When I think of summer, I think of hot pavement, sticky popsicles, the smell of grilling out, staying up late with the sun and swimming all day. I grew up either in the pool or on the lake all summer long, so pruney fingers and tanned shoulders have always been a big part of my association with summertime. We recently moved into a house with a pool, which has our entire family thrilled for the hot months ahead.
What I did not realize before I had small children is that drowning is the number one cause of injury death for kiddos 1 to 4 years of age, according to the Center for Disease Control. Having a 1-, 3- and 5-year-old, I’ll be honest, that worries me. Aside from putting in a reliable pool fence, we decided that all of our girls needed to be taught water safety and strong swimming skills.
We decided to enroll our 3-year-old, Vivian, in Oklahoma Swim Academy. My girls have all taken swim lessons previously, so I figured I knew what to expect.
Oklahoma Swim Academy exceeded my expectations! The entire facility is clean and organized. It has a child-friendly feel, while still remaining sleek and business-like. There are rooms for changing, large bathrooms and even a whole area dedicated for the smaller kiddos with changing tables. All of us parents of littles don’t have to break our backs trying to bend over and wrestle wet swimsuits off of feral toddlers. It’s these small details that make a grand difference.
OAS runs on time. Your child gets one-on-one instruction for 15 minutes and then the lesson is over. They open the doors to change out groups of kiddos every 15 minutes on the dot. I love the organization and how my daughter and I always know exactly what to expect, what to do and where to be.
The lesson itself is quick, effective and they do a great job of making it fun. Vivian went through a few lessons where she would cry when it was time to go in. At first, I would panic, but our amazing instructor, Miss Leann, would remain patient, kind and non-judgemental until eventually Vivian relaxed. Miss Leann was adamant about making sure Vivian not only achieved her skills but mastered them before passing her on. I feel confident that Vivian will be able to swim safely and strongly by the time she fully graduates the program.
We absolutely love the friendly faces, professionalism, prompt communication and clean environment of Oklahoma Swim Academy. As a parent, the value of their thorough teaching and mastery of water skills and safety is invaluable. I highly recommend Oklahoma Swim Academy to everyone with kiddos. We are looking forward to a fun, SAFE summer in the pool!
Madi Pontikes is an early childhood educator, personal trainer and the creator and owner of Move by Madi. She creates workouts that fit into the modern mom’s daily routine, sheds light on the real aspects of healthy living and parenting and is passionate about promoting a mindset of loving your body for what it CAN do. Connect with Madi on Instagram @movebymadi or movebymadi.com.