Q&A with Local Swim School Goldfish Swim of Livingston
We are proud to work with Goldfish Swim School in Livingston, NJ! We spent some time speaking with Christina Hernandez, Assistant Director, about water safety. Together, we hope to continue to spread the word and educate families as they enjoy some fun in the sun!
1.
Can we start by you telling me a little more about your school?
Our founder, Jenny McCuiston saw the need for quality swim instruction while working at a local swim school. After researching and working with her husband Chris, they opened the first Goldfish Swim School in Birmingham, Michigan on March 20, 2006. Currently, there are over 80 schools opened, in the US and Canada. We are teaching over 100,000 students per week! Goldfish Swim School in Livingston opened November 2017. We offer 30-minute Perpetual group lessons from 4 months to 12 years of age. We also offer casual lessons (one-time lesson) and semi-private/private lessons.
2.
What are some simple steps parents should follow when around water with their children?
I would tell parent to follow the W.A.T.E.R. acronym we base our water safety presentations on.
Wear your life jacket. If you swimmer does not know how to swim, they should wear a U.S. Coastguard approved life jacket.
Act: throw, don’t go. If you see someone in trouble, throw a safety tube or a life preserver to the person to grab on to.
Take swim lessons to become a safer swimmer.
Educate: learn swim safety skills to help you prepare for unexpected happens to you in the water.
Respect: Play it cool and follow the rules. Pay attention to the rules posted at your local pool and always listen to the lifeguards.
3.
What are some tips parents can follow at home to support learning to swim?
You can practice swim skills during bath time! Here are some techniques you can practice with your swimmer during their bath: wearing goggles, underwater conditioning, blowing bubbles, kicking and pulling arms, as well as sea otter float (back float). We always stress the importance of practicing what you learn during swim lessons and for the parent to cultivate a love/respect for water.
4.
When do you recommend enrolling children in swim classes?
I recommend enrolling children as soon as they can hold their head up (we start at 4 months). We are so excited to report that in March 2019, the American Academy of Pediatrics
announced that it has published updated recommendations on water safety to prevent drowning in children. Drowning remains the #1 cause of injury-related death among ages 1 to 4. We are currently working with local pediatricians to spread the word to their patients the importance of water safety and swim lessons.
5.
What are some of the highlights of your programs?
I would have to start with our confidence-building curriculum. Our goal is to have your swimmer not only become comfortable in the water, but also to build their confidence while in the water.
Our instructors go through an intensive 40-hour training program and they are a J. Ellis certified lifeguard. At Goldfish Swim School, we are all about giving feedback to our parents about their progression from weekly feedback after their lesson to quarterly progress reports.
Another highlight of our program is our ongoing enrollment. We want to get swimmers in the pool to learn how to swim right away and not wait for the next session to begin.
Lastly, being able to make up a missed lesson. We do not want your swimmer to miss out on their lesson. Our Front Desk can assist our families to reschedule those lessons.
