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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