• Make the choice: Stop going back and forth and just do it! • Find community-focused centers: Look for a few local places where you feel comfortable and that aren't just after your money. I highly recommend local recreation departments, the YMCA, or other community centers. • Ask questions: If the environment ever feels rushed or unwelcoming, leave. • Request a trial or evaluation: Ask to do a trial session at your selected location. If they tell you they don't offer that option, leave. • Observe everything: Pay close attention to your child before, during, and after their time in the water. • Stay calm if it goes poorly: Remember, this is a brand-new experience for both you and your child. If a lesson doesn't go well, please don't panic or react negatively. Your child will pick up on that energy. Instead, simply try somewhere else. • Keep it positive: Swimming is just as much mental as it is physical. Your child will have the best outcome if you keep things lighthearted. This is a life skill you want them to build on, not shy away from.

Making the choice to enroll my child in swim lessons was a bit nerve-wracking, especially as a first-time parent! I questioned myself, wondering if I was making the right decision and whether my child would be safe. Every time I had to hand her over to the instructors (I had chosen classes where I didn't have to go into the water), my heart would race, my palms would sweat, and thoughts of "what if something terrible happens?" swarmed my brain. But as often as those anxious thoughts came, I eventually found peace by reminding myself that this wasn't about me—it was for my child. I will never forget the moment she was finally able to blow bubbles on her own! I knew it must have felt good on her teething gums because she flashed a little smile at me through the viewing glass. From that moment on, I noticed she would mimic her swim lessons during bath time, confidently putting her face in the water to blow bubbles. Although we couldn't verbally communicate yet since she wasn't talking, she was only a few months old, we shared an unspoken bond that let me know she completely understood. From that day forward, my daughter has not stopped blowing bubbles!

Starting swim lessons for your child is only half the battle; continuing them until your child is confident and comfortable in and around the water is the other half. We have all heard that it only takes a teaspoon of water for a person to drown. Knowing I wanted my daughter to learn to be safe around water—and know how to save herself in an emergency—helped me find comfort despite my own personal fears. As a child, I took swim lessons and had a horrible experience where I actually had to be pulled out by lifeguards. To this day, I am very anxious in or around water, but I have chosen not to project that anxiety onto my child. So, how do you know when your child is truly comfortable in and around water? When they are excited to go to the lesson, and enjoy the birthday parties involving water. My daughter started swim lessons at five months old, a stage that is mostly about getting children acclimated to the water. By two years old, she was doing guided activities. If you are going back and forth deciding whether your child should start swim lessons, the answer is yes! Do it now. Do it scared. Push past your own fears! Don’t wait until they are "ready"—this is the one life decision you must make for them. It is a lifelong skill that builds confidence, character, and peace of mind for parents. Personally, I recommend skipping the commercial swim schools that overcharge for a single 20-minute session once a week; speaking from experience, it can get VERY expensive. Instead, look into your local YMCA or community recreation centers.

They say the early bird catches the worm, but in our case, it's literal: getting my daughter into the water early in life made her completely fearless and gave her the runway to truly begin to master her technique. When people watch her race now, they are always shocked by how little she splashes. She moves effortlessly through the pool—no wasted energy, just pure, fast efficiency. The secret? It’s all technique. That precision didn't come without a few heartbreaks. Around ages six to eight, she dealt with her fair share of disqualifications. As a little kid, watching the runner-up walk away with your first-place medal because of a DQ is an absolute gut-punch. But she turned that frustration into motivation. It also helped that she had a major sweet tooth—back then, every "DQ" at the pool just meant a celebratory trip to Dairy Queen! Fast forward to today, and she is still chasing that technique at 5:00 AM high school practices, pushing through the water with drag socks, resistance parachutes, fins, and paddles. She is nowhere near perfect, but she is tackling the journey one stroke, one morning, and one day at a time.

As a parent we want the best for our children and that means opening up their world as much as possible. Deciding to dive into swim lessons is a huge undertaking, but DO IT! Swimming is more than it’s given credit for; it’s the only sport you can do lifelong, it’s a full body workout, it’s mental and physical stamina, and most importantly it’s a skill! The time is now to get your babies (and yourself) in the water, with no fear! My daughter was just a few months old when I made the choice to put her in a pool, and she’s loved it ever since!