This post is sponsored by the YMCA of Greater Kansas City. However, opinions belong to the writer.
Until about a month ago, neither of my kids (ages 7 and 4) had taken swimming lessons. Shocking I know, I mean how could I even feel comfortable taking my kids to a pool without them ever having had lessons?! I guess I could play it cool and chalk it up to my avant-garde parenting style, but in reality it’s due to my uncanny ability to not avoid procrastination.
When my eldest was little, he was timid and did not easily acclimate to new environments. I feared throwing him in swimming lessons would be both a frustration and a waste of money. So I held off. Then he got into baseball, then soccer, then basketball, and suddenly our calendars were so full that just the idea of adding ONE MORE THING exhausted us. However, after a summer where both my kids turned into pool rats, I realized I could avoid it no more.
As I began to research where to take them, I was given the opportunity to enroll my daughter in a beginners class with the YMCA in Olathe. The class description for the Water Acclimation class sounded perfect for my recently turned four year old daughter, and the 35 minute class length two nights a week worked perfectly with our schedule as full-time working parents.
I was a little worried about how comfortable she would be and honestly didn’t know if she would ever make it into the water. To my surprise, after a timid first lesson, she was all business and looked forward to her classes every week. She quickly adapted to the environment and her awesome instructor Ms. Keesha. With only two other little girls in her class, she received plenty of one-on-one time with Ms. Keesha to work on her kicking, floating, and generally getting comfortable with the water. This combined with the small group activities was the perfect mix of hands-on and hands-off training. By her third class she was jumping in and going under water like an old pro!To say I was impressed is an understatement, and I’m not sure why I waited so long to enroll her. At her last class, we were given a full assessment of her skills, and what class stage she should enroll in next to continue her development.
The YMCA website clearly describes each class, which makes it easy to know exactly what to expect at each stage. Their wide array of class options; including weekdays, weeknights, and weekends, make it easy to work it into an already packed schedule. They have plenty of classes available starting in January, which means you’ll have a more advanced water kiddo by summer AND a warm, fun way for them to get some of that bottled up winter energy out!
The YMCA promotes their programs as being about more than just the techniques and skills. They are about nurturing swimming skills, developing self-esteem and creating positive experiences that will last a lifetime. After just one class, I can attest to the truth of this! Allison is more than ready to take on her next class, and I feel more assured that she will be safe this summer when we hit the beaches of Maui!
