What to Expect on the First Day of Lessons
What to Bring the First Day of Lessons
Online Paperwork Needed:
You MUST have the required online forms submitted prior to your first day. An email will be sent at least 30 days prior to your child's start date.
1. Starfish IA Student Information Form
2. Waiver
3. Photo Release
4. Lesson Policies & Guidelines
5. Doctor's Note (only if requested)*
In addition, your child needs:
1. Two towels, which can be folded so that there are two layers on the bottom and one to cover your child.
2. A washable swim diaper if your child has not been fully potty trained for at least 6 months.*
3. A positive attitude. Your child can do hard things!
4. A warm sweatshirt or robe for after lessons, since air temps are generally cooler than the pool temps.
*A washable swim diaper is provided to you as part of your registration fee. You are also welcome to use your own if it has very secure elastic on the waist and both legs but doesn’t gape at the top. You may want to add a disposable "little swimmer" underneath if you are concerned about cleaning up accidents; but the snuggly fitting washable must be on top!
Please also review your Lesson Guidelines prior to your first day.
Please note: No child will be allowed in the water without the all of the proper equipment and documentation.
What to Expect:
Your instructor will have a lot of information to discuss. We need to ensure that we have a clear understanding of your child's medical history and their past water experiences so that we can provide the safest and most productive lessons.
The first lesson will likely be short. We will begin to try to establish a rapport with your child so they understand that we’re here to help them through this process.
This isn’t to say that we will not be working this day. In fact, we will likely go underwater on the first day to establish breath control, since that’s the foundation of all swimming!
Please make sure you do not give your child any food or drink for 2 hours before the lesson. Also, no fruit, veggies, juice, dairy or meat for 6 hours prior. No one works well on a full stomach, and we will be accomplishing a lot in the normal 10 minutes we have together. Plus, no one wants your child getting sick in the pool.
Your child may be upset on the first day. We understand this is difficult and empathize with you, as we’re all parents who’ve had our own kids go through this program. Please remember these emotions do not mean they are "fearful," and it’s important not to frame them as such, since kids understand our own words and emotions from an early age.
Early in their lives, crying is a child’s only form of communication, and they cry for a variety of reasons. Crying can mean separation anxiety, since many students are at an age where they feel very attached to parents. Other children are in the phase where they want more control of their own world and get angry when anyone tries to help them. Crying can also mean anxiety or frustration of trying something new.
We are all a little nervous when we attempt a new skill. Then as our skill begins to increase and it can meet the challenges at hand, we begin to enjoy the experience. Our goal is to set every child up for success throughout lessons so that they can build confidence as quickly as possible. In most cases, the emotions will reduce within the first couple weeks.
As the parent, you are the best cheerleader your child could ask for. However, we only encourage parents to sit poolside if your child is calm. Emotional kids often do better when parents and caretakers are out of sight for the brief 10-minute lesson and then receive lots of praise afterward for a job well done!
After the lesson, we will hand your child out of the pool, laying them on their left side on one of your towels. Use your other towel to cover and dry your child as they rest and recover from their hard work! Please allow kids to lay there for a few minutes before getting up. The difference of being in the water can affect their equilibrium slightly, and we don’t want anyone falling on the pool deck.
For our swim-float-swimmers, we will get parents in upon request to learn how to swim with them (typically after we have a pretty solid swim). Some parents get in early in the session and toward the end, while others opt only to get in once their child is fully skilled. It's important to know how to swim with your child if you will be swimming during the summer, on vacation, etc., so that you can have fun but also not accidentally undo anything we're working on in lessons.
For children who start out upset, this is often a turning point where they realize how much fun it can be! Parent swim days can throw off the schedule a bit, so please be patient if we are running behind on those days.
Above all else, please remember that your child’s instructor is here to answer any questions you may have. It may be difficult to talk poolside because of the tight schedule, but we happily make ourselves available to you via phone, text or email.
We want you to be comfortable every step of the way and for your child to become a confident and enthusiastic swimmer. Thank you again for choosing Starfish Infant Aquatics. We hope you will be as amazed by our program as we are by our students on a daily basis!
Sincerely,
Erin Loewe
Owner, Starfish Infant Aquatics
Certified Infant Aquatic Survival® Specialist & Infant Aquatics® Certifying Instructor
