This page captures what many kids feel on Day 1: big space, deeper-than-expected water, and that shy moment of “do I raise my hand?” If you teach swim lessons (or parent during them), look for these signs of anticipation: - scanning the pool / hesitating at the edge - quiet body, big eyes - watching other kids before joining in That’s not “resistance.” That’s processing. And we can teach from there. What do your kids/students do on the first day—talk a lot, freeze, cling, or watch? (This is the first page in my book “Swim With Me”)

In your Joyful Waters book, you mention asking permission to enter a pool. Will this work with a parent and tot class, where there are up to 10 parent/babies? What if I am hired to work for a business that has been around for a long time, and they do not want to do this?

I want to share a major update with full transparency. After a recent compliance/investigation process with the American Red Cross that resulted in my instructor authorization being revoked (despite my appeal), I’ve made the decision to transition away from Red Cross programs moving forward. My focus has always been simple: - teach the skills thoroughly - make learning clear and doable for students - keep documentation clean for employers - remove unnecessary barriers that keep good people from getting trained Over time, Red Cross training has also become more expensive, with additional fees and administrative requirements that make it harder on students and providers. Going forward, I’m certifying through Lifeguard-Pro. I selected Lifeguard-Pro after researching acceptance and compliance considerations. Notably, Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America) has publicly stated they’re partnering with established certifying agencies including Lifeguard-Pro as part of their transition away from their own program. I have a copy of my appeal and Red Cross documents for those interested. After serving as a Red Cross instructor since 2005 and teaching 430+ classes, I had a compliance case opened on me that ended in my instructor authorization being revoked — and my appeal was denied. I’m not going to re-litigate every detail in a post, but I will say this: It felt unfair, not respectful, and honestly scary from a “what could happen to any of us” standpoint. The standard I’ve always held is that skills are taught, performed, evaluated, and documented. That hasn’t changed.

My school page has grown to over 100 members, and I want to pause and clearly explain what this space is meant to be. Navigating Neva is my personal knowledge library. It’s where I share: - PDFs you can download for free - Courses you can walk through for free - Documents inside those courses for free - Training videos pulled directly from my real teaching and field experience This space is not a sales funnel. It’s not a required program. It’s not how I train my staff. This is how I learn. When I see something on deck, in leadership, in aquatics, or in education that makes me stop and think … I put it here. It’s the backside of my brain. The notes. The visuals. The frameworks. The “wait, this matters” moments. That includes: - My Joyful Waters philosophy, which is available for free - My real teaching videos - My thought process as an educator and leader There are optional paid pieces, and I want to be transparent about those: - Certification → fee (separate from the material) - Workshops → fee - Custom support → fee But the material itself is free and always has been. If someone wants: - A document branded with their logo (fee) - A resource turned into a course or PowerPoint (fee it will be specific to your team) - A presentation tailored to their team’s age group or experience level (fee, also trailered to your team) I’m happy to help with that — because that’s the work I enjoy! I’m a leader and an educator at heart. I genuinely love helping people understand, teach, and lead more clearly, especially through strong visuals, because that’s how I’ve learned my entire life. That’s Navigating Neva. A shared library. A thinking space. A place to learn without pressure.

Just read with interest under CLASSROOM your Crayon box Theory🖍 You asked if there was something we'd like further explained...emotional intelligence with real life stories please!