“Teach Me to Swim so We Can Play Together!”
My bad. Yet another thing I feel parent-guilt for is that I have not truly taught my oldest daughter to be a confident swimmer. Totally not her fault, this is all on me. Her time inside ‘big pools’ as opposed to the fabulous Austin splash pads and kiddie pools apparently did not translate well when we recently took a dip into a 6 foot pool. Knowing she may not feel completely at ease, she had on a pair of those arm floaty-things, but they were bulky, floppy and she asked me to hold on to her as she swam. I immediately felt terrible. How did I not show her sooner? You mean those brief (ahem, free trial) swim classes didn’t work? Of course they didn’t. Swimming takes practice and I clearly did not give her enough opportunities to do it.
One big reason for this swimming guilt, I had a freak accident of falling into a pool before I could really swim. Sure, I had swam in ponds and kiddie pools, but a very young Momma’s Bacon fell right in to the deep end the first time at a public pool and I sank like a log. One heroic lifeguard pulled me out of the water really quickly, but I was scared. I mean, really afraid of water, for a very long time. This could not happen to Brooke. I could not let it. So, I was determined to ditch the floaty-arm thingies (whatever you call them) and stake our claim at Barton Springs all summer long if that is what it took to make Brooke feel good about swimming. She loves the water after all, but was just not quite sure how to stay on top of it just yet.
I searched and Googled for the best way to teach a child to swim and I learned about the SwimWays Power Swimr system that said it had ‘everything parents need to teach their children how to swim’! Yes, I thought, this is what I/we need. She was above needing the really big floating devices for little children and more at the Swim Step 3 level where she would need to be confident about floating on her stomach and back while kicking her arms and legs. The Power Swimr is a floatation pad that goes over the child’s body to give buoyancy support to the back and front and there are different pads you can add, remove or adjust as your child learns this very important skill.
Now, I’m not going to tell you that Brooke has become a power swimmer or Olympic qualified swimmer after a few trials in the pool, but I will tell you she is advancing in her swimming ability. I thought it was important that she learn at her own pace and she is certainly excited to learn. There are 9 removable flotation pads (Yes, NINE!) in the Power Swimr and hidden pockets to keep the pads secure. The side chords ensure a snug fit while your child is hands free to power their way through the water. Brooke has the medium size that fits children ages 3-6 (approximately 35-55 lbs) and it also comes in Small and Large sizes.
This whole swimming process has been truly eye-opening yet fun for both of us. Remember to always appoint a designated watcher to monitor children during social gatherings at or near pools and follow all the water safety tips. I have utilized the #WaterSafetyTips feed on my Twitter account on many occasions and I have been following them to a t. Brooke feels better about the water and so do I. Hopefully I will be a pro as we teach baby Brie next.
Watch! How kids learn to swim with Swimways Swim Steps 1-2-3.
List Price: $ 20.99
Momma's Bacon 