Thursday, June 4, 2009
Sink or Swim
I was approached yesterday by one of my former coworkers at the YMCA about enrolling Maddy in a new swim program. Pam, the aquatics director, wants to start a new program is that designed to teach babies 6 - 12 months old how to survive if they fall into the water. I call it the "sink or swim" program. She told me that it's a 4-6 week class that is 5 days a week for about 10 minutes each session. She is not yet certified to teach the class and would need a "guinea pig" to become certified, so she asked if I would consider letting Maddy help her out. The class is normally pretty pricey for a few reasons (1) it's time consuming for the instructor, (2) it's pricey to train the instructor and (3) it's one-on-one. She would teach Maddy at no cost if she were the "guinea pig". Here's a short video about the program. I have to talk to Bryan to see how he feels about it. I have very mixed emotions. I know that it could truly save her life if she were to ever fall in the pool, but the training just seems so scary. Do any of you have any experience with this program or one like it? I'm just so torn! Thank goodness babies have 2 parents... Some decisions just need more opinions than Mommy's. :)
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6 comments:
Actually, 2 of the guys at work are putting their kids through the program right now, and another actually got to see a friend's kid after the class. The two doing the class really are believers after seeing it, and the one who saw a kid after the class was amazed. He said that the parent's put the kid in the pool, and it flipped over onto it's back and tipped it's head back and started floating. Good luck if you decide to do it!
I have heard good things from a number of parents who have had there children in a similar program. I have not heard any negative feedback.
I'm afraid I'm not much help..... I've seen videos on TV about how great the program is, but I have no real life experience with it.
Let us know what you decide.... inquiring minds want to know!!!
Love ya!!
I have no personal experience with the program, but I say go for it. It can't hurt and it just may help/
Love.
I have had a number of scouts who took a "drown proofing" class as tiny tots and they have all been excellent swimmers and very confident water sports kids. I had one young cub scout walk off a dock at camp and actually save himself from danger before anyone could react.
Parents I have spoken too insist that six months is the very best age to train a child to swim and/or save themselves. Babies seem to have a natural ability to swim under water. It seems that they sometimes develop a fear of water that must be overcome after a certain age.
Good luck with your decision, I vote for a big YES...
It look like a great class to me. My only question would be is the instructor going to be supervised while she is working with Maddy since she is not yet certified? I'm sure she would do fine but I would want some sort of back up help near by.
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