I have been differentiating students in mainstream group swim and aquatic fitness classes and offering private and semi private swim lessons tailored to students with all kinds of support needs since 2017, when I started my Swim Instructor Journey by teaching my own two kids to swim. I had tried and failed to find an instructor who understood their learning needs, and that prompted my commitment to creating access to water safety and independence for other families like mine.

After many years of following my instincts and experience, I am also now a certified Swim Whisperer through Swim Angelfish. In addition to the training they offer for professionals, they have some free resources for parents and caregivers! Here is one on blowing bubbles and one on reinforcing muscle memory between lessons.

Happy swimming!

NEW! Find out how to register for my upcoming Adapted Aquatics Classes here!

For your convenience, here is a copy of the cancellation policy you agreed to when you submitted your private lesson request form:

“General cancellations require a minimum of 48 hour notice. Cancellations due to illness require a minimum of 6 hour notice. During inclement weather, if the RECenter is open, but you are unable to attend your lesson, a minimum of 4 hour notice is required. Customer will be charged the full lesson rate in the event of a no call no show.” (Original is here.)

I know that sometimes things come up! Whenever possible I am flexible with accepting cancellations without charge. However, it can be difficult or impossible for me to rearrange my schedule to close gaps on short notice, so I appreciate everyone being proactive about canceling when they have a conflict.

The long version is that I base the available lesson times (and whether I’m accepting new students) on what I know about who wants lessons when. So if you have a change in your needs (wanting to fit in more lessons before you relocate or the start of swim season or camp, want to switch from half hour to one hour, etc) please let me know! As long as pool space and my group class schedule allow, I’m happy to be flexible.

Out of pure frustration, we put swim lessons on hold for a while. Once I became a swim instructor myself, that same kid learned to swim in a single summer. What I am telling you, in a fairly roundabout and long winded way, is that the only short answer to this question is “it depends!”

As far as a general rule of thumb, the younger the child, the longer it will take. As we get older and gain more experience being taught things formally, rather than learning them through play and experimentation, we get better and better at it.

Another factor is interest. This is why I try hard to make all the activities fun! A kid who is excited to come to their lesson is always going to learn more than one who wants to stay home.

Some kids also have a strong motivation- either they want to be allowed to swim in the deep end and try the diving board, with the big kids (you have to swim all the way across the pool with no help!) or they want to join swim team (you need to be able to swim on your front and back!) or they just think flip turns look fun.

Another factor is neurotype! Kids who are neuroatypical may not thrive with a typical swim class progression. They may need to be taught in a different order, or with different goals in mind. (Private lessons are perfect for kids who are neurodivergent! We do not have to try and keep their skills consistent with the other kids in class, and are free to teach them based on their own strengths.)

Last, but not least, is how often your kid gets to go swimming outside of swim class! The more times per week a kid is in the water, the faster they will develop the coordination and skill needed to meet their swim goals.

If you have specific questions about what a reasonable timeline is for your child, please reach out! I’d be happy to discuss where they excel, and how to offer them more opportunities to practice where they need it.

I can, however, tell you with 100% certainty that you will build muscle mass, increase flexibility, improve your range of motion, feel stronger, and probably improve things like your blood pressure, your A1C, and your cholesterol levels with regular aquatic exercise. Those things reduce your risk factors for osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, and other illnesses. So while I can’t tell you for sure whether you’ll change your pants size, I can tell you that you will definitely be stronger and healthier.

With low injury rates and high levels of fun and enjoyment, you’ll benefit from improved health at every size as a regular participant in aquatic exercise- and that is something to celebrate!

You can purchase the entire goggle or add a Frogglez strap to any goggle that has a loop on each side. (Types that hold the strap on with a peg that goes through a hole in the strap cannot take a Frogglez strap.)

these are affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you use them to make a purchase.

I have also extensively tested this style as “loaner” goggles. They are inexpensive, easy to adjust, and comfortable for a range of face sizes and shapes. They also seem to be pretty durable, and the straps are not horribly slippery. (Some styles are prone to sliding down the back of the head, which causes leakage.)

The question of whether to get the kind that cover the eyes only or the kind that cover the nose is one of the child’s comfort. In fact, some kids with sensory issues tolerate goggles poorly altogether. A goggle lens that is too small will cause discomfort, one that doesn’t seal well will leak, and some kids feel smothered with a nose covering while others find it more comfortable than risking water up the nose. Individual preference is the best guide! Please let me know if you’d like me to bring a selection of goggles to a lesson for your kid to explore before you make a purchase.

There are three ways. The first one is that it’s printed on your lesson slips! Your name is not, unfortunately, so once I have more than one slip in my baggie, I have no idea which one is yours, but it *is* printed on there for your reference when they hand it to you. 

The second way is to ask the front desk! They’ll be happy to tell you and also to help you add more lessons if you want them. You don’t have to file a new form, just ask to add more lessons onto your account.

The third and possibly most convenient way is to log into Parktakes and check your account. My boss says that you can access this information at any time by logging in at https://fairfax.usedirect.com/FairfaxFCPAWeb/ACTIVITIES/Search.aspx 

The login link is on the top right on the desktop version.
Hope this helps!