Being the great water sports people that we are, we decided to make sure that Pyper learnt to swim and could “hold her own” in the water so to speak!!!
Therefore we enrolled her in swimming, this became something very important especially when in NZ and Australia lots of children die as a result of being around water no matter in what capacity. Also little ones love water, so as a precursor to taking to taking her to the pools she learnt two valuable lessons which where – Dad is going to get me completely wet and it’s a matter of time until I go to learn properly since Dad taught himself to swim and not very well, so don’t learn from him. ... read more >>

Fred started swimming lessons last week so everyday from 5:30-6 we can be found lounging out by the city’s public pool. When we first started kicking over the idea of Fred learning to swim a couple of things immediately came to mind. 1) We are talking about my son so do we really want him to learn how to swim when walking down the hall without tripping over his own feet is still a problem? I mean I’m 32 and I still fall all the time. 2) Our idea of swimming lessons involves people in red one-piece bathing suits ala Baywatch with whistles around their necks which they use to keep in the kids in order. ... read more >>

I have been a little bit worried after being told by my wife that we need to make sure that we are doing all we can with Pyper, and so sometimes as a male I forget things to do with her, or activities that I plan get pushed to the back burner because of weather or a change in events etc. Now this might look like for example taking pyper to the indoor pools and taking her swimming, or playing with her inside or giving her pegs to put in the box, no matter what we think everyday is a new adventure and they love everything. My problem is letting her do anything, and by this basically I will let her try most things once, except playing with a python, knives, grenades, or other such death defying instruments. ... read more >>

Annalee went to one of the freshwater pools in Austin today -- twice, once with Mommy and once with Daddy. We've got our angel in swim lessons on Thursday evenings, and it's our belief that being in water more often can't hurt. As for the separate trips to the pool on a Friday, Daddy and Annalee went during Mom's work day, and it turned out that, great as that was (and it was), Mom's absence had been keenly felt. Annalee is feeling more comfortable in the water, as exhibited by reaching down into water as deep as she is to get my watch off the bottom twice today. It's how I was taught to swim, more or less, and it pairs the fascination with bright shiny objects with our instinctive ability to hold our breath and draw ourselves forward. I'm trying to be patient with the swim instruction in the class, though it appears to me that they're on a pace for the kids to be safe and secure on their own in the water ten to twelve years from now. ... read more >>

Sitting there on the beach watching Clara play chicken with the crashing waves and Kate pat down small mounds of wet sand, I can see the grandmas coming from far down the beach with their bright white smiles brighter due to their overtan faces - and I know what's coming, because it happens almost every time. Kate will look up from her sand creations, give a short wave, and say "hi!" The grandma, who may have been considering walking on by with only a smile, will have to stop now and tell the girls just how wonderfully precious they are. Clara will skip circles around the lady and say "hi" every time her foot hits the ground. Next come the stories of how long ago their kids were sitting on this same beach playing in the same way twenty or thirty years ago. They'll ask the girls their names and how old they are. Clara will pronounce "three" as if it started with an "f" and Kate will say "two" but hold up five fingers. The grandmas will beam at them. They will tell me where their kids are now and what they are doing and when their own grandchildren will be coming down to visit. They don't ask a lot of questions, and that's OK. They're only half present, taking a trip down memory lane. And then they begrudgingly pull themselves away and continue down the beach, looking back often. Then another one comes... ... read more >>

Why is active movement in water important for children?
Active movement stimulates the senses and helps develop a life-long interest in being physically active.

Active movement in water helps develop readiness for children to learn to swim. Water plays a big part in our lifestyle in New Zealand so learning to swim is really important.

Active movement in water also helps us to teach children safety around water.

How does water make a difference that helps in development?
Water provides a multi-sensory experience – it’s wet, smooth, silent. The sensation of water pressure and buoyancy is different from the air – so it’s a different experience. Different experiences ensure maximum stimulation of the brain which enhances the growth of mind, body and soul. ... read more >>

I have a memory. I couldn't have been more than three or four years old. For two weeks every summer, my father would rent a cabin on a lake that was at once inviting and frightening because, though beautiful, it was inhabited by crayfish. The only person who could convince me to go into the water was my father-and even then, only riding on his shoulders. I thought him all the braver because my mother was terrified. Not of the crayfish, but because my father didn't know how to swim. He would always take me across to an island that was perhaps 100 or 150 steps off shore-"out to sea," as my mother would say. In some places, the water would come up to just below his nose. My mother would yell, "Are you crazy, Lucien?" Thus, my father's silent affection for me went right up to his nose: if he opened his mouth, he was dead-and so was I! Under the circumstances, I was lucky my father didn't talk much. ... read more >>