Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Infant Swimming Resource


We recently enrolled Maddox in Infant Swimming Resource which is a water survival course. The goal of this course is for Maddox to be able to turn onto his back and float if he ever falls into water. When he is on his back he can relax, breathe, and cry for help.

Our instructor thinks that Maddox is doing such a great job that he can learn to do the swim-float-swim sequence. If he falls into water he will be able to float on his back, then roll face-down to swim, looking for an exit or the wall, and then roll to his back whenever he needs to breathe. Right now, he is learning to look under water to find the wall from any orientation in the water, and pull himself up.

Maddox is halfway through his second week of lessons (it will take about six weeks to learn the swim-float-swim sequence). At the end of the six weeks, he will have a test in which he has to perform his sequence fully clothed with a regular absorbent diaper and shoes. Here are some short videos of his lesson this morning. Please remember that this is an aquatic survival class, not a swimming class, per se. Even though Maddox cries sometimes, he has to learn how to do it himself. After all, if he falls into water, you can bet he will be crying!





2 comments:

grandma said...

I am testing this.... It didn't take my password, so I had to signed up again!

Ok, it looks like it works now. I was saying that I am so happy that you are keeping this blog... I feel like I am right there with him! It break my heart to see him crying like that... grandma had also tears in her eyes... I can imagine how momma was!! It will be neat to see him when he completes the test! That is incredible.... Love you all..

Marmie said...

This sure is hard to watch. But- he is a little fish and loves the water so there is a certain comfort in knowing that when he successfully finishes this course- he'll have the knowledge and skills to survive should he fall in a pool. Scary.

I can hardly wait to see the video demonstrating his competence at the end of the course.