#1 Essential Bath Tub Exercise

MERMAID SECRET #3

The #1 ESSENTIAL BATH TUB EXERCISE  

Drowning is the number 1 cause of accidental death for kids ages 1-4, even over car accidents and 1 in 10 drownings occur in the bathtub.

Inside this Blog:

• The most important skill to teach your child in the tub that could save their life AND save you 100’s of dollars on swim lessons.

• 3 bathtub exercises to practice with your little one, starting TODAY!

 Want an extra POP? Get A MERMAID’S GUIDE (The book) to augment these blogs! Reading the blogs is like watching Avatar in 2D. Reading these blogs with A MERMAID’S GUIDE by your side is like watching avatar in 3D. So snag a copy of A MERMAID’S GUIDE and experience what it REALLY feels like to be a blue alien. Or, wait. No. But you WILL get an even better picture about what these blogs are talking about.)

The most important skill to teach your child in the bathtub is proper BREATH CONTROL.

Wait a minute! We talked about breath control in Blog #1 AND #2. YES, that’s true. If you missed them Click HERE. But don’t stop reading! BECAUSE this situation is different. This time we are naked. In the tub. With flowers. Wait. No, no flowers. And, most likely, only your child is nude. You are probably kneeling, fully clothed (albeit partially wet due to unsanctioned splashing) near the tub.

Here’s what you need to know:

·       Your child needs to start learning breath control.

·       Learning how to hold their breath is the first step to your child learning how to swim.

·       Learning how to hold their breath could save their life.

Here are 3 easy exercises to work on with your little one in the tub.

1. PUFFERFISH

   (If you’ve read the first two blogs, ADVANCE TO GO and collect 200 dollars. NOTE: like Monopoly, you’ll be awarding this to yourself with 4 fake blue 50 dollar bills taken from the mini cash-registrar strewn on the rug.)

   Instead of teaching our children to blow bubbles under the water, we should be teaching them how to hold their breath. A good way to introduce this concept is to say, “Before we go under the water we take a big breath like this.” (And then take a big breath and puff out your cheeks!) You can do this anywhere! The car, the living room. Pufferfish all around. 1,2,3…PUFFERFISH!

   If your child is getting water up their nose, have them HUMMMMM.

2. WATER POUR

   What’s with these little hats that protect your child from every having to deal with water on their faces? Water is part of life. If you don’t teach your child how to navigate it, the results can be deadly. Start early and keep your child educated about what water over their face feels like! For young children (3mths+) start with just a Tablespoon of water and say, “We are going to pour water over your face on the count of three. 1,2,3…” and then pour! Teach your child how to hold their breath and become comfortable with the water going in their eyes and out of their eyes!**

   If your child says water is in their yes, simply agree! “Yes, water goes in your eyes…and then goes out of your eyes.” (Thank you, Ian Nelms, for that helpful phrase!)

3. BREATH UP, PUFFERFISH. BREATH UP, HUMMMM. BREATH UP, BUBBLES DOWN.

   The point of this exercise is NOT to teach your child to blow bubbles under the water very time they submerge. The point is to teach them about how THEY control their breath.

   1. Have your child take a deep breath and PUFFERFISH.

   2. Have your child take a deep breath and then HUMMMMMMM.

   3. Have your child take a deep breath and blow BUBBLES.

   4. Have your child take a deep breath and HUMMMMM, again.

Again, the point of blowing bubbles is NOT so they blow bubbles every time they go under the water. For more information read page 53 of A Mermaid’s Guide.

Was this helpful? Get 4 MORE exercises to do with your little one in the tub! Click HERE.

** Don’t pour water over your child’s face when they have shampoo in their hair! The shampoo will get in their eyes and sting! Do the “breath holding” exercises BEFORE you get any soap in the water.

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Thanks to everyone who came to the Barnes & Noble book discussion and book signing at the Grove! If you missed it, never fear! There are signed HARD COVER books waiting for you at the store! Or you can buy the book on Amazon.com.

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Stay tuned for the next blog to answer more questions, give simple tips, and bust old, outdated myths.

(Sent with love, and an occasional free typo, every SUNDAY.)

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