Swim lessons for 3 year old that teach real swimming/life saving skills?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Goldfish.

And this type of training really works. My DS fell in a pool while on vacation, and he had himself out of the pool before the adults could even react.

We’re loving Goldfish too! DD4 goes there.

[Anonymous]

I was impressed that the Goldfish facilities were so clean. In the past my kids took lessons county pools that were perfectly fine but not like immaculately clean

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would recommend doing more research. It doesn't sound like you know the difference between swim classes and ISR. Swim classes at age 3 are for getting 3-year-olds comfortable with water. ISR was created for kids who literally live around the water and could truly be put in life or death situations. If you are looking to lounge at the pool while your 3-year-old can be semi-self-sufficient it's a poor excuse. ISR can be extremely traumatizing and have dramatic effects on later years. That said, it's an excellent program if - again - you are in a situation that needs that type of training for a 3-year-old.

OP here. My parents live on a river and have a pool. We are going to live with them this summer for about a month. I don’t want to just sit around and lounge by the pool, and I will likely not relax while my DS is awake for the entire time we are there. I just want to add a layer of safety by giving him some life saving swim skills before we go. Does this type of situation warrant ISR? I don’t want to traumatize him either!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was impressed that the Goldfish facilities were so clean. In the past my kids took lessons county pools that were perfectly fine but not like immaculately clean

Agreed. Also consistently warm- the county pool we used to go to had so many issues regulating air and water temperature, and at times the water would be frigid. Fine for swimming laps but trying to get my toddler comfortable was a challenge!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
OP here. My parents live on a river and have a pool. We are going to live with them this summer for about a month. I don’t want to just sit around and lounge by the pool, and I will likely not relax while my DS is awake for the entire time we are there. I just want to add a layer of safety by giving him some life saving swim skills before we go. Does this type of situation warrant ISR? I don’t want to traumatize him either!

This is actually why the AAP used to discourage swim lessons before age 4. They said it made parents too confident and actually led to more drowning. Basically, if your child is under 4, you really can't relax with them around water, swim lessons or not. I would say you should make sure all the doors are locked and, I dunno, make your son wear a life vest basically the whole time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would recommend doing more research. It doesn't sound like you know the difference between swim classes and ISR. Swim classes at age 3 are for getting 3-year-olds comfortable with water. ISR was created for kids who literally live around the water and could truly be put in life or death situations. If you are looking to lounge at the pool while your 3-year-old can be semi-self-sufficient it's a poor excuse. ISR can be extremely traumatizing and have dramatic effects on later years. That said, it's an excellent program if - again - you are in a situation that needs that type of training for a 3-year-old.

Just following up on this comment as I do some research.

Why would ISR be potentially traumatizing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would recommend doing more research. It doesn't sound like you know the difference between swim classes and ISR. Swim classes at age 3 are for getting 3-year-olds comfortable with water. ISR was created for kids who literally live around the water and could truly be put in life or death situations. If you are looking to lounge at the pool while your 3-year-old can be semi-self-sufficient it's a poor excuse. ISR can be extremely traumatizing and have dramatic effects on later years. That said, it's an excellent program if - again - you are in a situation that needs that type of training for a 3-year-old.

Just following up on this comment as I do some research.

Why would ISR be potentially traumatizing?

Watch some videos on YouTube. They throw screaming crying children into water. It’s traumatizing to just watch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would recommend doing more research. It doesn't sound like you know the difference between swim classes and ISR. Swim classes at age 3 are for getting 3-year-olds comfortable with water. ISR was created for kids who literally live around the water and could truly be put in life or death situations. If you are looking to lounge at the pool while your 3-year-old can be semi-self-sufficient it's a poor excuse. ISR can be extremely traumatizing and have dramatic effects on later years. That said, it's an excellent program if - again - you are in a situation that needs that type of training for a 3-year-old.

Just following up on this comment as I do some research.

Why would ISR be potentially traumatizing?

Watch some videos on YouTube. They throw screaming crying children into water. It’s traumatizing to just watch.

That’s not ISR. Not real ISR.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Goldfish.

And this type of training really works. My DS fell in a pool while on vacation, and he had himself out of the pool before the adults could even react.

+1

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would recommend doing more research. It doesn't sound like you know the difference between swim classes and ISR. Swim classes at age 3 are for getting 3-year-olds comfortable with water. ISR was created for kids who literally live around the water and could truly be put in life or death situations. If you are looking to lounge at the pool while your 3-year-old can be semi-self-sufficient it's a poor excuse. ISR can be extremely traumatizing and have dramatic effects on later years. That said, it's an excellent program if - again - you are in a situation that needs that type of training for a 3-year-old.

OP here. My parents live on a river and have a pool. We are going to live with them this summer for about a month. I don’t want to just sit around and lounge by the pool, and I will likely not relax while my DS is awake for the entire time we are there. I just want to add a layer of safety by giving him some life saving swim skills before we go. Does this type of situation warrant ISR? I don’t want to traumatize him either!

My 20 mo did ISR with Katie Mace who works out of a hotel pool in Bethesda. https://www.katiessavvyswimmers.com/

ISR is not traumatizing for the vast majority of kids. My child still goes running straight to water (lakes, pools, ocean) and loves playing in it. She is super slow and there was basically no crying- just a bit of fussying on days that he didnt want to do what she was asking. It sounds like 100% a good fit for your situation. I have seen 3 year olds in her classes. They learn to swim and float.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here. My parents live on a river and have a pool. We are going to live with them this summer for about a month. I don’t want to just sit around and lounge by the pool, and I will likely not relax while my DS is awake for the entire time we are there. I just want to add a layer of safety by giving him some life saving swim skills before we go. Does this type of situation warrant ISR? I don’t want to traumatize him either!

This is actually why the AAP used to discourage swim lessons before age 4. They said it made parents too confident and actually led to more drowning. Basically, if your child is under 4, you really can't relax with them around water, swim lessons or not. I would say you should make sure all the doors are locked and, I dunno, make your son wear a life vest basically the whole time.

Is the child going to wear the vest the whole time? Most drownings happen not during swim times but when a kid gets into the water on their own- that is why IRS doesnt recommend floaties or puddle jumpers or anything and they practice in clothes their last week of classes.

[Anonymous]

I would keep my child in a life vest at all times if I were by a river for a month. Not saying that’s the right choice, but I certainly would not be able to sleep with a 4 year old and grandparents who will likely insist on watching the child (but not closely enough). I’ve read enough horror stories of young children drowning because they wandered off in the few minutes their parent was in the restroom or occupied. My friend’s cousin (a little boy) died last summer when his grandparents took him along to a picnic and “watched” him, but being grandparents - not vigilant enough.