ISR Swim Lessons with `North MS Infant Swim-Kellie Atkinson` | Infant Swimming Resource

Ms. Kellie- North MS Infant Swim

My name is Kellie Atkinson. I am a wife and the proud mother of three boys—Truett (2009), Walter (2011), and Job (2012). For the past eleven years, I have homeschooled my boys, and we are now navigating the unique adventure of homeschooling through high school. I have also served as a local tutor and director with our homeschool community, Classical Conversations, and remain actively involved in 4-H, soccer, basketball, and all things “boy-related.” In addition, I have hosted two foreign exchange students (Chile and Italy) that hold a large piece of my heart.

Teaching swim is one of my greatest passions. I have been a certified ISR (Infant Swimming Resource) instructor since 2014, with a heart for equipping children with lifesaving skills. My motto is, “Accidents are called accidents for a reason.” As parents, the best we can do is establish layers of prevention and prepare our children with skills—just in case they ever face a worst-case scenario. Throughout every session, my focus is on prevention and preparation. Swimming lessons are a life skill that every child should have.

Ask me sometime about my own personal story—safe and effective swim lessons matter.

FAQs

How can you teach babies and young children to swim?

ISR instructors teach infants to swim by honoring each child's individual strengths and experiences. They understand the fundamentals of the behavioral sciences, child development and of sensori-motor learning as it relates to the acquisition of aquatic survival skills; they use this education to guide each child through the sequence of learning to swim and float.

Is it the baby fat that makes them float?

Actually, the primary factor in a baby’s ability to float is the ability to take air into the lungs. To maintain this access to air, the child must adjust his/her posture. The difference in positioning for an adult can be inches. For a baby, this adjustment is reduced to centimeters. If a child’s body posture is just a few centimeters off, it can make the difference between the face being submerged or the child having access to air.

Can’t babies swim naturally?

Unfortunately, babies cannot naturally swim. If this were the case, there wouldn’t be so many drownings every year. According to the Center for Disease Control and Accident Prevention, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1-4 in the United States.

Are swimming lessons for infants and young children safe?

I can’t speak for all swim lessons, but I can tell you ISR is dedicated to safety and maintaining numerous safety protocols to promote safe lessons. Your child's health and well-being are our highest priority and are closely monitored on a daily basis. In addition, your child's medical and developmental history is a mandatory part of the ISR national registration process, all of which is held strictly confidential. All ISR instructors undergo intensive and rigorous training that far exceeds any other training program of this kind. Each ISR instructor is also required to recertify yearly with emphasis on quality control, safety and lesson efficiency. Your education in the area of aquatic safety for your entire family is an integral part of your child's lessons. You will receive access to the "Parent Resource Guide" to inform you about every aspect of swimming and aquatic safety for infants and children. With research, you will find that ISR is not only the safest survival swimming program but also the most effective for teaching infants and young children.

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