Parent Handbook. Emergency Solutions, LLC 104 Coosada Drive Montgomery, AL Swim Lessons.

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1 Parent Handbook Never consider your child water safe or drown proof. All children should be carefully supervised when in or around water no matter their age, how much training they have received, or how well they swim. Emergency Solutions, LLC 104 Coosada Drive Montgomery, AL Click here to see the class descriptions Safety: Please review the following rules with your children: Swim Lessons Policies: Pool Rules 1. In case of emergencies, dial No running. 3. No roughhousing. 4. Obey staff or Lifeguard instruction 5. Do not swim if you have open wounds. 6. Do not swim if you are ill with diarrhea. 7. Shower before entering the water. 8. No glass in the pool or on the deck. 9. Diaper changing on the deck is prohibited. 10. No animals in the pool or on the deck, except service animals, if applicable. 11. Children must be supervised by a responsible adult (parent or caregiver) 12. No diving

2 Sanitation: Water sanitation is important to the health and wellbeing of all swimmers and instructors. Students must be toilet trained before enrolling in swim lessons. All children under the age of 3 years must ware an approved swim diaper. ***Please do not bring your child to lessons if they have been throwing up or have had diarrhea within 24 hours. If they have a bowel accident in the pool that is not contained in their diapers, you will be charged $500 for pool closure. Cancellation: Changes/cancellations for group lessons must be made 48 hours prior to the first day of lessons. All cancellations made after this time will result in a refund of 50% if fully paid or a forfeit of your deposit if not 100% paid Rescheduling/Canceling a private or semi-private lesson must be done 12 hours prior to your scheduled lesson. These changes can be made on the online scheduling site Please remember that you are paying for a time slot, not for individual lessons. You will be charged for any missed lessons since that time slot is reserved for your child. To be most successful, our programs require a high level of commitment and consistency. Steady attendance will increase your child s rate of progress. It is imperative that you plan your schedule accordingly as we reserve the right to limit the number of schedule changes. All scheduling must be approved by and handled by Emergency Solutions, LLC Please refer to the contact information at the bottom of this page. Late or Missed Lessons: Please have your child ready for their scheduled lesson at least 10 mins in advance. If you are late, we will do our best to fit your child in whenever possible but realize that your child may have a shortened lesson. For the lesson to be excused, please call or Emergency Solutions, LLC no later than 7:00 a.m. the morning of the lesson to be missed. You may make up two excused absences. We charge for make-up lessons in excess of allowable excused absences and for ALL unexcused absences. If we have to cancel a lesson due to inclement weather or other reason, we will arrange a makeup lesson. Fridays have been reserved as makeup days.

3 Supervision: The Parent or Guardian of the student must be present during the duration of the swim lesson. For private lessons, Parents and Guardians can watch lessons from the patio or sun room and adjacent concrete but not from the pool deck unless requested by the instructor. Visitors: Children other than students are welcome to come, but are not allowed to swim. The instructor needs to concentrate totally on your child in order to teach him/her efficiently. If other children are running or playing, then the instructor becomes a lifeguard which detracts from your child s lesson. Your cooperation in this matter will be greatly appreciated. You must assume responsibility in explaining all rules and regulations within this Handbook to any visitor or caregiver accompanying your child to swim lessons. Parking: Lessons at Arrowhead Country Club - Parking is available adjacent to the Arrowhead Country Club pool. Lessons At 104 Coosada Drive, Montgomery, AL 36117: To be as respectful to our neighbors as possible, the following is our parking policy: If your lessons starts at the bottom of the hour everyone will park on the driveway ie. 12:30 1:30 2:30. Also, to be respectful of others after the class is over everyone should clear the driveway in a timely fashion as to not block anyone in. Any lessons starting at the top of the hour will park on the Street ie 12:00 1:00 2:00 Please allow space for garbage collection and delivery of mail. If you are having two lessons in an hour, please move your vehicle from the driveway to the street or street to the driveway after the first lesson is over. What to Wear & Bring: Please be sure to come prepared: Swimmer needs to be wearing age-appropriate swim attire Swimmer has had sunscreen applied 30 minutes prior Swimmer has already used the bathroom Swimmer brings their own towel (two is recommended so they can sit on it in the car on the way home)

4 All children under 3 years old are required to wear a snugly fitted reusable, non-disposable swim diaper in addition to a disposable swim diaper underneath the non-disposable diaper during all lessons. If your child is not wearing an approved non-disposable diaper and has an accident in the pool you will be charged $500. Likewise, if your child is wearing the approved diapers, but has diarrhea that is not contained within the diapers, you will be charged $500. When an accident like this occurs we will have to close the pool to super shock it for up to 48 hours and will have to cancel ALL lessons during that time frame. Encouragement: It is important to know the appropriate time to clap and cheer. Sometimes what the instructor is looking for during a lesson is different from what might look good to you. If we work together and show approval for the same things, it will help your child feel successful and increase their chances of success. Your child may cry during lessons; it is imperative that you do not acknowledge it. The instructor is in charge of the lesson and will give positive reinforcements throughout the lessons, when you hear the instructor say good job way to go etc that is the time for you to cheer on your child. Otherwise, please sit quietly watching the lesson. Conclusion: Thank you for your interest in swim lessons with Emergency Solutions! Our goal is to make the world a safer place starting with your child. Please contact us if you have any questions. Regards, Alex & Patsy Hood Owners Emergency Solutions, LLC

5 Brief Class Description: Click title to go to Detailed Description. Parent & Tot for 9 to 36 month olds; (Surface Swim and Safety Skills) Required skills and ability for level: None Required Equipment: Students must have a Re-usable Swim Diaper and toddlers ages 24 months and older should have a Power Swimr TM Flotation Device. Swim 100 (Surface Swim front and back) Required skills and ability for level: None Swim 101 for 3 to 5 year olds Required Equipment: Students must have a Power Swimr TM Flotation Device. Swim 102 for 6 to 9 year olds Required Equipment: Students must have a Power SwimrTM Flotation Swim 103 for 10 to 12 year olds Swim 104 for 13 and over (Adult Program) Swim Strokes 200: (Freestyle and Backstroke) Required skills and ability for level - Swim 15 feet without the aid of a flotation device, face in the water, and breathing as needed. Swim Strokes 201 for 3 to 5 year olds Swim Strokes 202 for 6 to 9 year olds Swim Strokes 203 for 10 to 12 year olds Swim Strokes 204 for 13 and over (Adult Program) Advanced Swim Strokes 300: (Breaststroke and Butterfly) Required skills and ability for level - Swim 25 feet of Freestyle (Front Crawl) with the Side Breathing Advanced Swim Strokes 301 for 3 to 5 year olds Advanced Swim Strokes 302 for 6 to 9 year olds Advanced Swim Strokes 303 for 10 to 12 year olds Advanced Swim Strokes 304 for 13 and over (Adult Program) Lifesaving Strokes 400: (Sidestroke and Elementry Backstroke) Required skills and ability for level - Swim 25 feet of Freestyle (Front Crawl) with the Side Breathing. Lifesaving Strokes 401 for 3 to 5 year olds Lifesaving Strokes 402 for 6 to 9 year olds Lifesaving Strokes 403 for 10 to 12 year olds Lifesaving Strokes 404 for 13 and over (Adult Program)

6 Detailed Descriptions: Parent & Tot AGES: 9-36 months Required skills and ability for level: None Skills: Surface Swim and Safety Description Welcome to The Emergency Solutions Infant-Toddler program. This section of our website will hopefully answer your questions and alleviate any concerns you may have. We will also share our philosophy and approach to teaching infants and toddlers, as well as discuss the importance of making children safer in and around the water through parent education and instruction. Our Philosophy When focusing on the infant-toddler's level of well-being and readiness, baby swimming is taken to a higher level beyond that of strictly acquisition of physical skills. Baby swimming has so much to offer when approached in a nurturing, child-paced, "baby friendly" environment: boundless joy, selfconfidence, personal development, as well as happy, healthy and well-adjusted children. Learning through songs, interactive games and group activities, appeals to a child's sense of curiosity, wonder and play. All complemented by colorful toys and other engaging aquatic apparatuses. With mom and dad as co-teachers in the pool, in a group format with other like-minded parents, babies can learn to relate to the water with ease and confidence. Infants as young as seven months old can begin to learn to rediscover the liquid environment they left behind in the womb. Raising the bar on teaching with kindness and joy Do no harm. As we enter the new millennium, parents need to be conscious of the fact that the subjugation, forcing or traumatizing of their child in order to learn how to swim, is archaic, stressful to the child and simply unnecessary. This reactionary approach could result in "today's solution ending up being tomorrow's problem." (Jacob) Teachers and parents need to stay in touch with the feelings and perceptions of the child as the immediate and long term consequences of their actions can impact the child for life, both emotionally and mentally. What is expedient and what is ethical may be two different things. Making "survival" back float an imposed priority to unwilling infants and toddlers or children of any age can have a devastating effect on the well-being of the child, as well as society. The same holds true for forced frontal submersions and guaranteeing children to swim or to be "drown proofed" in compressed time frames. Let it be known that crying, distress or the surrendering of one's spirit are not Required skills and ability for level to learning how to swim. "Teach me, don't hurt me." As parents and teachers our intent must be focused on sowing the seeds of love and kindness which will bear fruit of a most wondrous kind-beautiful, caring human beings When will they really learn how to swim? Infant swimming to us is the ability to move harmoniously through the water on their own accord, initially for very short distances. In the younger stages, the primary mode for propulsion is kicking. For those families who continue to practice, their child will eventually be able to jump in, turn around and swim back to the side. Will my child be drown-proofed after taking swim lessons? No child is ever "drown-proof." No child is ever "safe." This is the most important message every parent must understand. Through ongoing instruction, skill attainment, and through the implementation of the Safer 3, a child will be "safer" in and around the water and if all parents execute the implementation of this layered approach the troubling drowning statistics will dramatically be reduced--hopefully to zero.

7 "Touch" supervision should be in effect for all infants, toddlers, and children who don't know how to swim when they are playing in or around the water. Constant adult supervision should be provided for all children whether or not they are accomplished swimmers. "Children drown without a sound." And all parents should learn the "Safer 3:" Safer Water (utilize proper fencing, gates, gate latches, alarms, and other safety equipment), Safer Kids (constant supervision and swim skill attainment through ongoing qualified instruction), and Safer Response (learn CPR, first aid, and rescue techniques. Keep an emergency action plan and phone by the pool). What swimming skills will they learn? Potentially life-saving skills will be taught when the child has had adequate training with the prerequisites. These skills are only taught when the child is comfortable and ready. The technical maneuvers are never taught prematurely or inappropriately introduced. The progression to the mastery of the safety skills includes water adjustment, blowing bubbles, kicking, getting comfortable with having water poured on face, facial immersion, and elementary swimming movements both underwater and at the surface. There are two basic safety skills we teach through the progression of exercises and activities we work on every class. The first safety skill teaches a toddler to enter the water, turnaround, and grab the side of the pool. This is the most practical method of self-rescue for infant/toddlers as the majority of accidents occur near the edge of the pool or other bodies of water. The second safety skills teaches the infant/toddler enter the water and swim limited distances to safety. We teach a basic surface swim with "pop-up" style breathing when the toddler is skill ready. These skills all take a lot of practice but can be successfully mastered if you pursue continued, qualified instruction. So at what age can they do what? We have found that by eight (8) months, a baby can begin to learn to hold his/her breath and be comfortable enough in the water that in the case of an accidental water entry, it may buy the parent a few valuable extra seconds. At nineteen (19) months, a toddler who has had significant practice time can begin to learn to return to the side of the pool. By twenty-four (24 )months, this skill could be executed with ease. Frequently Asked Questions My pediatrician says I should wait to start until my baby is 4 years old? The American Academy of Pediatrics has revised its guidance on swimming lessons. In the new policy, the AAP reinforces its existing recommendation that most children age 4 and older should learn to swim, but the AAP is now more open toward classes for younger children. What parents should avoid, in our opinion, are the forceful techniques often used in infant survival classes. At Emergency Solutions, we would never compromise your child s safety or emotional wellbeing by forcing techniques on children at any age. We believe every child can and should learn to swim using child-centered and fundamentally sound natural progressions. We believe that swimming lessons for children as young as 12 months old can be very beneficial, as long the child is taught in a loving manner. Learning to swim does not drown proof anyone nor does it give parents a pass from watching their children closely when in or around the water. Close and constant supervision is a must. Jim Reiser, Founder of The Swim Lessons Company and Executive Director of Swim Lessons University says, Each of my three my sons learned to swim with a smile... and so should yours! Protecting our children from the dangers of the water is a serious responsibility that comes with parenting. I personally feel that keeping our children safe around the water is no different than keeping them safe around a busy street. We don t leave our children alone in the car. We don t let them go out on a busy street to play! Why would we think of water safety any differently? Learning to swim, like learning to walk, is a

8 life skill every child should learn but it is not a fool-proof way to protect them from harm. When our children are in or around the water, it is still our responsibility to supervise them closely to ensure they are safe at all times. What is the best age to start teaching a child to swim? We believe there are invaluable benefits to starting children as young as 12 months old in our formal lessons. When taught properly, children will not only learn the Required skills and ability for level skills needed for formal swimming strokes they will learn to love the water. Learning how to swim, like mastering any worthwhile skill, is a process, not an event. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it. And remember--swimming is the only skill that could save a child s life. What do you think about flotation devices? In terms of flotation vests for swimming lessons, we recommend the SwimWays Power Swimmer for children ages 2 and over. Why? It s a progressive device. Our learn-to-swim professionals can adjust the flotation so that your child has the ability to actually practice swimming skills that he or she could not practice otherwise. It allows the child to feel how the flutter kick actually propels him through the water. It allows the child to start learning his independence in the water, vs. dependence (a dated argument against flotation).

9 Swim 100 Beginners Swim Beginners, ages 3 to 5 years old. Swim Beginners, ages 6 to 9 years old. Swim Beginners, ages 10 to 12 years old. Required skills and ability for level None Skills Surface Swim front and back Description In Swim 100 level classes, your child will learn to "swim like a fish" thru a child-centered, activityoriented approach--coupled with unique skill progressions for the following: First-time Submersion Breath Holding Breath Control Front Kicking Back Kicking In-line Kicking Paddle Stroke Underwater Swimming using a "Pop-up" Breath Underwater Swimming using a "Roll-over" Breath Upon mastering the "Swim 100" skills, your child will advance to "Swim Strokes 200" where he/she will learn to swim the formal strokes of Freestyle with Side Breathing and Backstroke

10 Swim Strokes Intermediate Swim Ages 3 to 5 years old. Swim Ages 6 to 9 years old. Swim Ages 10 to 12 years old. Skills Freestyle and Backstroke Required skills and ability for level To enroll in "SWIM STROKES 200," your child should be able to comfortably swim 15 feet without the aid of a floatation device, face in the water, and breathing as needed. Description In "Swim Strokes 201" (level 2), your child will learn how to swim the formal strokes of freestyle with side breathing and backstroke. The Freestyle Side Breathing skill may be the most important skill one learns in the learn-to-swim process. "Swim Strokes 201" is drill-oriented with unique skill progressions for the following: Kicking with the Kickboard Back Kicking Streamline Kicking Backstroke Freestyle Upon mastering the "Swim Strokes 200" skills, your child will advance to "Swim 300" where he/she will learn to swim Butterfly and Breaststroke.

11 Swim Strokes Advanced Level 3a) Swim Ages 3 to 5 years old. Swim Ages 6 to 9 years old. Swim Ages 10 to 12 years old. Skills Breaststroke and Butterfly Required skills and ability for level To enroll in "ADVANCED SWIM STROKES 300," your child must be able to Swim 25 feet of Freestyle (Front Crawl) with the Side Breathing. Description In "Advanced Swim Strokes 300, your child will learn the advanced skills of Breaststroke and Butterfly, as well as refine and further develop the Freestyle and Backstroke. All "Advanced Swim Strokes 300" classes are drill and technique-oriented. In this course, your child will practice the following skills each lesson: Freestyle & Backstroke (minimal work for refinement purposes) Breaststroke Kick (Whip Kick) Breaststroke Arm Stroke Breaststroke (Kick & Stroke Timing) Body Dolphin Butterfly Kick Butterfly Arm Stroke Butterfly (Kick & Stroke Timing) Not only are the Breaststroke and Butterfly strokes necessary skills to master in order to swim competitively, but Breaststroke is also an essential skill in becoming a certified lifeguard. Upon "Advanced Swim Strokes 300" graduation, we would also like to recommend our new Lifesaving Strokes 400 course where we teach Sidestroke, Elementary Backstroke, and Treading. Upon mastering these courses, your swimmer's possibilities in aquatics are endless. When a student masters each of these strokes, he/she is ready to advance to a swim team or enroll in advanced water safety courses such as Life Guarding.

12 Lifesaving Strokes Level 3b) Swim Ages 3 to 5 years old. Swim Ages 6 to 9 years old. Swim Ages 10 to 12 years old. Skills Sidestroke and Elementry Backstroke Required skills and ability for level To enroll in "ADVANCED SWIM STROKES 400," your child must be able to Swim 25 feet of Freestyle (Front Crawl) with the Side Breathing. Description In "Advanced Swim Strokes 400, your child will learn the advanced skills of Sidestroke and Elementry Backstroke. All "Advanced Swim Strokes 400" classes are drill and technique-oriented. In this course, your child will practice the following skills each lesson: Freestyle & Backstroke (minimal work for refinement purposes) Sidestroke