Missjeanswimming is a Marin created swim program. The instructors and lifeguards love to swim and serving their community. The cornerstone of my program is keeping instructors with their original students. Staff that you need to trust with your child’s life. We are life coaches for kids sometimes. Our goal is for your child to grow up loving to swim. Training to improve their skills,in an environment of positive reinforcement. In their future, we want them to become someone who can serve and protect others. They should give back to the community and teach others to swim.
Looking at the lifeguard as a hero , their job it is to keep people safe. My swim program is the long game to keeping strong effective instructors and lifeguards, coming back year after year. Training instructors and lifeguards out of my students.
I recommend recording the swim lessons so kids can see their progress over time. Swim gear is a must for a successful experience. Using positive language is important for all students.
I recommend 10-20 lessons for kids to set muscle memory. Kids under the age of 4 forget they know how to swim after 6 months. That’s why I like them to see videos of themselves swimming. I also enjoy having the parents in the water for a first few lessons with beginners. Crying happens because of many reasons, this a link to how I handle it in lessons.
Parent / tot 24-36 months classes are done in groups of 5.
To book lessons with Miss Jean swimming instructors please email Missjeanswimming@gmail.com
Homestead Instructors
Click the photo to see bio’s
Miss Amy,
Miss Lulu,
Coach Seth,
Coach Nick,
Miss Nina.
Miss Sydney
Miss Monica
Miss Kristen
Miss Madi
Private lessons 1:1 $80
Semi private 2:1 $110
Parent/tot 5:1 $40 per student
Lessons will be scheduled billed in books of 5. Thru Venmo or whatever payment method
Google invites need to be accepted or declined 48 hours before the class.
Lesson at Homestead can be scheduled during “open swim”
So you’re getting ready for your first parent/ tot class, what do you need to stay warm in the water. Is not the first thought that comes to mind. But as a instructor who is in the water for hours , getting chilled happens. So recommend what I wear myself, and wetsuit or wetsuit jacket, even when it’s sunny. I wear long or short wetsuit bottoms that I usually take off after lunch.
For your kids I recommend this wetsuit.
Remember your jacket, you staying warm and happy will help your toddler have fun.
Leading with positive language is my first step with students.
My own father encouraged me with such language, calling me “Jean, The Great” again and again during our “competitions.” This was his way of inspiring me to race to the car, the ski-lift, or to the end of the pool. My goal was always to impress my Dad (and maybe show off a bit, too.) His use of positive language also caused me to really feel proud of myself.
Seeking a parent’s approval is the goal of most children.
The first step to take ,teaching your kids how 2 love 2 swim 4 life, is owning their power.
Having your students have their own swim stuff. My students start in infant or parent tot class and stay with my program 3-4 years and then around 6 and 7 they join swim teams. My program is more like a frat. Meaning everyone goes thru water get poured on their head and they survived. So if you want your kids to be water safer pour water on their head till they go from afraid to loving it . Just make it fun. Always tell them it’s happening, I use the trigger words , 1,2,3,mmmmmmmm. Have goggles on them and have a toy on the over side works wonders.
A day in the life of a Miss Jean swimming lessons. Excuse video doesn’t follow the student but the conversation is adorable,with Miss Kaitlyne.
For this reason, I“ use lots of toys and equipment for success. When you have a high achieving child, it can be challenging, as it should be. After all, no one wants just anyone “walk’n over their kid!” But, as you know, when a child doesn’t want to do something, it may get tiring. I have students that when they say no thank you they don’t have to do it. Not in swimming lessons, When I tell my student they are getting water pour on their head ,it happens, even when you say “no thank you.” Then water get pour over their head 10 times a lesson, or until they say “Can I get my own hair wet first ? I say “please do” and hand them their swim cap. Another “no thank you” moment comes with the water on your head moment. Pick a swim cap the wear, or my favorite….. you have one already on when they get to practice.
They know 1,2,3,mmm
means water on your head,
but more important they know how to :
take a big breath,
close their mouth
and water over their heads and faces.
Once they learn that water is their friend. They want to be underwater the whole time. The best part about all of it . Life in water means : When you fall in water ,it’s better than falling on the ground. To understand floating is easy in water than trying to float in the air. Having something you throw underwater goes slower. It like the song said It a how new world. .
To find that world we need to teach ASAP how to jump in turn around and swim back.
Jumping in and swimming back, plus letting Miss Lyra know her mom with be back after going to the bathroom.
.How to kick on our back with scooping hands and kicking fish feet. They need to do this to the wall. They need to crabwalk around the pool and learn about the deep and shallow ends. They need to understand a lifeguard keeps you safe , be making everyone follows rules. When we past a lifeguard all students and parents know the position of the guard is enforce rules by using his whistle. I act out using the students name pretend they their running and the guard would blow their whistle “Tweet,tweet, Walk please .” Then we continue to crabwalk to the rules board ,if they have one. Read the rules. Most kids think a lifeguards only job to jumping and saving you when your drowning. That’s a tough job to sell to a 2 year old. First of all ,drowning and lifeguarding are sonamse. I once complained to parent saying “the lifeguarding at the pool was terrible”‘. The next time the student showed up he was afraid of the guard. It took weeks of introducing him over and over till they could be friends. The next time the student showed up he was afraid of the guard. It took weeks of introducing him over and over till they could be friends. Lesson learned for Miss Jean. Who’s learning method is 50% doing. I make mistakes like everyone does. My students know that making mistakes and trying again to the purpose of practice. Lots of parents are trained to clap / cheer for every accomplishment. I usually say “Hold all the applauds for the end of the show.” It slows down the learning happening when we stop to take a bow. But when a big progression happens like diving in the deep end or rolling on their back without help that when Miss Jean brings out the high five. At the end of most lessons ,students says “thank you Miss Jean” and I always say “Thank you for your hard work.”
The student becomes the master before your eyes.
Dad smiled when I was the strongest, fastest, bravest, but he never let me win. I had to earn it. In the same way, using a lot of racing or getting tagged with younger students. It makes the lesson more fun and structured at the same time. They enjoy being in competition with me… their teacher. I also talk to them about swim team, a possible competition in their future. Reverse psychology is fun at this age. The “you can’t get me game” in the pool is a great workout for the whole body. Any task big or small with your kids and doing everything 10 times. Chew your food ten times. Take 10 steps and stop over and over for fun. Bounce ten times and stop. The most common question “I get is how many more.” Which I say, “I thought you were counting” with a little smile for the parents. Once a student has done one of the skill sets 10 times for 10 minutes. We move to the next skill, So when a students says I just want to one backstroke, I say “fine, wall to wall counts as one backstroke,( in missjeanswimming), so we backstroke in a circle for 8 minutes. These are my life’s little joys. Think of it like bronco riders. Someone has to be the one that loves the animal enough to not get bucked off.
Using positive language about all the fun they will have in water, before they even put their faces in, works wonders. There are some competitive-by-nature children, for whom the will to improve and be stronger than everyone else will be all the motivation they need. There are other children that simply want to improve. Then of course, there are those children who fall in between these two types. No matter. When children focus on improving, there is no stopping them. This is my goal in class: to coach and guide each child to be their best, whatever that looks like.
And, actually, I do have swim therapy for some students who have extra fear or blocks since these students just need extra time. After decades of teaching, I have honed my methods to work with every type of student. These methods include only reinforcing good behavior, and the tried-and-true method that a student can get out of the pool when the 3 skill sets are finished. For a reward, a student can stay and play, but only, “if it’s ok with your parents.” I also use to rewards to reinforce a positive experience. They get a treat or pop cycle after earning points for completing the skill sets…..and to borrow a toy to bring home and talk to about the lesson. Every time they see that toy it reminds them of the lesson. Sleep with it under your pillow and you will have dreams about swimming.
These in my reward based classes they learn to swim and have fun. Kids do cry in my lessons, but I’m ok with that. I tell them to cry loader, so everyone can hear you. It’s likely the toughest part of the lesson for family members. It’s built into us to save someone crying, in this case breath deeply instead. Stopping a lesson because of crying slows the progress. Keeping students focused, like toddlers or special needs is a skill I have in spades.
Using positive language and creating a positive environment are two of the keys to success. It is these that provide the foundation to the trust built over the course of the lessons. I’m blessed to see the same students week after week, year after year. These relationships of trust are built when students are at a very young age. Many children haven’t yet been told what to do by someone besides their parents. They may think that if they cry or run away or throw a tantrum, they will not have to do something that they have never done before. This belief may lead to surprise “Miss Jean is in charge.” By the next lesson, we are best friends, I ask them how the sleepover was with the toy they took home. When anyone is talking about themselves they are happy. The student now know what going to happen “No surprises” . Consistency and practice create stability for the student and parents. With these children (who say the darndest things), I’ve heard it all. These funny conversations provide me with great joy. Asking a student” who their favorite parent is?”She said ” Daddy” of course . 2-4 year olds are honest to a fault. When they don’t want to do something they let you know. I always have a question or story, no room for crying. Little trick,talk or sing when crying is about to start.
So the first thing we work on is what is being taught and they need to use all their learning skills, hearing, watching and doing.
Explaining to a student they everyone learns in different ways helps them feel connected to the lessons. All life lessons are learned this way. Everyone is mix of all 3 ways, but there is always a best way. I’m personally 50% doing, 35% watching and 15% listening. When I teach, I show them ,tell them and let them do it by themselves. Some students will ask “how was that?” after every skill. “Keep going” is what i usually say, or “your last one is your best one”. Needing to be perfect is a tough road for both parent and child. Using language like “room for improvement” instead of “wrong” works better.
This may be why the first lesson may be the hardest.
This is when habits to “get out of something,” simply don’t work. However, by keeping the lesson positive and reminding them they can pick which skill they want to do first, students learn that I am on their team. They can ask for “a moment” or “wiggle time.” And, of course, I also give lots of breaks. But we always complete the skill sets. Earning points toward their reward.
“I joke with parents that their children will be working as instructors and lifeguards for me someday, so parents will get all the swim lesson money back when their child turns 16. “
In my own experience, my children were lifeguards and I took great pride in being able to point out to my students: “My son is the lifeguard working over there.” Lifeguarding, a first job of serving those in one’s own community, may lead people to become first responders, like doctors, police officers or firemen or firewomen. I have parents tell me they were swim instructors, camp counselors and lifeguards themselves. It is both in understanding this, and in the knowledge that a child that swims is a child that is safer around water. I consider myself very blessed that I teach children- and adults- to swim.
Steven R. Covey, famed author of “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” said it best:
“The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.” —Stephen R. Covey.
I love investing my time into swimmers and making them better. Investing time in new families and their young treasures is a honor. Bring new instructors and lifeguards to the industry thru mentoring and lifestyle role modeling is a sweet side effect. Being able to swim and calling yourself a swimmer are very different. Swimmers Love 2 swim 4 life. Living my best life with a swimming pool as an office. My dad always said “Love what you do and you never work a day in your life.”
Miss Jean infant/swimming lessons classes are for ages 3 months to 2 years…
What is water adjustment? As we know, babies come from water (so to speak), and then later adjust to air and gravity. The sooner infants have an opportunity to adjust back to weightlessness floating in water, the better. Parents should wear a rash guard or T-shirt for your child to hold onto. During the lesson, you and your child will be working on back floats, rolling over, (with older children), crab walking (holding the wall), going in face first (self submersion), and breath control.
2:1 half hour swimming lesson.
This age group is working on water adjustment and having fun in the water. The class is 20 minutes, because I have learned that this is the limit for most babies. For older children, there may be an additional longer 10 minute window. In class, we are singing songs (with a swimming twist) that children are already familiar with. These songs include: “If you happy and you know it, Splash your Hands, ” “Motorboat, Motorboat,” “The Wheels on the Bus,”,”Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” “My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean”( back float), “Fishes in the Ocean,”(jumping song), “Humpty Dumpty,” (jumping song), “Clean up, Clean up,” ( end of class song.) The more time in the water, the better for your child. Playing in the pool with a parent is usually a child’s favorite thing to do and provides a cherished memory. Playing in the water with your child as often as you can, while having a once-a-week formal lesson, will strengthen your child’s swimming skills. I know you already know this, but because I believe so strongly in it, I have to remind us all, that having fun by learning and playing is the key.
While there may be crying in infant swimming lessons, the goal is to teach children about their environment.
As parents, we do everything we can to protect our children through childproofing. From putting a gate around the pool, to locking the toilet seat, to making sure all buckets are empty and stored way, we do all we can to protect children around water. However, every year, children find ways to get to water anyway. Before birth, infants are surrounded by water. Children’s first sights and sounds are filtered through water. Knowing this, I consider swim lessons to be a child’s reintroduction to water. When this in mind, the longer you wait, the more they may forget. “Let your fish out, ” I tell my students. However, younger infants are not going swim in a “traditional” sense as they don’t have the strength to swim face down for longer than a stroke or two. They are more like tadpoles who learn to roll over.
To help build strength during infant swimming lessons, we do a lot of crab walking and climbing out of the pool.
When you see a new swimmer’s stroke, it typically is a modified crawl (baby style). It can look like climbing a ladder. That keeps the weight under the infant, like an ice cube, floating half under and half on top. When I teach infants to go underwater, it is with glides to parents, showing that a facedown position keeps water out of their noses. I encourage parents with children that, “don’t like their face to be wet,” to introduce them to the shower where their face is wet, but not underwater. Another method involves teaching them to wipe their own face instead of needing a towel. Personally, I used a bathtub seat with suction cups and plenty of bath toys in the shower with my four children. They wanted to be with me (and it was often the only way to get a shower!) During that time, using a small watering can or cup of water over their heads ( when they were happy of course) I would say, (for example)” James Michael… 1,2,3….water goes over your head… wheeee!” Repetition allows your baby/child to anticipate the water and begin holding their breath. Afterward, I would show my child how to wipe their own face with their own hand. Doing this enough will acclimate your child to water on their face in a safe, fun way.
This is a list of things that help with infant swimming lessons:
Another way I help infants float is to put them in wetsuits.
Swim caps help many things: keeping hair out of their faces, keeping heads warm, protection from the elements ( like sun and wind), and there is the bonus of extra floating.
Introducing goggles at this age may make it easier than later on.
Babies are full of air and fat (so to speak) so they will float naturally, but floating requires ears to be in the water, which can be uncomfortable. This is usually the reason most children cry. Singing the “Motorboat” song as we roll from front to back, more often than not, distracts the baby from crying.
Pool jumps are really a sit /dive. The children learn to fall face-first into the water and then pop up, turn around, and grab the wall. This is the first skill we work on: falling in and finding the wall. The next skill is crab-walking to the steps.
Parents are putting water shoes on their children because the deck can get very hot, but the shoes also help keep their feet floating when they are vertical in the water.
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.
With my list of favorite things , it could be the wetsuit and googles. It could be the toys and floating island. I will encourage kids to feel their emotions, even if it’s crying or fear.
The goal is to be strict, but funny. asking rhetorical questions needs to be avoided. The goal is for everyone to succeed, using positive language and visualization. Reward good behavior, with treats or little toys when they are earned. The lessons skill sets need to be finished, but they always are. Be the task master of 3 sets of 10.
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.
Treasure and Marsh mellow sticks
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. Goggles 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 snorkel mask.
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?
Looking forward to working with you and your family,
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