Jo Drummond

Dear Judy,

My son, Thomas (aka Jonesy), now 3 1/2, has always liked the water. He would jump in unabashedly, knowing that I was there to coddle him, catch him and lift him up when he started to go under. Yet he refused to learn how to swim with me or any other previous coaches. Even his sisters had rescued him from hot tubs he’d fallen into as recently as this past March when I turned away for just a moment. Our 3-week family vacation in Canada, where we would be constantly near water, loomed just 6 weeks away. I knew that I could not risk my little boy’s safety any longer. He has always been stubborn, so I needed someone who could give him some ‘tough love’. Luckily, I found our ‘dream team’ by a coincidental flyer in our mailbox. We met Judy and Carlene 6 weeks ago. They kindly squeezed me in, and we started our first week of private lessons with Infant Aquatics.

I was totally motivated, unlike Jonesy. He seemed to hate the water. Though really, it wasn’t the water he hated, it was the fact that he was no longer allowed to do whatever he wanted to do inside the water. Every lesson was a battle. He would scream and cry, yet he was putting his face in the water and learning to kick and ‘get the wall’. The second week he did not even want to get into the car as he had figured out our swimming schedule. Several times I needed help getting him into the pool area from the parking lot! We still did our lessons. He refused to float on his back, a key element of what he needed to learn – that’s when Judy literally stepped in. She is so committed to each child ‘getting it’. Jonesy finally learned to swim, breathe, and to relax and rest on his back.

At the end of the third week there was no more crying, no more hysterics. After every lesson he would happily exclaim, ‘I’m a GOOD swimmer!’ His confidence was building and his self esteem was incredible. Not only did his swimming improve, but he started talking more clearly; he was more social; he started reading; he even tried some potty training. He was feeling very ‘accomplished’ is how I can explain it. I am amazed that in less than six weeks he is feeling safe in the water which makes me realize how many hours, years and dollars I have really wasted on previous swim lessons for all three of my children.

This week is Jonesy’s last week. He is diving underwater and bringing up rings and floating on his back like an otter. He can swim fully clothed with shoes, he can recover himself onto his back and swim to the side of the pool or steps when pushed backwards underwater or when he slides off a raft into the deep. Basically, he is a really good swimmer, just like he says. I am breathing a heavy sigh of relief that we can go on vacation fully prepared. And Jonesy and my two elder daughters, who have watched him swim these past couple of weeks, are looking forward to coming back and swimming with your staff when we return from holiday. Thank you so much to the wonderful team at Infant Aquatics! Much love,