind and enroll them in survival swimming lessons to ensure their safety year round.

Providing Safety in Uncertain Times

As the novel Coronavirus has wreaked havoc on everyone’s day-to-day activities, it’s forced the majority of us to stay at home. And staying at home has caused many people to invest in their homes by creating the perfect “staycation” spots to enjoy in the comfort of their own backyard, including owning a new pool. Pools are being built in record numbers right now as people are wanting to have their own escape at their fingertips. 

Owning a pool is a big responsibility, and it’s imperative that families understand what it means to keep kids safe in and around their pool. Children, no matter their age, should be equipped with the skills necessary to save themselves should an aquatic incident occur. With that said, children who are around water often (ones who have a pool in their backyard) should most certainly know how to swim. It is one of the most important layers of protection when it comes to pool ownership. 

Right now, many of us are getting comfortable with the “what is.” We are doing what’s necessary to meet our work requirements while keeping the kids entertained while finding family time. While we’re home more than we have ever been, the responsibilities of being a multi-tasking parent are not going away. It’s imperative to be aware of our surroundings at all times. 

The Six Layers of Protection

By implementing and following these six layers of protection, you will keep your children, grandchildren, children of friends safe. 

1. Stay Close. Never leave a child alone near water, even for a second.
2. Adult Supervision. Designate at least one adult “water watcher” at all times. If you’re with a group, be sure to rotate responsibilities.
3. Survival Swimming. Teach kids survival swimming skills, including an independent swim and roll to back to float.
4. Barriers. Swimming pools should be equipped with fences, alarms and drains that meet regulation.
5. Safety Equipment. Keep reaching and throwing aids near the pool at all times.
6. Know CPR. Parents and child caregivers should know how to perform rescue techniques and strategies to respond in an emergency. If a child is missing, check the pool first!

Katy’s Best Swim School

At Texas Swim Academy, we’re dedicated to providing a state-of-the-art facility for children as young as 6 months old to learn how to survive in the water through one-on-one lessons from trained and dedicated professionals. We have a passion for what we do, and it shows. 

With school back in session, now’s the time to register your children in survival swim lessons as an after school extracurricular. Give us a call at (832) 437-6186 to learn more about our survival swim program and one-on-one lessons today. 

SWIM SCHOOL IN KATY 

Texas Swim Academy is a state-of-the-art swimming facility offering water safety, survival swim, and kids swimming lessons in Katy, Texas. Owners Kathleen and Bruce McMordie, alongside our certified staff, help parents introduce children to water at an early age through the Infant Survival Swim Program , teaching life-saving techniques and basic swimming skills.

Our Stroke Development Program offers six different levels to help students progress in their swimming skills at his or her own pace. Our Adaptive Aquatics Program was created specifically for children with special abilities. Find swimming class registration information here. By subscribing to Texas Swim Academy’s blog , you can stay current on valuable water safety resources such as survival swim, health and wellness, Texas Swim Academy news and more. Follow our Facebook , Twitter, and YouTube pages for even more news, updates, and tips!

 

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Making a Difference Through an Unfathomable Loss

On January 29, 2019, Jamie Corbett experienced the unfathomable. Her son Gunner drowned. He was only 2 years old. While Jamie survives her great loss on a daily basis, she’s made the decision to make Gunner’s tragic death matter in a way that made sense to her, and that was to become a survival swim instructor. 

“I decided it was time to make a difference,” Jamie says of her decision to become a survival swim instructor. After much research and due diligence, Jamie contacted Texas Swim Academy owner Kathleen McMordie, RN, to inquire about becoming a certified instructor through the Survival Swim Network. 

“I needed his life to matter,” Jamie says of Gunner. “I want to protect a family from going through the things I’ve gone through.” 

Drowning remains the leading cause of unintentional death in children ages 1 to 4 years old. And while no one thinks it can happen to them, it can, and oftentimes happens most during non-swim times. Non-swim times are when no one is in or near the pool, moments when children get past an adult in the house whether it’s through a doggie door or an unlocked door. 

Survival swim lessons provide young children with the skills necessary to surface to the water, roll-back-to-float position and breath, and swim to the wall. Age-appropriate kids are taught to pull themselves out of the water. 

But not all swimming lessons are equal, which is why dedicated people like Jamie do their research to become an instructor through a reputable program that not only has proven results but is designed to keep kids safer in and around the water, giving them the skills necessary should an aquatic incident occur. 

One of the most common misconceptions about swimming lessons is that once a child “graduates” from class there’s no need to continue learning. The reality is, there is no graduation from swimming lessons. Maintenance lessons are an imperative part of a child’s learning experience as they grow older. Parents must also play an active role in their child’s continued swimming education. 

Practicing the skills at home, learning how to replicate what is being taught in survival swim lessons while in your own pool, replicating with your child what is learned in class are the keys to successful lessons. And these very things are communicated to children and their families through the right qualified swim instructor and survival swim program. 

“If you want to save people’s lives, become a survival swim instructor,” says Jamie. 

If you’re interested in becoming a Survival Swim Development Network instructor, call Kathleen McMordie at 832-437-6186 to learn more about making a difference in a child’s life. To enroll your child in survival swim lessons or to learn more about our survival swim program contact us today. Be sure to follow Gunner’s Gift on Facebook to learn more about Jamie’s advocacy against childhood drowning. 

SWIM SCHOOL IN KATY 

Texas Swim Academy is a state-of-the-art swimming facility offering water safety, survival swim, and kids swimming lessons in Katy, Texas. Owners Kathleen and Bruce McMordie, alongside our certified staff, help parents introduce children to water at an early age through the Infant Survival Swim Program , teaching life-saving techniques and basic swimming skills.

Our Stroke Development Program offers six different levels to help students progress in their swimming skills at his or her own pace. Our Adaptive Aquatics Program was created specifically for children with special abilities. Find swimming class registration information here. By subscribing to Texas Swim Academy’s blog , you can stay current on valuable water safety resources such as survival swim, health and wellness, Texas Swim Academy news and more. Follow our Facebook , Twitter, and YouTube pages for even more news, updates, and tips!

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Learn to Swim COVID-19 Safety Pledge

 

• We pledge to make COVID-19 safety our number one priority.
• We recognize we are all in this together fighting this pandemic and will do our part as members of our community.
• We recognize our responsibility and take seriously the critical role we play in the health and safety of our swimmers, families, staff and communities.
• We pledge to follow CDC and health department guidelines in the operation of our learn to swim facility.
• We pledge to communicate, educate, implement and enforce safety standards that meet and may even exceed what is recommended.
• We know that learning to swim is a lifesaving skill and an essential layer of protection against drowning and will do our part to provide this training as safely as possible.

 

SWIM SCHOOL IN KATY 

Texas Swim Academy is a state-of-the-art swimming facility offering water safety, survival swim, and kids swimming lessons in Katy, Texas. Owners Kathleen and Bruce McMordie, alongside our certified staff, help parents introduce children to water at an early age through the Infant Survival Swim Program , teaching life-saving techniques and basic swimming skills.

Our Stroke Development Program offers six different levels to help students progress in their swimming skills at his or her own pace. Our Adaptive Aquatics Program was created specifically for children with special abilities. Find swimming class registration information here. By subscribing to Texas Swim Academy’s blog , you can stay current on valuable water safety resources such as survival swim, health and wellness, Texas Swim Academy news and more. Follow our Facebook , Twitter, and YouTube pages for even more news, updates, and tips!

 

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What Do Quality Swimming Lessons Look Like?

Last summer, the American Academy of Pediatrics made the important decision to change the age in which they recommend swimming lessons for young children. Since drowning continues to be the leading cause of unintentional death in children from the ages of 1 to 4 throughout the United States, they updated their guidelines to recommend children around the age of 1 learn how to swim. 

While even the best swimming lessons cannot drown-proof a child, they can give children an extra layer of protection that’s needed when in or near the water. Many schools throughout the country tout their ability to teach proper skills to children through fun lessons, but the reality is quality swimming lessons are not always delivered. 

When investing in your child’s safety, it’s imperative to be proactive in finding a swim school that is dedicated to teaching water safety through quality lessons. So what do quality swimming lessons really look like?

Proper Instructor Training

A successful swimming lesson curriculum begins with the right instructor. More than that, the right instructor training. Some things you should consider when choosing a swim school are finding out the following about its instructors and their required training. Specifically, get answers to the following questions:

1. What swim certifications do your instructors hold? 
2. What did their training entail?
3. How long has the instructor been teaching?
4. Are instructors CPR certified?

Believe it or not, while these seem like standard requirements of swim instructors, that’s not always the case. Knowing who your instructors are and the training they’ve had to go through to teach effective swimming lessons is an important part of getting results that last and giving your kids that extra layer of protection they need. 

At Texas Swim Academy, our instructors are trained through the Survival Swim Development Network and other recognized survival swim curriculums. They also go through over 100 hours of hands-on in-water practice training, as well as partake in an academic study in child development, behavioral psychology, and infant physiology to better understand and engage with their students at any age and with any ability.

Proper Skills Being Taught

When it comes to the skills a child needs to learn during their swimming lesson, different swim schools may have different goals. But at Texas Swim Academy our goal is always the same — to be safe in the water. Successful lessons show results in 4 to 6 weeks, and if you aren’t seeing growth within that time period, then the skills aren’t being properly taught. 

You may be wondering how you can measure your child’s success in the water. A proper skillset includes the following without the use of any floaties, puddle jumpers or swimming assistance, (all of which hinder a child’s growth and put them at risk of a false sense of security in the water):

1. Teach a child to hold their breath underwater.
2. Teach a child to propel themselves with their face in the water.
3. Teach a child to roll on their back and float independently.
4. When age-appropriate, teach a child to be able to pull themselves up the wall or onto the stairs. 

Another way to determine if the proper skills are being taught is how the lessons are taught. In this age group, children learn better in short, repetitive doses. Therefore, daily 15-minute lessons with children as young as 6 months old are proven effective when in the right environment. 

You and your child should feel safe and secure at your swim school. At Texas Swim Academy, our students are our family, and we treat them as such. While we’ve been a part of the Katy community since 1997, we’ve been teaching survival swimming lessons since 2004. And we are the original survival swim school in Texas that has been family-owned and operated since opening. 

Katy Swim School

When it comes to your child’s safety and success in the water, we want you to be aware, informed and resourceful. Stop by our facility and see what we’re all about and why we’re so dedicated to equipping children with the skills they need. Pediatric drowning is a true epidemic, and if we arm families with the proper layers of protection to keep everyone as safe as can be in and around the water, then we’re doing what we set out to do so many years ago — lower the pediatric drowning rates throughout the state. 

SWIM SCHOOL IN KATY 

Texas Swim Academy is a state-of-the-art swimming facility offering water safety, survival swim, and kids swimming lessons in Katy, Texas. Owners Kathleen and Bruce McMordie, alongside our certified staff, help parents introduce children to water at an early age through the Infant Survival Swim Program , teaching life-saving techniques and basic swimming skills.

Our Stroke Development Program offers six different levels to help students progress in their swimming skills at his or her own pace. Our Adaptive Aquatics Program was created specifically for children with special abilities. Find swimming class registration information here. By subscribing to Texas Swim Academy’s blog , you can stay current on valuable water safety resources such as survival swim, health and wellness, Texas Swim Academy news and more. Follow our Facebook , Twitter, and YouTube pages for even more news, updates, and tips!

 

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