Trust The Process

Henry and his

I would like to introduce you to a Little Fins swimmer named Henry. He has been swimming at Little Fins since April of 2022. After their family traveled to Hawaii and was surprised by the power of the ocean his parents knew that Henry and his sister, Maddi, needed swimming lessons.

When Henry first started swimming with Ms. Deana he did not like it. Henry is what his mother, Megan, explains as “strong-willed.”  He came to Little Fins, like many little swimmers, and was overcome with fear. Henry also disliked water in his ears. Megan purchased an ear protector to help that undesired sensation of water in his ears. Even with this tool, Henry still had massive anxiety about swimming, to the point that his mom felt she needed to be on the edge of the pool holding his hand during lessons. This is an extreme, and very real fear, and parent response. There were many lessons that Ms. Deana and Henry’s mom created a plan to help Henry find success. Some days there would be small wins, other days large wins, but then we would start over again the next week with a new lesson. 

Henry holding on to Ms. Deana during lessons.

Ms. Deana was very patient with Henry and they worked on positive affirmations at home and in the pool. When Ms. Deana had to take a medical leave of absence from the pool, everyone was worried about how Henry would do. While change can exacerbate anxiety, it can also help overcome hurdles. Henry started to swim with Ms. Kory, whom he had seen during his lessons with Ms. Deana, which made it easier for him. Ms. Kory set new guidelines for Henry’s mom to step away from the edge of the pool giving Henry a chance to gain a new self-confidence. “I would be lying if I said I didn’t think about pulling him and making him take a break more than once” states Henry’s mother. Consistency is so important when developing the skills and confidence needed for swimming. 

Henry passed his first level with Ms. Kory. This is an excited swimmer!

When times got hard and frustrating for Henry, Megan would remind him that Ms. Deana, Ms. Kory, and his whole family were all committed to helping him succeed. They would focus on baby steps and celebrate the small wins together. Over time, Henry started to show progress. Overcoming fear does take time. Henry watched his little sister get her medals before him, and he pushed through. He would get upset, take breaths, and push through. He dug deep inside, worked hard, and his family stayed consistent in attending lessons.

It paid off. Henry started to grow in his confidence and skills. He is now excited for swimming. He can not wait to go to swim lessons and dive in the deep end.

Henry is floating independently with Ms. Kory nearby, but not touching him.

“The investment I have made and the investment I continue to make in not only his water safety but his overall swim ability is truly priceless,” says Henry’s mother. The family goes on vacation and without the fear that once seemed to hold Henry captive.

Henry and Maddi still swims with Little Fins Swim School and they are progressing in skills in the pool and life. Henry, his mother, his sister Maddi, Ms. Deana, Ms. Kory, and all the staff at Little Fins Swim School want to encourage you to continue to stay committed and trust the process. 

If you are the parent of a child who is scared of the water, you are not alone. Learning to swim can sometimes seem impossible. Many children experience some type of fear related to water. Whether it is an experience they have had, a dislike for water in their face/ears/eyes, or an unexplainable issue or fear, it can be challenging for the child, the parents, and sometimes the instructor. This is nothing new. Many kids have this fear. We are here to tell, mom and dad, this is normal.

Little Fins specializes in helping children break that barrier of fear and gain the confidence needed to become safe and secure in the water. Many parents are searching for help for their child and when they find that help, it may be hard to trust the process.