Pool Rules

1. 1. Hair must be tied back with an elastic holder or in a swim cap for any swimmers with long hair. This applies to both male and female swimmers. This helps the swimmer breath better, relax more, and see where they are swimming. It also helps keep our pool filter clean and functioning properly.
   2. Please DO NOT feed your child for 2 hours prior to lessons. Plan ahead for this requirement if your lesson is close to meals or snack time. Your student will be doing a lot of swimming and their body will be working hard! If your swimmer has eaten before class there is a higher likelihood of your swimmer vomiting during class.
   3. Parents are encouraged to sit and watch lessons. We have a wonderful area for parents so that you are comfortable. However, NO parent will be allowed in the water or by the poolside. This will prevent a bond from forming between your swimmer and their instructor. This bond is crucial for successful lessons!
   4. Classes take place in the rain or shine! The only exception will be if there is lightening during your student’s lesson. In that case a member of the Lifetime Swimmers team will inform you of what the next step will be.
   5. Absolutely NO street clothes, regular diapers, water shoes, hats, etc. are allowed in the water. If your child is not potty trained they are REQUIRED to wear a SWIM diaper. If you show up with a regular diaper or no swimming suit you will be required to forfeit the lesson that day with no refund or make-up lesson. So please come prepared!
   6. Please apply your sunscreen at home 30 minutes prior to your lesson time. This allows the sunscreen to absorb into the skin and provide better protection. Sunscreen that has not properly set will come off in the water and
      a) not protect your swimmer from the sun
      b) will release a filmy oil into the pool

FAQ

What is your pool address?
We operate out of a private pool. For that reason we don’t share our address on the internet. The address will be provided when your swimmer is registered and paid for. If you have registered and made a payment and still don’t know the address please contact us!

How long is each lesson?
Each lesson is 25 minutes long. Please note that the first minute and the last few minutes of class may be used to talk to you (the parent) about how your swimmer is doing, things that they may need to improve on, or other concerns. Therefore, time in the water may be equal to roughly 23 minutes.

What can I do to help my child succeed at lessons and become more comfortable in the water?
There are a few things that you can do to help your swimmer’s lessons to go smoothly and be more enjoyable.

1. Start by pouring water on your swimmer’s face while they are in the bath tub. Parents often block the eyes or tilt the head back while rinsing out shampoo. If you are doing this, stop now! Instead, explain to your little one that when you count to three you are going to pour water on their head. Then count to three and do it. This will help your swimmer get used to water running down their face which will help them adapt to being in the pool quicker. Start practicing this now!
2. Practice at home. Don’t have a pool? That’s fine! Have your swimmer practice little, fast kicks while they are lying on their belly on the bed, couch, in the bath, or pretty much anywhere! This will help your swimmer’s brain to understand what swimming kicks feel like and will also help their stamina so that they can kick for longer while they are at swimming lessons.
3. Show or tell them that swimming is fun! And how much you or their family member loves to swim! We have had many swimmers who are upset at lessons then go home and swim in a pool with mom, dad, a sibling, or friends and come to the next lesson happier and more ready to participate. Sometimes the swimmer doesn’t understand that swimming is supposed to be enjoyable until they see those they love having fun doing it!

Can my child wear goggles?
There are pros and cons to learning to swim with goggles. Some children feel more comfortable wearing goggles which means that they may be less upset during their lessons. But at Lifetime Swimmers we have noticed that if a child first learns to swim with goggles then they often feel that they can not swim without them. Even after weeks of lessons and mastering their new skills. We have seen many wonderful swimmers have their goggles fall off or fill with water while they are in the middle of swimming a lap which leads to the swimmer panicking and then having to be physically assisted by their instructor to swim to a pool side. So while we do allow all swimmers to wear goggles it is strongly discouraged for beginner swimmers and those that are not yet confident in their skill.

I have heard about dry drowning and I’m worried about it. What exactly is dry drowning?
Secondary drowning or “dry drowning” is RARE and happens most often after a child has been rescued from a situation when they are submerged under water for a period of time while they are unattended or unwatched. During their incident, water has been inhaled and has entered their lungs causing the body to receive less oxygen even after they have been rescued and exited the water. Secondary drowning is accompanied by coughing and wheezing that will continue well after the incident has occurred. Here* is an article about the signs and symptoms of secondary drowning. If this is something that you are still concerned about, please feel free to talk to your swimmer’s instructor about your worries.

(*Please note that this article was not written by a doctor nor was it written to give medical advice. If you fear your child is suffering from symptoms of dry drowning please reach out to your pediatrician.)

My swimmer threw up today at lesson. What does this mean?
While vomit is something that we work hard to avoid, it is sometimes experienced at swimming class. There are a few things that could lead to this.

1. Eating too close to lesson time. Please make sure that your swimmers doesn’t eat anything for 2 hours prior to their lesson. Your swimmer is working very hard during their lesson which could cause their stomach to cramp. If there is food in their stomach while it’s cramping then they are more likely to throw up.
2. Some thing that is less noticeable is a student swallowing the water through their nose. Naturally water will go into the swimmer’s nasal cavities while they are submerged causing the passages to fill with water. Some swimmers then comes up for a breath and try to breath with their nose. This can’t be done without swallowing the water in their passageways first. If this is the case, the instructor will then practice with your swimmer to either breath through their mouth or to blow the water out of their nose as soon as they surface.
3. Your swimmer may be swallowing water. Often times the instructor will notice this issue before the vomiting occurs and will work with the swimmer to correct it. While swallowing water is something that we work hard to correct, is not uncommon and is NOT the same as dry drowning. Please see the above question if you are concerned about that.

Why is it common for beginner swimmers to cry for the first few lessons?
The first few days of lessons are hard and the swimmer is often experiencing a lot of things they have never experienced before. Being with a new person (the instructor), having water on their face, going under water, learning to be more independent in the water, etc. It’s normal for students to cry for the first 3 days of lessons because they are unsure of the new skills they are being taught. Usually the swimmer starts to calm down around lesson 4. This is because after lesson 3 it is likely that your beginner swimmer won’t be learning anything new, just variations of the skills that they learned the previous lessons and mastering those skills. Talk to your instructor to learn the specific skills that your swimmer has been working on and then praise your swimmer on those skills! It’s hard work for them and they are doing great!

Lastly, let your swimmer know that they are doing a good job! Sometimes we have parents who get discouraged after the swimmer has been crying and then (without meaning to) project that onto their swimmer. That means that your swimmer will feel that way too! Don’t get discouraged. It takes some time and some swimmers pick it up faster than others. Let your swimmer know that you are proud of them for trying new things! Lastly, be patient with the program because it really works!