Water Babies is proud to use what is referred to as a "gentle approach". What this means is, I make it a priority to get to know each student individually and learn what they may struggle with - for example getting their face wet - and work with them slowly to build confidence and trust. This will allow them time to work up to doing the skill with a little persuasion or even by themselves. The gentle approach was appealing to me because I felt that kids are more likely to retain and use skills they mastered "themselves" versus skills they were coerced into. When they experience the victory of mastering a skill they once feared, they will want to repeat that skill willingly and most of the time, with great pleasure and pride! The gentle approach also involves lots of praises, hugs, snuggles and high fives with each achievement. Lastly, I love to involve parents. At some point throughout the session, I will show you, as a parent, what to do with your child when you are swimming together - how to practice what they have learned and how to avoid feeling like you need to put your child into a puddle jumper or floatation device after the child has worked so hard to attain life-saving skills - because, please remember - this is in fact, work for them.