While the PediaSwim Program is mainly between the PediaSwim Instructor and your child, you have a special role to play in your child’s swimming journey. Here is what you can do to help your child be successful in the PediaSwim Program.
You are your child’s biggest cheerleader. It is important that your child knows you are comfortable with the program you have enrolled them in. As the parent, the best thing you can do is sit in a chair. Do not roam around or hover on the pool deck. Your child will notice and feed off your nervous energy, make sure they know you are comfortable and proud of them. Be relaxed, smile and give your child a thumbs up. Let them know they are doing a great job!
Do Not Use Floatation Devices! No puddle-jumpers, life jackets, arm bands, rings, etc while swimming. These will give your child a false sense of security. Using these items once they are enrolled in the PediaSwim Course, will reinforce the wrong posture and may extend the length of the Basic Training Course.
Do not go home from a lesson and try to do what your instructor is doing. Your instructor is a very skilled and experienced professional. They have gone through an intensive training. Do not hold your child on their back or by their head in the pool or bath tub. Doing this will extend your time in the Program. You will be shown how to properly swim with your child towards the end of the course. You hired a professional to teach them to swim, let them do the work.
While your child is learning their breath control, they may swallow some air. This is completely normal. The air will either come up as a burp or pass as gas. Sometimes this air gets below any undigested food and the food may come up with the burp. If this happens, it is not a problem. You may want to consider switching up their eating schedule. Start by stopping all food and drink 45 minutes to an hour before your lesson. If they continue to spit up, consider extending the time longer. Let your child rest on a towel after their lesson.
Give your child complex carbohydrates, things that digest quicker. Whole grains, oats, rice, breads, dry cheerios, etc are all great to consider before a swimming lesson. Avoid protein, dairy, milk, juices and fruits such as blueberries and grapes right before lessons.
These are just a few simple ways you can help your child be successful in the PediaSwim Program. You can always talk to your instructor about what else you can do to help your child be more successful in the PediaSwim Program. You are an important part of your child’s swimming journey!
“We are thrilled to see our son swimming and floating safely thanks to SouthWest Aquatics. Besides the comfort of knowing our son, Beckham will be safe in a water emergency it’s been extremely rewarding to watch his progression day by day with his instructor. He truly enjoys his time with Ms. Joy and watching him smile and have fun in his lesson has been something our family looks forward to every week. We are so thankful to Ms. Joy and SouthWest Aquatics for teaching our son something that he will use for the rest of his life.”-JT, Beckham’s Dad
