Mermaid Rule in the Pool! (And 3 easy swim sayings to help you!)
Mermaid Secret #5
3 Must-Know Mermaid Swim Sayings
Inside this blog:
1) 3 simple phrases to re-shape how your child thinks about the water.
2) What to say to your child, and what NOT to say!
3) #1 Mermaid Rule in the Pool.
Want an extra POP? Get A MERMAID’S GUIDE (The book) to augment these blogs! Reading the blogs is like watching Avatar in 2D. But having 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 of what these blogs are talking about.)
BEFORE we talk about the three Mermaid Swim Sayings, let’s talk about the #1 Mermaid RULE IN THE POOL:
ALWAYS SWIM WITH A GROWN-UP, NEVER SWIM ALONE.
WHAT TO SAY: “You always swim with a grown-up. NEVER swim alone. ALWAYS swim WITH a grown-up.” Say this firmly, in the same way you tell the not to cross the street without holding your hand.
What NOT to say: “If you go into the water you’ll die.” (Although this is true if they don’t know how to swim, it’s NOT true if they DO know how to swim. And if you tell your child they will die, when it comes to teaching them to swim, they will have extreme anxiety. Instead, teach your child to have a healthy respect for the water and understand they NEVER swim alone. You CAN tell them, “You can’t breathe underwater. And you need air! So you have to learn how to swim.” instead.)
NOW onto the Mermaid Swim Sayings:
1) THE WATER HOLDS YOU UP.
2) KICKIES MAKE YOU MOVE.
3) WHEN YOU NEED A BREATH, YOU LOOK UP TO THE SKY AND PUSH THE WATER DOWN.
1) THE WATER HOLDS YOU UP
WHAT TO SAY: “If you swim with a grown-up, and if you take a big breath and fill up your lungs with air…the water will hold you up! You float!” For more information, read BLOG #1, #2 AND #3.
For those of you who have read all the previous blogs….you remember that your body is like a condom. Blow it up really big and ANYONE, ANY SIZE, can fit into it. No, wait. This is the wrong lesson. Your body is like a BALLOON (NOT a condom, ugh, thank goodness.). You need to fill it up with air and let the water float you. If you blow out all your air through your mouth, you’ll sink.
WHAT NOT TO SAY: “Blow bubbles and kick, kick, kick!”
Read Chapter 6 of A MERMAID’S GUIDE for 10+ easy exercises to do with your child to help them gain a trust-based relationship with the water.
2) KICKS MAKE YOU MOVE
WHAT TO SAY: “If you take a deep breath and float, use your kicks and arms to make you MOVE. Look where you’re going and PUSH the water out of your way.”
WHAT NOT TO SAY: “Blow bubbles and kick, kick, kick!” (Are you noticing a theme?) Children often think they need to KICK to stay FLOATING. (Some adults also have this problem!) If your child thinks their kicks are holding them up, they will NEVER be a strong, confident swimmer because they will get tired and be constantly afraid of SINKING. If your child understands that the water holds them up, and kicks make them MOVE, they will have a much easier time learning to swim!
Read Chapter 7 of A MERMAID’S GUIDE for 10+ simple exercises to help your child not only swim, but swim with INTENTION. (So move from point A to B, turn in the water, and get to safety with ease.)
3) WHEN YOU NEED A BREATH, YOU LOOK UP TO THE SKY AND PUSH THE WATER DOWN
I can’t fit all the information about how to teach your child how to do this, but read Chapter 8 of A MERMAID’S GUIDE. Watch a video of 19-month-old EVIE swimming with breaths across the pool HERE.
The End.
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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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