ISR Swim Lessons with `Kristen Harris` | Infant Swimming Resource

Your ISR Instructor in Central New Jersey

I have been and ISR instructor for over 10 years. As a child, I was always around a body of water, so naturally my mother signed me up for a swim team. My swimming career began at the age of four and continued through college. I attended the University of Florida where I was an NCAA qualifier and a 2004 Olympic Trail qualifier. While at Florida, I received a Master's Degree in Special Education. I am also certified in CPR and First Aid.

I was first introduced to ISR when my niece went through the program, and I was amazed at how she preformed her ISR Self-Rescue^TM skills at the end of six weeks. I became inspired to teach other children this life saving skill. Since many people have a pool in their backyard or frequent a local pool, I believe that the skills a child learns from this program will give parents peace of mind.

FAQs

Why do you have the children swim in clothes?

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, he/she is 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.

Why don’t parents participate in the water during the lessons?

We do not want the baby to initially associate the water with the love, attention, and affection of the parent while in the water. Also, it takes incredible concentration and objectivity to teach the baby how to respond to an aquatic emergency and our experience shows that parents often find it too difficult to be objective to be effective teachers with their own children in the water. We gladly invite parents to join us in the pool once their child has independent skills to practice at home.

How can you teach babies and young children to swim?

ISR instructors teach infants to swim by honoring each child's individual strengths and experiences. They understand the fundamentals of the behavioral sciences, child development and of sensori-motor learning as it relates to the acquisition of aquatic survival skills; they use this education to guide each child through the sequence of learning to swim and float.

Is it the baby fat that makes them float?

Actually, the primary factor in a baby’s ability to float is the ability to take air into the lungs. To maintain this access to air, the child must adjust his/her posture. The difference in positioning for an adult can be inches. For a baby, this adjustment is reduced to centimeters. If a child’s body posture is just a few centimeters off, it can make the difference between the face being submerged or the child having access to air.

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