At this time last year, Julian was afraid to get into the bathtub, scared to sit in just an inch of water. Now the five year old looks forward to his weekly swim lessons.
From an early age, Julian has feared water. He was so scared of water that he would not walk on a pool deck, because even being close to water was too scary for him. Julian’s parents tried to encourage him around water, but even a simple bath would cause him to panic. That’s when they enrolled him in private swim lessons at the Hale Family YMCA.
Julian arrived at his first lesson and met his instructor, Bailee, who was ready to challenge him in a gentle way to overcome his fear of water. For the whole first 30-minute lesson, Julian and Bailee sat at the top of the pool ramp. Bailee did not pressure Julian to go further than he wanted to, she let him explore the water around him at his own pace. Eventually, he made it down the ramp and into the pool, trusting Bailee along the way.
Julian has made amazing progress over the past nine months of lessons. He submerges himself underwater, floats on his back, and is starting to learn swim strokes. One of Julian’s biggest improvements is his confidence. “Water safety is important because not only does it prevent injuries and drowning but it also empowers individuals and allows them to find confidence” said Bailee, Swim Instructor at the Hale Family YMCA. “Julian is a perfect example of this because he was initially fearful of the water. Patience and purposeful play have enabled him to thrive in swim lessons while simultaneously recognizing how to navigate a body of water safely.”
May is National Water Safety Month, and aquatics teams around the country take this time to encourage anyone to gain life-saving water safety skills through the help of swim lessons. Drowning is the second leading cause of death for children ages 1-4 in the United States. For all ages, it is the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury death. But drowning is preventable. Research has shown that participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning among children ages 1 to 4 years by up to 88 percent.
“Living in a coastal community with young children, I knew how important it was for my kids to learn water safety skills,” said Julian’s mom. “Knowing Julian is now comfortable in the water and is learning these life-saving skills gives me peace of mind. He’s learning how to come into the water when invited, how to pull himself out, how to float. I am so thankful to Bailee and the whole team who has helped Julian.”
We are proud of Julian’s progress and look forward to watching him become a confident swimmer for life.
