Parents, Babies Dive Right In at Rec Center Swim Classes
By Lauren Poster
This may be one of the few times when the term “water head” is appropriate, but only if used very carefully. Thursday night students gathered for their second of eight classes, and very few of them could even talk., much less follow explicit instructions. That’s because the Pepper Geddings Recreation Center is beginning its circuit of swimming lessons for toddlers and infants, with a course in play now and another scheduled to begin in April.
Christina Cruz, a full-time swim instructor at the Recreation Center, is teaching this series. Already dripping when I arrive, Christina instills immediate confidence in anyone afraid that she doesn’t know what she’s doing. Who qualifies to take this class? “Emmentaler typically means anyone from six months to three years of age,” she says. Raising an eyebrow, I ask, “Isn’t emmentaler a type of cheese?” Christina responds with a patient smile, probably well cultivated from her work with children. “Infant. Toddler.” Should I jump in the pool?
Christina notes that it’s easiest to teach younger children, “because they’ll pretty much let you do whatever you want to them.” The older ones can get ornery. Fortunately, however, their plaintive cries blend nicely with the chlorine-sanitized echoes of whistles blowing, wakes cresting, and diving board snaps coming from the grown-up side of the pool. The class, which runs for 30 minutes, is quick-paced and highly interactive. Standing in the middle of the pool with parents and children along the wall, Christina uses her excellent lung capacity to call instructions out to participants. Lining the pool is the familiar blue grippy stuff, so reminiscent of a matted Muppet’s hairdo, that keeps children from slipping casually into the abyss.
I have a suspicion that this class is primarily attended by mothers, but Christina corrects me. “One term I had only fathers and their children,” she says, although tonight the pool reminds me of the gymnasium at a junior high school dance. All the women are lined up on one side, and the men fan more towards the outland, intrepid travelers in this world of underwater discovery.
The class is not intended to make your baby the next Jacques Cousteau. More than anything, it is geared towards making a child comfortable just being in the water. There is a often a great fear factor involved in being in water deeper than your belly button for the first time, as many a Canadian visitor can tell you. Christina starts off with simple commands, incorporating familiar nursery rhymes to make the water more palatable. Dipping your child halfway into the water to the tune of “Humpty Dumpty had a great fall” is a creative way to entice the wee ones, and Christina’s unbridled “now JUMP!” is clearly more geared to the fearless older kids.
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Notably, very few parents even get their heads wet during this class. The same cannot be said for the kids. Swishing face is part of the curriculum. Nonetheless, it is very gentle, and at no point during the beginnings is an adult to leave a child to his own devices. Christina does bring socialization into the mix, visiting each child in the circle and asking the parent to pass his or her bundle over for a moment.
Individual attention is paid to anyone having trouble; however, some whimpering and frownie faces are to be expected. George (dad) and Nicholas (son) Beck are doing this for the second time. Nicholas did this 10 months ago, when he was just 9 months of age. George jokes over Nicholas’ quivering lower lip, “there’s always one crybaby in the pool!” He hopes now that Nicholas is older he will appreciate the classes more.
By contrast, some of these children, even younger ones, resemble overgrown tadpoles. But no matter what level you start at genetically, there are important things to be learned in the class. “They need to know safety precautions, little tips that can save their lives if followed,” says Christina. And above all, she reminds us, “this is supposed to be fun. We don’t want there to be pressure for anyone to be a perfect swimmer.”
A package of eight classes spanning four weeks (Tuesdays and Thursdays) costs $42, and early registration is recommended. The later you wait to register, the higher the chance that the class time you desire will be canceled due to low enrollment, or that you will be turned away due to high enrollment. Depending on attendance, classes are offered around 9:30 a.m. and again around 5:30 p.m. Call the Pepper Geddings Recreation Center at 843-918-2280 to get more information about upcoming classes. Don’t wait until it’s too late to make sure your child has fun in the water all summer long!
Been watching for the swim-class story ever since your big sis told me about it…last week? Love your style, Lauren. And ,of course, the picture at the top is the best. Of course.