Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, at Stay Afloat ISR, we believe that part of survival for a child who can crawl, or walk is swimming. Children learn the swim-float-swim sequence so that they could get themselves to safety. The difference in our program is that they will learn proper breath control, floating and for those walking swimming, for all our students they will learn survival skills and how to be an aquatic problem solver.

ISR claims a retention rate of 94-100% up to one year following lessons. Having said this, children will explore and may pick up bad habits watching other children or with interference like floating in a bathtub or playing on the steps, being placed in the water with floatation devices such as arm floaties or puddle jumpers. As your child goes through lessons, you will begin to understand, through communication with your instructor, what activities may interfere with his/her learned Self-Rescue skills. Contacting and/or returning to your instructor in a timely manner is imperative to maintaining effective habits.

Based on our research, we know that refresher lessons are important because children change so much both cognitively and physically during the first 4-5 years of life. It is important that their water survival skills grow with their bodies. Frequency depends on the child's age, growth rate, skill level and confidence level. The goal of refresher lessons is to help your child adjust to his/her new body size and weight to his/her existing skill level. Your instructor will work with your child to help fine-tune his or her aquatic experience to assist with building efficiency, which will result in self-confidence. This is especially important if your child has not been able to practice any appropriate aquatic skill between seasons.

Because 86% of children, who fall in the water, do so fully clothed, we want our students to have experience with such a situation. If a child has experienced the sensations of being in the water in clothing prior to an emergency situation, they are less likely to experience panic and be able to focus on the task at hand. If you have ever jumped in the water with clothes on, then you know that there is a significant difference in weight and feel with clothes as opposed to a bathing suit.

The reason for this is multifaceted. First, repetition and consistency are crucial elements of learning for young children. Research shows that short, more frequent lessons result in higher retention. Second, most children have fairly short attention spans and will not be able to focus on the task for longer and we want to take advantage of the best time for learning. A third reason is that, though the pool temperature is maintained at 78-88 degrees, the temperature is still lower than your child's body temperature. Lessons are work and therefore they will also be loosing body heat. Instructors check students regularly for temperature fatigue since this is an indicator of physical fatigue.

The 6-8 weeks is an estimate that is based on the average time in which it takes most children to learn these survival skills. Every child is unique and ISR’s SelfRescue program is specifically designed based on your child’s individual strengths and needs. It is important to realize that this is an average which means that some children will actually finish more quickly while others will need more practice. ISR is dedicated to safety and therefore, we want to provide your child with the time and best opportunity to become proficient in his/her survival skills. We will always honor your child’s needs.

YES! ISR is dedicated to safety and maintaining numerous safety protocols to promote safe lessons. Your child's health and well-being are our highest priority and are closely monitored on a daily basis. In addition, your child's medical and developmental history is a mandatory part of the ISR national registration process, all of which is held strictly confidential. All ISR instructors undergo an intensive and rigorous training that far exceeds any other training program of this kind. Each ISR instructor is also required to attend a yearly re-certification symposium that includes quality control as well as continuing education. Your education in the area of aquatic safety for your entire family is an integral part of your child's lessons. You will receive access to the "Parent Resource Guide", written by Dr. Harvey Barnett and JoAnn Barnett, which will inform you of every aspect of swimming for infants and children. With research, you will find that ISR is the safest survival swimming program but also the most effective for teaching infants and young children.

There is an important difference between being fearful and being apprehensive because you are not yet skilled in a new environment. ISR is not like traditional swim lessons; it is a Drowning Prevention Program that teaches Survival Swimming. Sometimes as a parent, you make choices for your child’s safety, like sitting in a car seat, because you know they are safe in their carseat and it's an important part of keeping them protected.

The same can be said for ISR. Once competent in their new survival swim skills, many children cannot be dragged away from the pool. 

They are having entirely too much FUN!

No food or drink for at least 1.5 hours prior to lesson and no dairy or milk products for at least two hours prior to lessons. During the ENTIRE time your child is participating in in ISR lessons please avoid the following foods: No Apples or Apple products, Papaya, Pineapple, Passion Fruit, Peaches, Spinach, Honey, and Celery.

Please refer to chapter two in your Parent Resource Book for more information. 

We offer swimming lessons for children as young as 6 months old, as well as children of all ages. Infants need to have the ability of pulling themselves into a seated position and stay sitting without toppling over for at least one minute without assistance in order to be physically ready to start lessons. 

Their lessons are 1 on 1 with me their instructor and 10 minutes in duration, 5x’s per week, Monday through Friday. 

Yes, I offer a 10% discount for siblings, when scheduled during the same initial skills session.