Published: 9/13/2021 4:53:45 PM
Modified: 9/13/2021 4:53:46 PM
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Held up by their parents in the shallow water, five young toddlers watched with wide eyes as they reached out to catch the bubbles floating toward them.
As one of the few moments during the class that didn’t include singing, the momentary quiet stood out on a recent morning “Parent and Me” lesson at the Upper Valley Aquatic Center in White River Junction.
“It’s nice because you can kind of go at the child’s pace so it’s not like (the skills are) being pushed,” said Lebanon resident David DiMinico, who was there with his 1-year-old daughter Joanna. “It kind of stays at their comfort level. Instead of just being fearful all the time, it helps make it fun for them.”
Karen Cox, “Parent and Me” instructor and director of the UVAC swim school, said that it’s really important to start getting kids in the water early, as young as 6 months old. More than simply getting comfortable in the water, Cox wants kids to “start that journey toward being able to move their little bodies in the water by themselves,” as swimming can be a lifesaving skill.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death among children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause for children ages 1 to 14.
“It’s so easy for parents to bring their own fears into the mix for children: I really applaud parents who recognize that and want to change the trajectory for their kids,” Cox said. “When I look at the children that do go on to swim team, they’re the ones who go back over to the warm water pool and play like mermaids and dolphins for a while … that all starts in childhood and discovery in the water.”
Using well-loved songs like Ten in the Bed and The Hokey Pokey, Cox prompts that childhood discovery in her classes, teaching skills like stretching out, exhaling instead of holding your breath and kicking.
Like many of the kids at the “Parent and Me” lesson, 1-year-old Joanna was born during the COVID-19 pandemic and is too young to be vaccinated. Although her dad, DiMinico, is still a little worried about COVID-19 safety, he said it was important to him that she learned the water skills, which they practice in their pool at home. DiMinico said Joanna is not only getting used to the water, but also to strangers.
“It’s just kind of introducing ourselves back into the public,” DiMinico said. “Even out of the water she’s like, ‘I don’t know about this person, I don’t know who this person is.’ ”
For parents or guardians who want to help their kids enjoy the water at home, Cox recommended getting the child used to water being poured over their head. Using a set of measuring cups and starting at the back of the child’s head, Cox said to gradually move toward the front of their head, then repeat with incrementally larger amounts of water.
“If you get to 34 ounces and its pouring down their face, they learn a lot about how to manage not taking that water in,” Cox said.
Cox also recommended swim instructional DVDs from Swim Lessons University taught by James Reiser, which has a video on teaching kids on the autistic spectrum.
“Even just learning to float and they don’t panic and get a little bit of a stroke, that’s a win,” Cox said, adding that she’d love people to take their swim skills further if they can.
For Joanna DiMinico, she is well on her way to those skills.
“She likes when (the water) splashes in her face,” said David DiMinico. “She doesn’t quite like dunking her head in the water yet, but she likes splashing.”
Jasmine Taudvin can be reached at jtaudvin@vnews.com.