I would say the first thing you need is a master swim instructor , like myself. At least 1,000 hours of teaching swimming to start. All master instructors have over 10,000 hours of teaching, hundreds of students of all ages and abilities. I think that parent/instructor bring something special in experience with different personalities. I know for myself a mother of 4 kids in 5 years 2 with special needs, I feel completely prepared for my new swimmers. I will encourage kids to feel their emotions, even if it’s crying or fear. I’m strict but funny, I don’t ask rhetorical question’s.The goal is for everyone to succeed, I use positive language and visualization. I reward good behavior, with treats or little toys when they are earned. My favorite treat are P.B. Assist jr. It a kids probiotic, from doterra essential oils, kids tend to drink water so it’s a win-win for their stomach and getting the whole lesson done. I’m a advocate for holistic wellness with doterra and can answer any questions you may have about their products for kids.
The second thing the helps with success of the lessons is the tools I use.
Marshmellow sticks are a great balance to a new swimmer, different from a kick board which has little floatation to a new swimmer. Kickboards benefit a stronger cord swimmer to work on their streamline. Using fins for all ages is a must. Fins build muscle and provide a stream line position for all ability of swimmer. Hint don’t let your kids wear them outside the pool it will break them and causes kids to fall. With changing weather I encourage sunsuit or lite wetsuits for swimmer that will be in the water/sun regularly. They also provide more support for streamline flotation, keep the kids warm, protected from the sun. Googles and swim caps are the most important things everyone needs to get the most out of a swimming lesson. It doesn’t matter whether it has a nose piece, like a snorkle mask.
These are a few of my favorite things.
I use tons of toys that float and sink. Disney sinking toys, Frozen floating toys, Frozen sinking toys, magic sticks, ( frozen, little mermaid)Marvel sinking toys, Cars floating toys, Cars sinking toys. Treasure crest, with gems, coins . Big cheese floating mat, Avengers sinking toys and Finding Nemo floating toys that swirt , a bag of rings, sharks and rockets are good start to having fun at lessons.
They are treated like library books. Each student borrows the toy , take it in the bathtub and sleeps with it under their pillow, then have dreams about swimming. Then they bring it back, I’ll ask the toy if they had fun taking a bath and having a sleepover?
Miss Jean
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