Miami is famous for the white sandy beaches and many homes have a swimming pool. It’s so HOT here in the summertime that pretty much the only way to survive is by either staying inside in the air conditioning or finding your way to the beach or a cool swimming pool.
Which is why swimming lessons should be a big part of your family’s summer schedule.
Water Safety
Water safety is a big reason that moms choose to put their kids in swimming lessons.
Believe it or not, drowning is still the number one unintentional cause of death in children between the ages of 1-4 and second leading cause of death in children 5-14. This is according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
In addition to water safety, being able to swim has really made an impact on how much fun my kids and my family have every summer . I hope that it’s something many families get to enjoy.
I’m 45 now and swimming is a hobby of mine that lets me do something I really love: triathlons.
Swimming Lessons
I will admit that swimming lessons in Miami can be a hassle. A lot of pools are outdoors and summer lessons are frequently cancelled by late afternoon thunderstorms. Classes fill quickly and seem to always be at nap time. Shuttling kids back and forth to the swimming pools for lessons is not always easy but I think it is worth it to have children who are strong swimmers.
Swimming lessons can be expensive. But it’s well worth it when you go to a birthday pool party and you are not overly anxious because you are confident that your kids can swim. Children should always be supervised in a pool, especially at a party. But there is comfort when kids are able to swim.
Fun in the water
When my kids were small swimming lessons were a non-negotiable in my house. It wasn’t always a popular thing. My kids may never say thank you for pushing them to swimming lessons. Still, I think that they reap the benefits all the time. Miami is surrounded by water. We love to spend time at beaches and with friends on their boats.
A few years ago we took a family vacation to the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. We did several days of snorkeling in different locations. Because my kids were strong swimmers they were able to go farther than any others in our group. My daughter remembers that she snorkeled longer and farther than her father. My son remembers that he got to swim into a cave with a guide to see a group of baby reef sharks.
We are also lucky enough to have enjoyed several family trips to Mexico. My family loves to visit Cenotes. Cenotes are underground freshwater rivers and lakes. At one Cenote I watched my kids jump over and over from a high platform squealing with delight as they plunged into the cool water and happily swam to the edge. I won’t say that it didn’t make me nervous to watch them jump, but I was confident that they were strong swimmers.
Miami is a city surrounded by beautiful beaches where many homes have residential pools and condos and hotels have gorgeous pools. It seems like almost every playdate and birthday party involves a swimming pool.
How to find swimming lessons
There are many options to find swimming lessons in Miami. Everything from private lessons at your home to group lessons at a dedicated facility like Ocaquatics and group lessons through the American Red Cross at City Pools. You can find many of these resources through the Miami-Dade Parks Department. You can also check out the Miami Moms Blog Guide to Swim Schools for a thorough list of organizations that provide lessons for you or your child.
Swimming lessons are a gift that gives a lifetime of skill to enjoy this part of our paradise.
