Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Reagan's first swimming lesson

We saw a video that really struck a cord with us. Watch it here:

The video was produced by ISR, Infant Swim Resource. They have specific techniques that teach a baby not only how to swim, but how to survive. They teach them to find the way out, swim, float when they are tired, and swim again.

Since we have a pool, we really wanted the girls to learn this technique as opposed to just learning to kick and blow bubbles at the side of the pool. It is a pretty intense program with lessons five days a week for just ten minutes a day. Bill gets daddy of the year award for having to leave work by 4 to make a 5:50 lesson half way across town. This goes on Mon-Fri until they can swim, no matter how long it takes. They say it usually takes about 6-8 weeks. I hope she's on the faster end, but we'll see.

Reagan's first lesson was Monday. I thought they would start out pretty slow. Instead, the instructor took her into the pool and within minutes she had Reagan swimming about three feet from her to the step. I couldn't believe how well Reagan did and what a trooper she was. I originally thought ten minute lessons were ridiculous but midway through Reagan announced, "all done." The instructor told her "just five more." So Reagan would do another one and announce, "all done." But she endured to the end and was rewarded with a mini snickers bar that she popped in her mouth in one bite. Maybe that candy that she is normally forbidden to have will help incent her to get in the pool tomorrow.




4 comments:

Lindsay said...

Wow - go Reagan! Keep us posted on this, Bridget. It's very interesting to me. As you've seen, we have a rather large "pool" in our backyard. =)

Kaycee said...

Wow, that is amazing! She looks like she has been doing it a while in that first pic. I'm afraid Cami would spazz out and suck water up her nose!

Anonymous said...

do they learn in their pj's or regular clothes? i've heard that even kids that knew how to swim have drowned, just because they fell into the pool wearing their regular clothes and not a swim suit~this freaks them out and they think it's all wrong and they panic! so sad.

JenFen said...

My kids have taken lessons every summer but wow - they really have her doing a lot in a short amount of time. Wish they were more like that with the lessons here. Go Reagan!