If you have a local municipal or private pool near you, you'll find that your children will learn to swim very quickly. Most don't allow floatation devices so it's a bit of sink or swim. Many offer swim lessons cheaply. It's in their own best interest!
I take offense to the above comment, I am the Recreation Director for our Town, and with that position am the person responsible for our town pool, and programs that come with it.
now for a bit of information for all of you...
1st off- I didnt see Red Cross lessons mentioned here, but as an FYI....these lessons cost the "authorized providor"...in this case, the Town- $6.00 for each certificate....yes- thats it... now at my town, where 70% of kids are eligible for free/reduced lunches, we charge $15.00 for a 2 week session....yes- after the Red Cross takes their cut, we make $9.00...(our WSI instructors make anywhere from $8-10 per hour, and normally have an aide in their classes- at an additional cost of 7-9 per hour..)...Take into account the class is usually 45 minutes a day for 10 days. even if it was only 1/2 hour- total of 2.5 hours per week- I made $4.50 per kid per week, and spent on the low range, 37.50 per week on instructors...
Now to say its in our best interest to offer these cheaply is not true......The reason we do is because we are a part of a Town Government, in this case, we provide recreation for all members of our town. Look above at our % of f/r lunches. could I charge $120.00 per session? Sure, but would I be meeting the recreatoinal needs of my community? Nope. We are a not for profit organization...our goal is not to make money...
If you really want to see something- go to our town or city hall, and check out your recreation department (or parks & Rec Dept depending on what they call it) budget. You'll be suprised. In most cases, you will find expected revenues about 1/8th of expected expenses. For instance, my revenues for FY05 were just voted in at just under $21K...my expenses- just voted at $140K....
On another note, I do not substitute excellent guards due to cheap WSI programs....my guards are top of the line, even though we offer a very cheap WSI program.....It's in my best interest to offer the best programming to our community, and reach as many of them as I can...not to teach kids to swim so they wont drown at my facility. thats really not even entering my mind....(FYI, we have had to do 1 rescue in the last 4 years, it was a distressed swimmer- of 14 years old, got a leg crap in the deep end....)
Now- on to the WSI problems....first the 1 day a week lessons are hardest on younger kids.....they have a hard time retaining what they learned 7 days ago, when they only spent 1/2 hour learning it. however its hard in the winter time to have anything other than that, since kids are in school etc.
We do not teach swimming lessons before a child is 3, and sometimes, it's actually 4. if they are not emotionally ready, they dont join the class. We do have a "mommy and me" class for infants/toddlers but we DISCOURAGE dunking.
Carry on- I'm off my soap box now
Brandy
