For those of you whos kids have taken lessons at the pools through Parks & Rec...how did you like it? How did you feel about the importance they place on safety?
I ask because we had a very scary experience yesterday. It was my 3 1/2 year old's first day. She is in the beginning group. She's taken lessons at another swim place a while back, but is not a swimmer yet. They had the kids sit on the edge of the pool with their feet in the water as they were getting checked in. There were 2 instructors for this class, a life guard right next to us, and a couple of other life guards at other areas of the pool. So I left my daughter on the side of the pool and went to sit down with my 1 year old. When I looked back she was gone. At first, I thought she'd gotten up and wandered off. Then I saw her struggling under water! I yelled at the instructors and waited for a couple of seconds (to me it seemed like forever, but I'm sure it wasn't that long). They didn't immediately jump in so I had to drop my 1 year old and jump in the pool to rescue my daughter. By the time I got her up, an instructor was in the pool.
Aside from being scared, my daughter was fine. But no one seemed like it was that big of a deal. No apology. Is all the instructor said was that I could use her towel (I went in fully dressed, shoes, everything).
I decided to stay for the class so my daughter wouldn't have just the bad experience to remember. During the class, another girl let go of the side and went under. It wasn't for long and the instructor got her. But the mom had to get the instructor's attention.
I can't believe that this all happened. Shouldn't the lifeguard be watching more closely? Shouldn't the instructors be keeping a better eye on things? Especially in a beginning class where the kids are young and have no experience. Seriously, my daughter could have died if I hadn't noticed her. What if I had gone to the bathroom? What if I had a child in another class to check on?
I'll be calling and reporting our experience today. They seriously need to train their employees better. I realize they are high school kids and the lessons are inexpensive. But-I think it's unacceptable to be that lax about safety. I feel sick to my stomach just remembering it all as I type this. I'll post back after I've talked to them.
My older daughter took this same class at the same pool when she was almost 5. She had a great time. I didn't feel concerned about her safety in that class.
Have you witnessed anything like this?
We took our now nine year
We took our now nine year old daughter for swim lessons when she was 3 years old to the YMCA in Chandler. The same thing happened with her! She was at the side of the pool and I had my newborn daughter with me. I went to sit down with the baby to feed her since there were two lifeguards and the teacher with her, or so I thought, and I looked up to see my older daughter go under. I screamed at the "instructor" to get her and they did but they were very slow and unconcerned as well. I knew then that I would pay more and have more concerned, professionals teach her so we went to Swim Kids USA which was awesome. I am sure not all programs are this bad, but I learned my lesson.
Swim Kids I wasn't happy
Swim Kids I wasn't happy with their instruction. We constantly got new kids in our small class that were not up to the level my daughter was at and for the most part they cried or were scared to go in the pool. So the instructor had to spend most of the time consoling them while my daughter waited for her turn. It wasn't worth the money.
Sandi is a discussion leader for the East Valley. She lives in Chandler with her husband and 10 year old daughter that thinks she is 15.
My daughter has been taking
My daughter has been taking swimming lessons with me at Kiwanis Rec Center in Tempe but the classes are parent/kid classes and I am in the water with her the entire time. I only have one child, so maybe I don't fully understand juggling 2 kiddos but I would not be comfortable letting my baby in the water without me. I looked into their classes and they do offer parent/child classes until the age of 4. Maybe some kids are just not ready to be "alone" in the pool. I know they have lifeguards, but I would not totally trust my childs life to one of those people as they do have more than one kid to watch and it only takes a second for a child to go under the water.
We take swim through Mesa
We take swim through Mesa Parks and Rec. We have since my oldest (9) was 3. I currently have all four of my girls in swim at the same time. I have not ever experienced anything like this. I am actually impressed with the instructor to kid ratio. At our first class I did get nervous because one teacher called about 20 kids but they were divided up soon after and there was 4 kids to an instructor. There are also life guards. My kids start swim alone at 3. Their swim class is in the kiddie pool at that time. Talk to the instructors today and find out why this happened. Is she in a kiddie pool or a big pool? They should have her in a kiddie pool especially if she cant swim. Scary. I never leave my kids at swim class.
Jennifer is a discussion leader for arizonamoms.com and mommy to four beautiful girls who range from 9 to 4 years of age.
What part of the valley are
What part of the valley are you at? I loved Teacher Lynda's in the West Valley and always felt way more comfortable than we did at the Y.
I enrolled my 8-year old in
I enrolled my 8-year old in swimming lessons through the City of Glendale. I found that I got what I paid for. It only costs $10 and she didn't learn much. There were too many kids for that one instructor.
There is no way to be a perfect mother, but a million ways to be a good one!