When you decide that you want to get your baby swimming, it can be tough to choose between the available options. There are swim lessons at a swim school like Hubbard Family Swim School, and survival swim lessons like ISR. While it can be difficult to sort through the numerous misconceptions about each, there are undeniably major differences between the two approaches. Here?s a look at three of the hallmark differentiators of Hubbard?s approach, contrasted with the ISR approach.
Parent Involvement
If you choose to pursue an infant survival swimming program like ISR, one of the first things you might notice is that the parent is asked to stay on the sideline. The baby will be in the water with the instructor, who will take them through a set of skills. Parents are asked to keep their interactions with their child to a minimum as they observe from the side of the pool.
At Hubbard, we believe in the parent playing a central role in their child?s swim lessons. As such, all of our baby swimming classes are structured to be attended by a parent and child. It is the parent who helps their baby as they practice each new skill, under the instruction of the teacher. This offers parents and their little ones a wonderful chance to bond, and gives children the comfort of their parent?s presence as they are exposed to these new experiences.
Positive Environment
Many ISR techniques mimic how it would feel for a baby to be in water alone, and this can be stressful for the child. Since ISR lessons are between the instructor and the child, it has been reported that children may cry or yell as a result of being separated from their parent in this seemingly scary new environment. Since survival is the goal in survival swim lessons, the class typically continues on despite how the baby may respond.
At Hubbard, we take a different approach. Our classes were created to be enjoyable and positive. We absolutely encourage learning and stretching children to try new skills, but we leave the ultimate call with the parent. Since the parent is in the water with their infant, they can best gauge their temperament. If the baby is upset, a parent often knows how to calm them and help them work through skills in a loving way. Or the parent may recognize that their baby is just a little tired, and that it?s in their best interest to continue the lesson. Either way, we make sure the environment is positive and conducive to learning, so the child can master new skills and enjoy coming back.
Ongoing Skill Development
Infant survival swimming lessons like ISR are structured to take place in a condensed period of time. Classes are ten minutes long, every day (Monday through Friday) for four to six weeks. Once a specific skill level is reached, classes are stopped and an annual refresher of skills is recommended from that point forward.
At Hubbard, our classes are a half hour long and take place once per week. Each class and each level builds upon the previous one. Once your child knows how to swim on their own, you may choose to stop lessons. But many families continue weekly lessons in order to grow their child?s swimming development and since many kids enjoy their classes. Your child can keep swimming with us until they?re 12 years old, and we welcome them to do so! The longer they remain with us, and the more consistently they attend classes, the more comfortable, confident, and safe they will be in the water.
There are numerous differences between survival swim classes and baby swimming classes at a school like ours. It?s up to you as the parent to learn about the reasons behind the approaches, and make the decision as to what will work best for your child and your family.
