frequently asked questions

There is an important difference between being fearful and being apprehensive because you are doing something new or unfamiliar. As we've seen every day Sometimes as a parent, you make choices for your child’s safety, like sitting in a car seat, because you know they are important. The same can be said for ISR. Fun can be defined as when skill meets challenge. Once competent in their skills, many children cannot be dragged away from the pool. They are having entirely too much FUN. 

Will my child fear the water because of lessons? 

Day 1 is spent having a conversation between you and I regarding your child, and introducing myself and the water environment to your child. They typically don't love this, as most things we don't love right away; this is completley normal and expected.

what can I expect on the first day of lessons

Because 86% of children, who fall in the water do so with their clothes on. We want our students to have experience with this. Wet clothing adds more weight and a change to the current environment they've learned these skills in. If you have ever jumped in the water with clothes on, then you know that there is a significant difference in weight and feel with clothes as opposed to a bathing suit. Swimming in clothes is part of ISR’s check out procedures, which a student completes near the end of the session when the skills are fully shaped. 

why do the children swim in clothes?

We know that maintenance & refresher lessons are important because children change so much both cognitively and physically during the first 4-5 years of life. Their water survival skills must grow with their bodies. Frequency depends on the child's age, growth rate, skill level and confidence level. The goal of refresher lessons are to help your child adjust his/her new body size and weight to his/her existing skill level.

will my child need additional lessons?

Breath-holding skills are taught in the first lesson. We shape breath control using highly effective positive reinforcement techniques. We continue to reinforce these breath-holding techniques throughout every lesson. 

How do you teach them to hold their breath?

Repetition and consistency are crucial elements of learning for young children in all aspects. Research shows that short & frequent lessons result in higher retention. Second, children typically have fairly short attention spans and will not be able to focus on the task for very long. We want to take advantage of the best time for learning, and work hard, therefore shorter stints works best.

Why are lessons 5 days per week and
 for only 10 minutes?  

Yes! Absolutely. Children who are developmentally ready learn to swim as part of the survival process to get to safety. The difference with ISR is that children learn swimming PLUS survival skills to become aquatic problem solvers. 

Will my child actually learn to swim?