Relax and watch. When confronted with fearful situations, children tend to collapse emotionally in the presence of their parents. As difficult as it is to accept, in stressful situations, children generally fare better when parents are not available as a crutch. We are experienced in calming distressed children and you can confidently leave your child in our hands and exit to our glassed observation area. You may need to move entirely out of the line of sight, as even eye contact can trigger an emotional collapse.
Being on the pool deck. With our limited deck space, we ask that you watch your child from the comfort of the air-conditioned waiting room. While you are welcome to escort your child on deck for the first lesson, please give him or her a quick hug and kiss and let them know you’ll be watching. If your child’s instructor needs you on deck they will let you know!
Understanding & respecting the levels. In our competitive modern-day culture, the impulse to push a child is powerful. Please resist the urge to “fast-track” your child’s progress. Do not get caught up in which level your child is in. With only four students per class, we can easily accommodate small differences. Twenty-six years of experience with thousands of children have taught us that the potentially negative approach of pressuring a child to learn can only harm his or her progress and attitude in the future. Please refrain from comparing your child’s skills to those of other students. Each child learns differently and at their own pace, so comparing students is not a very effective way of measuring progress.
Reserved class times. Make sure you have scheduled your child in a class that fits your schedule. Please understand that the instructor is there to teach your child, even if you do not come to class. We strive to maintain instructor consistency for our students. There are, however, occasions when instructors may have extended leaves of absence, resign, have conflicting school schedules or other personal situations that create the need to replace the instructor. Often these situations are beyond our control. We will do everything possible to make a smooth transition for your child.