Frequntly Asked Questions
- Will my child cry during lessons?
- How do you teach a baby to swim?
- Will my child be drown-proof?
- Why don't you allow the parents to be in the water during the lessons?
- Will my child learn to fear the water?
- Are ISR lessons safe?
- How are the ISR Instructors trained?
- Why don't you teach infants under the age of 6 months?
- Why are Refresher lessons necessary?
- How do the babies and children know to hold their breath?
- What about floatation devices and life jackets?
- How do babies know how to respond to a fall-in?
- Who invented this method and how long has it been practiced?
- Why do you not want your students to eat for at least 2 hours prior to lessons?
Will my child cry during lessons?
The first few weeks in lessons for a beginner are a critical time
of adaptation to the new environment, the instructor, and the
technique. It can be a time of apprehension in and around the
water because your child has not had time to perfect his or her
new skills. Some of the babies cry because crying is a form of
infant communication. There are several different types of infant
cries and it is important to be sensitive and educated as to what
these different types of cries indicate. Each child is an
individual and reacts to the lessons uniquely. Some never cry
and most children stop crying when they become skilled in the
water. It is very important that the parent sets the example
by keeping a positive tone when at lessons and when discussing
lessons with or around the child.
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How do you teach a baby to swim?
ISR instructors teach infants to swim by honoring each child's
individual strengths and experiences. They understand the
fundamentals of the behavioral sciences, child development and
of sensorimotor learning as it relates to the acquisition of
aquatic survival skills; they use this education to guide each
child through the sequence of learning to swim and float.
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Will my child be drown-proof?
No, nobody can ever drown-proof your child. Be leary of any program that advertises they can.
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Why don't you allow the parents to be in the water during the lessons?
We do not want the baby to initially associate the water with the
love, attention and affection of the parent with the water. Also,
it takes incredible concentration and objectivity to teach the
baby how to react to an aquatic emergency and our research shows
that parents lack the objectivity to be effective teachers with
their own children in the water.
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Will my child learn to fear the water?
It is important that the child not fear the water because being
fearful would make it more difficult for the child to learn the
necessary skills. There is an important difference between being
fearful and being apprehensive because you are not yet skilled
in a dangerous environment.
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Are ISR lessons safe?
Yes. ISR has trained more than 160,000 babies and delivered
6 million lessons across the United States. ISR is the only
medically sound program proven to save lives. 787 children
have saved themselves from definite drowning situations. More
than 1,700 have saved themselves from a probable drowning
situation.
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How are the ISR Instructors trained?
ISR Instructors are the most highly trained and qualified instructors
in any swimming program in the country and must undergo strict
re-certification testing annually. Each instructor is academically
trained and tested in areas such as child development and learning
theory, behavioral science, anatomy, physiology and physics as they
relate to infants and young children in the aquatic environment to
provide the safest lesson possible for your child. In addition, each
instructor spends a minimum of 60 hours of hands-on, supervised,
in-water training working with actual students. They are all also
CPR and First Aid Certified.
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Why don't you teach infants under the age of 6 months?
Children under the age of 6 months are not neurologically mature
enough to benefit from ISR instruction.
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Why are Refresher lessons necessary?
After their initial training, it is recommended that each child
participate in Refresher lessons each season. Refresher lessons
are important because children change so much both cognitively
and physically during the first 2-3 years of life. It is important
that their aquatic skills and abilities grow with them.
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How do the babies and children know to hold their breath?
Breath holding skills are taught in the first lesson. We shape breath
control using highly effective positive reinforcement techniques.
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What about floatation devices and life jackets?
Flotation devices give children a false sense of security and hold
them in postures that are not compatible with swimming skills. If a
child learns that he can jump in the water and go into a vertical
posture and he will be able to breathe, he is getting the wrong idea
about that environment. Flotation devices are for children who cannot
swim. Children, who cannot swim, should not be allowed to learn that
it is safe to play in the water while relying on a crutch. Life jackets
must be worn in a boat or around the water when there is the potential
for an accidental submersion. They are not a substitute for the ability
to swim or for adult supervision.
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How do babies know how to respond to a fall-in?
A baby does not need to perceive danger or be afraid to respond
appropriately to being underwater. If a baby has learned to roll
over and float when he needs air, he does not need to perceive danger
in order to respond in this manner. He needs skill, practice and
confidence to calmly deal with the situation.
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Who invented this method and how long has it been practiced?
Dr. Harvey Barnett, who holds a PhD. in Psychological Foundations
from the University of Florida researched and developed this program
over a period of more than 39 years. For more information about
ISR's history, visit our national website at www.infantswim.com.
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Why do you not want your students to eat for at least 2 hours prior to lessons?
The lessons require a lot of physical activity for the students.
We do not want them to eat prior to lessons because we want them
to be as comfortable as possible.
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