When summer draws to a close, some children say goodbye to their swim instructors and new SCSC friends to begin sports and music lessons or focus on schoolwork. Parents don’t think twice about pulling their child out of swimming lessons in order to start a new activity. Yet when summer rolls around again the following year, they are startled to find their son or daughter in the same class as the previous year or slow to improve. Here are a few reasons we encourage families to swim year-round.
- Lifesaving Skill – Many parents enroll their student in swimming lessons at a young age to teach water safety and how to react in an emergency situation. However, parents must also remember that drowning does not only happen during the summer and children can be around water even in cooler months, such as ponds, lakes, hot tubs, bathtubs, and even a back yard with an uncovered pool. Having a swimmer who takes lessons year-round provides a more robust education and increased chances for knowing how to react in an emergency. Parents should also remember, swimming is one of, if not the only sport a child can learn that can literally save their lives. Unfortunately, swimmers can forget these crucial life-saving skills during a winter break and panic should they find themselves in a life-threatening emergency. Although every child will react differently, chances are, a child who regularly practices water safety skills and swims year-round will be more likely to recall these skills if they find themselves in an emergency situation.
- Skill Retention – In order to ensure children’s skills are retained and not just memorized for the short-term, students must continue to swim beyond the summer months. The longer a child is away from swimming, the longer it takes him or her to work back to their initial skill level. Retention is the key to forward progression when fine-tuning or learning any new skill. Year-round lessons allow children to build upon their summer-learned foundation and continue to improve their skills. Consistency is important for children to learn to swim and it allows swimmers to retain their skills.
- Financially Beneficial – Parents are also frustrated financially when they find themselves paying to bring their swimmer up to speed from a previous swim season or round of lessons. Just as with any new hobby, it takes practice to improve and chances are, you would need a refresher after a long hiatus from a new sport or activity. With year-round lessons, children build upon their foundation with scaffold learning, which allows them to not only practice and retain their skills but also regularly improve and add new skills.
The other question we get from parents is, “What about colds and viruses in cooler months?” We understand that this can be nerve-wracking for parents, so we want to bust those myths!
- MYTH #1: Swimming, cold and wind may cause ear infections.
- FACT: Middle ear infections, common in small children, are caused by viruses or infectious colds. Typically, fluid from the Eustachian tubes in the ear, drain through the nose and throat. During illness, passages constrict, and the fluid builds up and becomes infected. Swimming causes swimmer’s ear, which is not a middle ear problem, and is more easily treated.
- MYTH #2: Sudden changes in temperature or getting caught in the rain will cause colds.
- FACT: If one becomes ill after experiencing these weather conditions, Dr. Payne believes the illness and the weather are just coincidence. Viruses cause colds, not the weather. However, Payne does agree changes in weather conditions may cause allergies to flare up. Sneezing and runny noses lasting a few days are indications of an allergic reaction; colds last ten days.
Year-round swimming lessons provide several benefits to parents and children alike. They not only offer a greater overall value to your student and wallet, but they provide critical skills and opportunities for students to learn in the fastest and efficient manner. We hope to see you and your family year-round! Contact us for days and times.
Additional information can be found at the following websites…
Will going out with wet hair really give you a cold?
Pediatric Journal of Medicine