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Backyard Pool Safety Rules
1.
 Never swim alone!
2.
 Have a minimum of two barriers, i.e., an un-climbable fence, and a mounted cover (that can be walked or crawled on), lock/alarm for door leading to pool.
3.
 Make sure that all swimmers have constant adult supervision.  Keep sun to back when observing pool.
4.
 Have a cordless phone for pool side use.
5.
 Learn 1st Aid and CPR.  Keep a first aid kit handy.
6.

Make sure that all swimmers understand and obey this list of rules:   

No unsupervised swimming.
No running or horseplay.
No diving in shallow water. 
No jumping in backwards, or into too shallow water.
No glass objects around the pool.
No electrical appliances around the pool.
No gum or candy while swimming.
No throwing of objects.
No standing on flotation devices.
No swimming in bad weather.

7.
 Make sure that neighbors know you have a pool and should make their own fences not climbable to protect their own children.
8.
 Make sure that the gate is always closed and locked.
9.
 Make sure that shallow areas are marked for no diving, and that deep areas are roped off.  Have depths marked.
10.
 Keep a fiberglass pole nearby and instruct children to “Reach or Throw, Don’t Go”.

 

Water Safety Rules
1.
 NEVER SWIM ALONE! No matter how old you are or how well you swim.
2.
 Do not run or horseplay around the pool.
3.
 Don’t jump in backwards. Be careful to watch out for other swimmers when jumping or diving into the pool. During class, have teacher’s permission to jump or dive. Don’t try to turn around to catch wall when jumping.
4.
 No jumping on or over steps. Walk in carefully, the first step can be slippery.
5.
 Never dive into shallow water. After learning a good racing start, only practice starts with direct coach’s supervision.
6.

Never swim with food or gum in your mouth.
7.
 Always use the bathroom before swimming.
8.
 Never swim in bad weather or have electrical appliances near the pool.
9.
 Do not have glass around a pool.
10.
 When around other pools, practice safe swimming. If not swimming, do not play around the pool. Never ride a bike around a pool.




Parent/Child Class Information
The Parent/Child class is a great way for parents to learn how to teach their child about swimming and water safety.  Young children are more likely to feel comfortable in a new situation with one of their parents with them.  Parents are shown proper holding positions, what precautions you need to know and games and cues.  Each child progresses at their own rate, with no pressure, only fun!
Here are some commonly asked questions:
 
Can my child be “drown-proofed”?       
There really is no such thing.  No matter how old or how well a person swims, anyone can get into a drowning situation.  Young children that have learned how to swim a little and can float some may be safer around the water, but should NEVER be allowed to be around water without CONSTANT adult supervision.  Children can learn their boundaries at a very early age.  We will teach you the proper boundaries, and the best way to implement them.
 
Why do you use games instead of making the child work?
“You can lead the horse to the water, but you can’t make it drink.”  Our philosophy here is to make them WANT to drink it!  Games and playing are the best way to make young children want to learn.  Almost every game has a purpose and usually gets the desired response.
 
What if my child doesn’t seem to like the water?

That is very common.  There could be several different reasons for this.  The most common reason is that the child is going through the developmental stage where they are afraid of something.  Many times, even if they were quite comfortable the previous season, children at this stage have a very strong, negative reaction.  The other common reason is that the parent is not comfortable in or around water.  Even if you try real hard not to let that show, somehow young babies and toddlers pick up on that uneasiness. 

Whatever the reason, any fear is justified, and with patience and lots of comforting, the child will overcome their fear and learn to love the water.
 
Why should I put my baby in swimming lessons?  Won’t they just     forget what they learned by the next summer?
Younger children do not retain learned skills from season to season until around age five or six.  If your child stays in swimming on a year round basis, there are many benefits.  In the parent/child class, the benefits are many.  It’s sometimes the only time that day (or week!) that the child has you at eye level totally focused on just him or her.  Your child will learn about water safety from a very early age, and so will you.  Once a child shows readiness to be in a class without mom or dad, they can move into our semiprivate classes (2:1 ratio) and swim once a week on a year round basis.  We suggest periodic breaks so the child doesn’t “burn out”, but when they are very young, the best time to break from lessons is when you can take your child to the pool (usually summer time).