Swimming Myth Busters: 5 Myths About Swim Lessons

Big Blue Swim School Breaks Down Common Swim Safety Myths for Parents and Caregivers

Big Blue Swim School goes beyond the pool and breaks down common swim safety myths to give parents and caregivers the confidence they need to enjoy a summer around the water. The benefits of investing in young children’s swim safety are numerous and positively impact the entire family. Big Blue Swim School believes the best way for a kid to learn how to swim safely is by swimming longer distances at regular weekly lessons in a warm, welcoming, and child-centered environment.

Swim lessons with the right provider empower kids to feel confident in the water – laying the foundation for a lifetime of enjoyment. Whether it’s controlling their breathing, kicking their feet, or learning breaststroke, kids need to accomplish a variety of skills to build courage and ultimately grow trust with themselves in the water.

Big Blue Swim School has identified the following myths regarding swim lessons to help parents and caregivers make knowledgeable decisions for their children.

• Myth #1: Paddling in place is sufficient. – While learning to paddle in place, or tread water, can be a helpful tool in swim safety, adding distance swimming to the toolbox can help build better overall water safety habits. Teaching young swimmers how to independently propel themselves through the water helps them develop the confidence and strength needed to get out of a potentially scary situation. Dog paddling with the head out of water and feet positioned down below requires constant moving for long periods of time and can cause swimmers to quickly fatigue. Developing the technique to efficiently swim longer distances further provides them with the knowledge needed to swim safely.
• Myth #2: Forced adaptation methods for infants are best. – Child-led learning is preferable to forced adaptation techniques. Techniques that force infants into an uncomfortable situation can possibly cause trauma leading to a fear of swimming altogether. Swim lessons should be approached with a certain gentleness and tailored to accommodate each child. Real progress is made when children are introduced to a pool in a calm and welcoming way – slowly strengthening confidence.
• Myth #3: My child is too young. – Starting at three months old, babies can begin to learn the skills needed to have confidence in the water, such as breath control and the baby back float. Building a comfort for the water at a young age, or even during infancy, encourages competency as they get older. After establishing basic swim safety skills, children can advance to learning different swim strokes and endurance.
• Myth #4: Summer lessons are enough. – While summer is the most common season for swimming, year-round swim lessons are the key to advancing a child’s abilities. Assuming children will retain everything they learned from last season can be risky. Year-round swim lessons will give parents the assurance they need entering the busy summer season.
• Myth #5: My child doesn’t need any more lessons. – No child, and no human, is drown proof. Swim lessons exist to make your child water safer, but no child is 100% water safe. All children should continue to be supervised while swimming, no matter the level of their swim skills. Keeping your child in swim lessons after they master the basic abilities ensures that safety will remain top of mind, and confidence will persist.

“To bust these myths, we built a better way to teach kids to swim and formed trust with our parents and caretakers,” explains Chris DeJong, Founder and President of Big Blue Swim School and five-time U.S. National Champion swimmer. “We changed the script, and it has changed the swim lesson experience for the entire family. Our curriculum teaches kids the proper technique to efficiently propel themselves through the water, allowing them to swim farther distances independently.”

If you are looking to build your child’s confidence in the water and teach them a lifelong love of swimming, visit www.bigblueswimschool.com.

About Big Blue Swim School

Big Blue Swim School was founded in 2009 by competitive swimmer Chris DeJong and now has pools in the Chicago, Atlanta, Denver, and Northern Virginia areas. Big Blue offers an unparalleled swim lesson experience made easier and more effective by professional instructors, proprietary technology and curriculum, and family-friendly facilities. Big Blue creates and celebrates Big Moments in the pool which lead to kids learning they can achieve anything in life. To learn more visit www.BigBlueSwimSchool.com.

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