“That was so fun!” If that’s what your kid says at the end of his first swim lesson, then you know you’re in the right place.
My son, Xavier, began swim lessons at Goldfish Swim School in Dublin in May 2017, and he loves them. As soon as we say, “Xavier, you have your swim lesson today,” he’s all smiles and can’t stop talking about it.
I was impressed from the moment I walked through the door. The friendly little chalkboard right at the entrance said, “Welcome new swimmers,” and in neon yellow letters my son’s name was listed with a handful of others. He spotted his name right away, and he said, “That’s me!”
Kirsten welcomed us at the information desk. She cheerfully lead us through our contract, the daily routine, and a quick look around the place. We couldn’t ask for a better person to welcome us to our first lesson at Goldfish–thank you, Kirsten.
As Xavier lined up for his lesson, we spotted his assigned lane, Lane 10 with Miss Sarah. When Xavier entered the pool from the waiting area, the staff member holding the door greeted him with a smile and high-five. Xavier did not hesitate to join Miss Sarah and his three other classmates in the pool. Miss Sarah’s big smile, friendly hello, and gentle demeanor were (and are) perfect for Xavier’s first swim experience.
I loved that Miss Sarah had a lesson plan to follow. A large, waterproof notecard outlined each skill for the swimmers to practice one skill at a time. With such a small group, the class was fast-paced and fun. I loved that Miss Sarah gave a big smile and a high five as each swimmer finished each skill.
Since this was Xavier’s first lesson, I wasn’t sure how he’d match up with the skills of the other swimmers. Not to worry! Miss Sarah adapted each swimmer’s turn to their skill level. I was beyond impressed by Miss Sarah’s ability to differentiate each skill for each swimmer.
Every time Xavier saw us watching him, he had a big smile. Couple his happiness with the tremendous amount of positive reinforcement from Miss Sarah, and I said to my wife, “This place is so great, I kind of want to work here!”
In the end, I judge a place by my kids’ feelings and mood on the car ride home. Whether it’s preschool, a museum, a playdate, or a swim lesson, the car ride home will tell you how things went, right? With a big smile (have I mentioned there were smiles?) and a loud, “That was so fun,” it’s safe to say we’ve found something special at Goldfish Swim School.