# Infant Swimming Resource



## *Robin* (Aug 30, 2007)

Anyone have experience with Infant Swimming Resource programs? Here is the site: http://infantswim.com/

I really like the idea, but when I searched on You Tube, I found a clip with a mom talking about how sometimes her son cried during the lessons, but it's okay cause he was learning important skills. I am just not okay with DS crying. On the other hand, I am not okay with him drowning in one of his grandparents lakes this summer either.


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## ryansma (Sep 6, 2006)

My friends in Texas ( who all have pools) swear by it. If you find an instructor perhaps you could work with them about how you want YOUR child taught. It is a business but it's about saving kids not torturing them by leaving them to cry. I don't think it's unreasonable for you to be able to step in if you don't like how it's going.


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## runes (Aug 5, 2004)

i am a toddler/children's swim instructor and i am not a fan of this method at all.


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## transformed (Jan 26, 2007)

we arent allowed to advocate it here.


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## transformed (Jan 26, 2007)

PS-if you arent ok with crying, then dont do it. LOTS of crying most of the time. (depending on age)


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## ryansma (Sep 6, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *transformed* 
PS-if you arent ok with crying, then dont do it. LOTS of crying most of the time. (depending on age)

Sad - if that's true I would say skip it.


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## BundleFishMama (Jun 1, 2005)

Bumping this thread in case anyone has more insight/information about how this method is actually taught??

We just moved to Arizona this month and now have a large pool in our backyard as well as a jacuzzi and a koi pond. SO gorgeous, but of course I'm scared about the kids' safety! We're planning to childproof as much as we possibly can, but still, you hear these tragic stories of drownings all the time....

Anyway, a friend of mine sent me links to those ISR videos of babies falling in the pool and instantly knowing how to save themselves, and I was so amazed, I was ready to sign all 3 of my kids up right away! But something told me to look into it a little more, especially when it said they don't let parents in the water during the lessons?

I guess the idea makes sense - they want the kids to not be afraid per se, but to associate the water with possible danger and concentrate on survival, not on playing around with mommy. But it would kill me to have my kids scared or crying! At the same time, I would no be able to live if anything ever happened to one of them - I keep thinking maybe I should sacrifice my AP ideals for a few weeks so they'd learn this survival swimming technique -isn't it more important that they are safe from drowning than that they never cry? But I don't want them traumatized either....ugh, I don't know what to do!!

Just hoping someone has some IRL experience with this and can tell me exactly what goes on in these lessons. TIA!!!


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

This is an awful AWFUL "method"

It is cruel.

-Angela


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## dutchgal (Nov 25, 2006)

Basically, from what I recall, the child is taught how to turn over by themselves, and it requires lots of tears, lots of repetition, lots of spluttering, even if the kid doesn't want to do it...It's not a pretty thing to get a kid to do. I've been a swim instructor for 14 years (haven't taught in over 7 years though, so memory is hazy) but I remember being horrified at learning how these kids get taught these skills.









ETA: What I would suggest is finding a great instructor who you love, and getting private lessons for a while...there are ways to teach this, but it takes time and a loving person to help the kids gain the confidence in doing this. I've NEVER in my 14 years seen a baby at 6 months (as they claim) be able to do this. Also remember that no kid will ever be "down proofed", and there is no substitute for parent supervision and multiple layers of barriers around your pool.


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## ABrez (Apr 4, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
This is an awful AWFUL "method"

It is cruel.

-Angela


I totally agree.


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## BundleFishMama (Jun 1, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
This is an awful AWFUL "method"

It is cruel.

-Angela

That's exactly what I'm afraid of! But the kids in the videos look so happy and confident swimming (ok maybe I am being totally naive here), and I'm so scared of something happening to my kids despite how vigilant I am...

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dutchgal* 
Basically, from what I recall, the child is taught how to turn over by themselves, and it requires lots of tears, lots of repetition, lots of spluttering, even if the kid doesn't want to do it...It's not a pretty thing to get a kid to do. I've been a swim instructor for 14 years (haven't taught in over 7 years though, so memory is hazy) but I remember being horrified at learning how these kids get taught these skills.









ETA: What I would suggest is finding a great instructor who you love, and getting private lessons for a while...there are ways to teach this, but it takes time and a loving person to help the kids gain the confidence in doing this. I've NEVER in my 14 years seen a baby at 6 months (as they claim) be able to do this. Also remember that no kid will ever be "down proofed", and there is no substitute for parent supervision and multiple layers of barriers around your pool.

Thanks for your take on this. My friend, who introduced me to this, said that most swim instructors are just teach recreational swimming, whereas this is "survival swimming" - the difference being that if a kid with "regular" swim lessons falls in the pool accidentally, he will be terrified and forget everything he's learned about swimming for fun; whereas for kids who have done this program, instinct will kick in and they will not panic and will be able to save themselves. Do you think there is any veracity to that, or is it BS?

I am SO torn. I would NEVER consider doing anything like this if it weren't a life or death issue.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

This kind of lesson HAS NOT been proven to make kids safer around water. It simply doesn't work that way.

It IS life and death to have kids near water. So use safety sense- make sure there are fences, alarms, etc. NEVER leave a child where they can get to unsupervised water, not even for a moment. And never, NEVER think that lessons or a technique can keep a young child "Safe" around water.

-Angela


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## dutchgal (Nov 25, 2006)

Quote:

Do you think there is any veracity to that, or is it BS?

BS. If you play with your kids, let them run off mats, toss them into the water, and let them jump in as you're catching them, they will learn, by playing (as kids do) that falling in doesn't have to be scary, and just having fun experiences in and around the water will give them those extra few seconds it takes to either be rescued or for them to orient themselves in the water and find safety themselves.


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## BundleFishMama (Jun 1, 2005)

Awesome - thanks for the advice!! I really appreciate it. I just had a bad gut feeling about this method - but I'm so scared of drowning that it kind of intrigued me for a moment. Thanks for the heads-up!!


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## transformed (Jan 26, 2007)

you can pm me for info-i support isr.

its a ua violation to talk about it though, because there is often crying.


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## IlluminatedAttic (Aug 25, 2006)

My ds has been swimming since he was an infant. We taught him ourselves at home without any fear or tears, it was always a happy game and we took our cues from him. The upside is that by about 16 months he had a good chance of saving himself if he fell in and was within 10 feet of the edge of the pool, the downside is that he has no fear. Though he knows the appropriate time/place/clothing/Mama is watching..etc... for swimming and respects those rules 99% of the time, he still has the impulse control of a toddler and therefore must be watched at all times. He probably could have been even better sooner, but we were not interested in forcing him. We haven't been swimming in a few months due to cold weather, but at the end of last summer he was about 25 months old and could easily jump/dive/slide in, swim the length of the pool, dive for objects under the water, etc.

If you are anywhere near Phoenix the Scottsdale library has some old books about teaching a baby to swim that have some good suggestions. There are also some videos available through different sources. I think the key to success for us was consistency, making a plan ahead of time for how we would teach each stage, and early exposure. I'm happy to share more ideas if you need them.


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## lexbeach (Mar 6, 2002)

We do not have an official stance on whether or not discussion of ISR are permitted. Pro-ISR threads are likely to be removed, but because this thread is not advocating ISR (and is, in fact, a discussion of why it's totally not okay), it can stay.

Lex (mod)


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## CindyCindy (Jun 13, 2006)

There have got to be some swim instructers where you are who will do "safety training" as opposed to "recreational" without the hype that this program has. I took my son to some swim lessons when he was under 1 yr old and there was NO crying, but it was about teaching the child through repitition how to deal with the water. We were told that most children who drown, drown because nobody knows they are there, so number one thing was to get your child to learn to jump in the water, not slip in. That way there is a larger chance of you hearing your child get in the water. Number two was to teach them to get away from the wall, because children who "wall walk" fall away from the wall and don't know what to do. So we did a lot of repitition with making the baby jump in the water (you catch them, so they also learn to only go to an adult) and then immediately turn around on their backs for air.
Sorry for the long post, just wanted to encourage you that there is something else out there that will teach you and your child safe swimming!


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## crunchyOkapi (Apr 21, 2004)

Both of my kids have taken swimming lessons and by age 2 were able to roll-over and be "water safe". You need to find a swim school that focuses on safety first, before promoting the different strokes, diving, etc... My problem with ISR is that it takes the joy out of swimming for many kids, and it doesn't necessarily make them any safer than due diligence of parents, and some basic swim instruction. I attended a few ISR lessons once out of curiousity. I was horrified. In fact, I've spoken with many a mom who after trying it, quit and came to the swim school I take my kids too. Follow your gut.


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## saturnine25 (Mar 26, 2002)

Back when I first began looking into swimming lessons w/dd1, I contacted an ISR instructor. She was very enthusiastic and described in great detail what the lessons were like, and how and why the ISR method was superior. I remember feeling heartsick as I listened to her speech. It was definitely not for us.


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## pigpokey (Feb 23, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ZFooFoo* 
My ds has been swimming since he was an infant. We taught him ourselves at home without any fear or tears, it was always a happy game and we took our cues from him. The upside is that by about 16 months he had a good chance of saving himself if he fell in and was within 10 feet of the edge of the pool, the downside is that he has no fear. Though he knows the appropriate time/place/clothing/Mama is watching..etc... for swimming and respects those rules 99% of the time, he still has the impulse control of a toddler and therefore must be watched at all times. He probably could have been even better sooner, but we were not interested in forcing him. We haven't been swimming in a few months due to cold weather, but at the end of last summer he was about 25 months old and could easily jump/dive/slide in, swim the length of the pool, dive for objects under the water, etc.

My kids learned to swim early also, but I do not understand the downside part. Then again, we do not have a body of water in our backyard.


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## bjorker (Jul 25, 2005)

I saw a lengthy video about this method, and it made me feel ill. Actually, I think I cried, and that wasn't even from watching my child being thrown in the water. Because I would never let that happen.

I refuse to do things like that out of fear. There are much better, less harmful ways to be cautious and prepared. There's just something awfully backwards about it.


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## IlluminatedAttic (Aug 25, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *pigpokey* 
My kids learned to swim early also, but I do not understand the downside part. Then again, we do not have a body of water in our backyard.

The downside was just that ds would go into the water at the least whim. So when he was younger he just seemed to think that he could jump in at any time. My understanding is that most young children fall in while reaching for something, they reach too far over the edge and lose their balance. My ds would just jump right in, fully clothed, because he felt like swimming. Or he would be 'helping' dh clean the pool deck and within 2 seconds he was down the steps and under the water trying to scrub a spot he saw. This wasn't an issue because we were always with him watching him like a hawk, but our pool fence at the time was oddly configured and did not separate the pool from the yard. Any time we were out in the yard the pool was a constant concern. Now at 2.5 he understands the rules of when he can go swimming, but at 16 months - not so much.


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