Every Certified Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) Instructor worldwide completes an 8-week intensive academic and in-water training and certification program with a minimum of 80 hours of in-water time with a Certified Master Instructor. All instructors must have current CPR and First Aid certification. Once certified, ISR Instructors must undergo annual recertification and are recognized as highly skilled, precise aquatic behavior specialists who understand the unique cognitive, intellectual and physical development dynamics of young children. Understanding the behaviors of children in the water allows each Instructor to respond with ISR’s proprietary technique.

ISR is an investment of time & resources. However, compared dollar for dollar to traditional swim lessons, ISR is a financially comparable investment . For example, attending a swim class weekly at $24 a class for a full year will cost approxminelty $1300. It is likely at the end of the year, your child may still not be able to swim, float & self rescue. ISR lessons at $24 a lesson for approximently 6 weeks will cost around $825 (including ISRs national registration fee). Once skilled, your child will be a confident and compenent aquatic problem solver. Dollar for dollar ISR actually saves you money. In addition, ISR’s short, consistent lessons create muscle memory in your child that will serve them better in the long run both in a survival situation and in day to day play.

The reason for this is multifaceted. First, repetition and consistency are crucial elements of learning for young children. Research shows that short, more frequent lessons result in higher retention. Second, most children have fairly short attention spans and will not be able to focus on the task for longer and we want to take advantage of the best time for learning. A third reason is that, though the pool temperature is maintained at 78-88 degrees, the temperature is still lower than your child's body temperature. Lessons are work and therefore will also be losing body heat. Instructors check students regularly for temperature fatigue since this is an indicator of physical fatigue.

YES! ISR is dedicated to safety and maintaining numerous safety protocols to promote safe lessons. Your child's health and well-being is my highest priority and are closely monitored daily. Also, your child's medical and developmental history is a mandatory part of the ISR national registration process, all of which are 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 attend a yearly re-certification symposium that includes quality control as well as continuing education. 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", written by Dr. Harvey Barnett and JoAnn Barnett, which will inform you of every aspect of swimming for infants and children. With research, you will find that ISR is the safest survival swimming program but also the most effective for teaching infants and young children.

No. Every child can learn. It is the instructor’s job to find the best way to communicate the information so that it makes sense to the child. We set your child up to be successful every time. We start where they are.

YES! Children who are developmentally ready learn to swim as part of the survival process to get to safety. The difference with ISR is that children learn swimming PLUS survival skills to become aquatic problem solvers.

In March of 2019, the AAP updated its drowning prevention policy and lays out strategies to protect children at each stage of their life. According to the AAP, “Evidence reveals that many children older than 1 year will benefit from swim lessons. Swim lessons are increasingly available for a wide range of children, including those with various health conditions and disabilities such as ASD. A parent or caregiver’s decision about when to initiate swim lessons must be individualized based on a variety of factors, including comfort with being in the water, health status, emotional maturity, and physical and cognitive limitations. Although swim lessons provide 1 layer of protection from drowning, swim lessons do not “drown proof” a child, and parents must continue to provide barriers to prevent unintended access when not in the water and closely supervise children when in and around water.” Further, the AAP states, “There is tremendous variability among swim lessons, and not every program will be right for each child. Parents and caregivers should investigate options for swim lessons in their community before enrollment to make sure that the program meets their needs and the needs of the child. High-quality swim lessons provide more experiential training, including swimming in clothes, in life jackets, falling in, and practicing self-rescue.” Source.

I’d love to! ISR is the nation’s leading safe, customized & effective survival swim program. Lessons are 1:1 Monday - Friday for no more than 10 minutes a day. The cost is $120 weekly for approximately 6 weeks. ISR national registration fee is $105. Average total investment in these livesaving skills is $825.