Welcome to your ISR Session at Crestwood Rec and Wellness Center- 5331 W 135th St

Miss Nikki:773-550-4006

What to have packed in your bags DAILY:

• Non-potty trained children: Swim Diapers-- 1 Happy Nappy and 1 inside swim diaper-- disposable or reusable

• Bathing Suit— I may ask you to remove swim shirts when teaching floating components to babies. Feel free to just have them work in their swim diapers if you feet comfortable for the entirety of the session.

• 3 towels (4 if you have 2 children, etc)

• after swim snack- optional 

Remember to refrain from eating two hours before lessons.  Try to avoid a meal heavy in fruit (especially strawberries, apples and bananas) prior to the lesson.  They create a ton of gas in the tummies and will distend your child’s tummy, making it difficult to effectively hold their breath.

If you are running late, please text me.  I can only guarantee you your lesson time but I can try to take the next family early if possible.

Day 1 usually has a shorter period in water due to conversations and logistics. 

DAILY ROUTINE:

1) The pool can be entered through the locker rooms in the rear, right corner of the gym. 

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHOULD YOU LET YOUR CHILD PLAY IN THE POOL WHEN IT IS NOT THEIR TURN.  

2) FOR THE FIRST WEEK OR SO--Get ready in the locker rooms and come out ready 2-3 minutes before your lesson time.  The first week (and second week for some) are filled with a lot of emotions.  I would prefer if your child doesn't have a front row seat to the child before them crying-- it truly becomes "contagious".  Once the students start to gain their skills they calm down.  When that happens, you are welcome to hang out on the pool deck earlier/after to cheer on the other kids.  IT IS EXTREMELY LIKELY YOUR CHILD WILL CRY AT THE BEGINNING-- They are being handed to a stranger and asked to do work in the pool.  It does not bother me, bc I know it gets better once they understand what I am asking of them.  I typically see 2-3 year olds cry for 1-2 weeks then all of a sudden they like it. And there is very rarely an in-between—you will be amazed when the light switch goes from “what is this” to “again”.

3) Take a seat on the pool deck and I will call you over when its your turn.

4) We will quickly go over the daily health review known as BUDS.  Please lay down 2 of your towels on top of the yoga mat provided.  Keep the 3rd (and possibly 4th) towel for after the lesson.  Please tell your child how excited you are to see them and they will do so good.  Give them a good squeeze and words of encouragement —Then immediately hand me your child.  The time is moving and it only takes time away if a child is running about.  

5) Please sit on the chairs provided during the lesson.  Given the pool design, if you sit on the edge of the pool, the children tend to just look at the parent instead of me.  Occasionally I ask a parent to watch from the Instructors Room if their child is only focused on the parent.  This usually only lasts a day or two worth of lessons. 

6) For the first three-ish weeks, I am trying to accomplish one thing in the water everyday, and build on that skill.  I will end each lesson on the best approximation of the daily target behavior.  Occasionally, a lesson may be short.   That is totally ok. I want the child to recognize that what they did was amazing. 

7)  Set your child up for success.  This is probably your child’s first experience with going under water. Avoid giving advice while the child is in lessons, more often than not, its the wrong advice.  I will give you tips and tricks to work on at home as the lessons move forward.  Keep all your words and phrases POSITIVE.  (I will have a parent dry their child off and say "That was scary, but you did so good".  Please skip the "scary" and say something like "That was hard work and you did amazing!" .  The children of parents who keep the mood exciting and positive progress so much faster. 

8) I reinforce target behaviors by PICKING UP the child and letting them rest.  When I pick them up it means they did something good! If you hear me cheer them on, join in!

9) LEFT SIDED RECOVERY-- I will hand your child out to lay down on their left side atop the two towels previously laid when their lesson is over.  At this point, cover them up with the extra towel and let them lay there.  You can get down next to them and hold them still at first to set the routine.  This is extremely important the younger the child is.  After they rest, and expel any burps, slowly tilt them to a sitting position and have them get up from there.

10) Please do not change poopy diapers on the deck.

PARENT LESSONS-- If your child is learning a swim component (not just floating), I will ask you to join in after the first week for one day.  I will let you know in advance when that day would be for your child.  A Parent Lesson usually does wonders for the child's confidence and we start rolling from there.  We will also have a parent lessons at the end of your session, babies included. 

OUR SENIOR FRIENDS-- There will be a lot of older people utilizing the pool with us.  Most of them are regulars and have grown to LOVE watching the children progress.  They will talk your ear off.  But occasionally a grumpy one falls through the cracks.  If anyone ever gives you a problem, please let me know. 

I am truly looking forward to seeing your child progress through these lessons and become the absolute  smartest, tiny, aquatic problem solver there are for their age.