To be successful you must control your attitudes for these reasons:

1. MAKE YOUR JOB A PRIORITY IN YOUR LIFE. Your employer has hired you because he/she has a job that needs to be done and he/she is willing to pay you to get it done. If they didn’t want you to be on the job they wouldn’t have hired you. If a supervisor needs a reliable person and you are not reliable, she/he will be looking for someone to replace you. When you wake up (grow up) it may be too late. Personal problems are not a reason to miss work. If you need some time off try to give the employer time to adjust your schedule at a future date. Do not call at the last minute with some excuse as to why you will not be where you have agreed to be by accepting the job. Your self-respect and your reputation both will suffer. Employees that exhibit poor attitudes are usually replaced (fired) and they never know why. Today’s “political correct” climate often prohibits your employer from being direct with you. Show a poor attitude and soon you will be on your way. Show a good attitude all the time accept responsibility of the job and you will see your value to the company rise which results in more self satisfaction at the end of the day. If you are having a bad day, do not let anyone know. No one wants short answers and curtness from people they work with. A professional person will be nice to everyone. If you have a problem at home, do not take it to work. If you have a problem with your work, tell the supervisor so something can be resolved. That will result in you being happier with your work. Happier at home knowing that your job is secure. Happier because you will be getting more money thru raises and bonuses.

2. SHOW A GOOD ATTITUDE—YOU WILL FEEL BETTER

a. TIME—Time is money—especially to your supervisor who is on a budget or an owner who has goals to meet and the fact your pay is a deduction from the company bank account. It is like him giving you money out of his pocket. When an employee wastes time, it is actually a form of stealing. If you stop working and talk with another employee for 30 minutes the two of you have cost the company one hour’s pay. If you are on flexible time, you should clock out as soon as you stop being productive for the company. If your company has showering facilities and you are dressing up for a later activity, be honest and clock out before you shower and change clothes. In the long run you will feel better knowing that you are being honest.
b. LEARN YOUR JOB—Read and study any learning material presented to you. Your first days and weeks will be intensive learning. Listen carefully to your supervisor to get tips and techniques that may not be written. Be cautious of the negative attitudes of co-workers. They may be on their way out. If you let them influence you negatively you may precede them to the outside. Some co-workers enjoy getting the new employee in trouble. Remember who hired you. That is the final authority as to policy and procedures and what you should do.
c. WORK—You should look for and make a mental list of what needs to be done. Complete a task quickly and efficiently. If told to contact someone, and you are not performing a complicated task, do it immediately. When a superior gives you a hint as to how she/he desires a task to be done, they do not want you to justify the way you are doing it; they want you to do the job the way they have explained it to you. Chances are, the superior has done that job many times over and really does know the best way to get the job done. {NOTE: When you try to explain why you do something that way, you are telling the supervisor three things ONE: I do not care how you want it done, TWO: as soon as you turn your back I will probably continue doing it my way. You may not feel that way, but that is how the superior will feel after the conversation.
d. MAKE MONEY FOR THE COMPANY—In each contact with customers encourage activity that will bring more money to the company. If a parent calls to get information you must show enthusiasm so they will want to join. Give them all the information and then ASK THEM TO SIGN UP FOR CLASSES AND ASK THEM TO PAY IMMEDIATELY. You should find reasons to benefit the customer by registering and paying immediately. Whatever the system in place, do your best to follow what you are taught. Being professional in your dress, attitude and speech will be a great asset for you. Your supervisor will quickly realize that you are a good representative of the company. Be creative. Come up with ideas on your own to get the job done. (Do not be neutral—Instead of “do you want to pay now” use “Give me your credit card info so we can complete the registration.” Instead of “Do you want to give me your address…” use “Let me have your address so I can put you on our free mailing list that contains tips for swimming. “
e. CHEERFULLY COMPLETE ALL TASKS ASSIGNED (AND BE ALERT TO OBSERVE AND DO THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE) whether it is emptying trashcans, cleaning out the refrigerator or sweeping the floor. Do not be too good to do the necessary jobs that someone has to do. Your job is to take away all burdens from the supervisor that you possibly can. This does not mean making important decisions above your position but to show some initiative and make the workplace a cleaner and more professional looking place. When you come in the building be observant and pick up small pieces of trash and help make the workplace a little higher quality. Do it regularly and it will be noticed. The better the business runs and looks the better you will look.
f. ARRIVAL—Do not spend excessive time visiting other works or performing tasks that should be done at home. It may sound over personal, but taking a 20-minute bathroom break at work should be avoided. Also, putting on makeup, shaving and completing dressing should be done at home. You should arrive at work ready to perform the tasks you have been hired to perform.
g. ALERTNESS—You need to get a good night’s sleep (or plenty of rest and your job shift dictates) so you can perform your job responsibilities safely and respectfully. It is in poor taste to “brag” or “exclaim” how drunk you were or how late you were awake. Your co-workers will know that they will have to cover for you or put up with your incompetence for a while. They will not say anything to you (usually fearing retaliation from you or relishing the fact that they look better in the eyes of the superiors because you look so bad) and they may even encourage you “Way to go girl/guy” but only the most incompetent or ignorant will have any semblance of respect for you.
h. LISTENING—Your superior will give you instructions as to what and how things should be done. Do not interrupt while he/she is talking. When you interrupt, you are saying, “I do not care what you want—I want to do it my way.” That may not be how you feel but that is what the superior senses. If you do not understand, you should gently gesture (perhaps by raising your hand) and let the superior complete the thought. She/he will listen to your question or clarification then. LOOK AT YOUR SUPERIOR WHEN HE/SHE IS TALKING TO YOU. That shows respect.
i. WORKING ATMOSPHERE—Smile often. Have a good attitude. Be happy (or pretend) that you are happy to be there. Extend normal courtesies.
j. COMMUNICATION—Talking to your superior. Talk clearly and loudly enough to be heard. It is your responsibility to do this. If your superior has to ask to repeat what you have said more than one time, you should get the idea you need to talk louder or/and clearer. Do not talk to yourself or mumble to yourself when a superior or co-worker is in the area. It is distracting to their work and shows a lack of consideration for them.
k. APPEARANCE– Look nice. Different people have different needs. Men should be clean shaven (or neat face shrubbery) and women should have makeup applied as the situation presents itself. Factory workers can have a looser restriction but workers who are seen by customers and who meet with customers represent the company and should reflect positively for the company. Everyone should bathe just prior to going to work because they will be there for 8 hours or so. Wash clothes after each days use. No one appreciates being around “gamey” people (people with body odor). It is a very touchy subject that often brings bad feelings because most often no one will tell you that you have bad breath or that you stink. You must take that responsibility upon yourself.
l. ATTENDANCE—You need to be dependable. With dependability comes more responsibility and with responsibility usually comes more pay. The supervisor is probably not going to investigate your company. In a very large company, other employees can often do the essential work for you. In a small company, the owner will have to forgo the “executive” work to do your job. If you want more money or appreciation for your work you must be there to do the work. In most small companies, you should be at work unless you are in the emergency room. If you are a person who doesn’t accept the responsibility of being at work every day, you should not accept a job where someone depends on you. Perhaps you can mature to the point of dependability and not be a “prima Dona.” Take your schedule and work it. Do not take the irresponsible position and ask off early and take days off for personal or other job reasons. If you do not wish to work as much as the supervisor desires, tell him/her. It is only fair and helps your self-esteem, reputation, and job satisfaction.
m. SOLVING PROBLEM ATTITUDE—When a problem comes up, a good employee will immediately begin to look for ways to get the job done correctly and timely. A poor employee seems to look for ways to show the superior that a job cannot be done as they were instructed. Then they seem to enjoy a lengthy explanation as to why the job cannot be done. The supervisor then has to take the tame to show that the job can be done. Often this may show that an employee lacks the ability to do the job with normal training. A worker who takes extra training time is of less value to the company.
n. GRAMMAR—Use the best grammar and etiquette you know and constantly try to improve. Avoid the word “ain’t.” Do not use double negatives such as “aint no way I am going…” “He done it.” Do your best to get your verbs correct. Proper Examples: “I will go…” “I went…;” “I have gone …”; “She will have gone …” “She did it.” You will feel better inside by taking the steps to better represent yourself, in addition to being a more valuable representative of the company.
o. IF YOU FIND YOUR JOB IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT—GIVE NOTICE AND RESIGN—Be fair to yourself and to your supervisor. If someone is paying our salary you must speak well of him and the business he represents. If you are unable to do that, quit. Then you can complain to your hearts content. Give notice and office to work out a notice. Depending on your length of training and the importance of your job, you should give at least 7 to 14 days. If you just quit and do not show up it leaves a blemish on your subconscious psyche as well as on your resume. It also reflects poorly on your character and reputation. If you received a paycheck it will be on your legal employment record. If you do not report the job on your resume it constitutes a falsification on your application. Many larger companies routinely check Federal Social Security records for honesty in job applications. Recently a new president of a major airline took all key employee applications and verified prior employments and education levels attained. Four pilots were fired, some after more than ten years on the job, for no reason than dishonesty concerning their application. With terrorist security situations in the United States, more companies are verifying every application. Protect your employment rating. Act responsibly.

SUMMARY
Your supervisor will consider more about what you do than you say you will do. If you are seen “goofing off” with co-workers repeatedly, the supervisor will put more stock in what was seen rather than an explanation as to you “just happened to be together for that moment” when it happens often. Excuses for absence, no matter how good they sound, do not make up for you not being there. If you show up to work and show a good attitude, and ask for the afternoon off (if not relied upon for something) it is much better than the best excuse for not being there. You must show reliance to be relied upon and gain respect.

Click Picture for PlayBoard Gallery

Facts & Benefits

• Can Put Up to 3 Children on a Board
• Children adjust to getting wet, having fun, developing endurance and strength
• One Teacher can control up to 6 children
• Child Learns Proper Body Position
• Learns to Blow Bubbles while Horizontal

Parent/Tot Classes

In our Parent/Tot class, we use the Playboards to get the babies in a horizontal swimming position, out of the mother’s arms, which teaches them independence. Their arms are stretched out and they’re learning to kick their feet. Unlike many conventional boards, the Playboard allows a child to be in the water and get wet, not just float on the surface on a big stiff board.

Beginner Classes

In our Beginner and Advanced Beginner classes, we use the Playboards in a great variety of ways. Some examples include…

One Beginning swimmer: Child lays across middle of board. Board keeps child horizontal. Face can stay out of water-the child feels secure. Child can develop strength and endurance in kicking as well as proper foot positioning in a natural way. As the child gets used to water on the face, he or she can blow bubbles while kicking, that is two-thirds of learning to swim. The child will be safe by herself or himself in the water.

Two or three children: Children lay across the boards (double thickness) kicking as above. Children enjoy the togetherness with other children. After establishing confidence and comfort in the water you can slide one Play board out (“Going single”). Children are now in a  few inches of water, feeling the lift of the water, blowing bubbles, kicking, staying horizontal and on their way to swimming.

If you stack two boards, they will hold three children ages 3-5. Children must lie on the front of the board and keep their arms straight. They cannot rise up on their knees (this will cause the board to become unsteady). There is usually enough water on top of the board for the children to blow bubbles. When the children get used to the two board configuration, we take one board away and the child floats horizontally, arms extended, while kicking their feet.

This keeps the child in the correct body position and helps them develop skills that encompass 75% of learning to swim. A good instructor can control two boards with a total of six students. This is great for time on task and getting a good workout in class. The children have fun while getting great training. The possibilities are limited only by the creative mind of you and your staff.

Intermediate and Competitive Swimmers

Competitive swimmers and Intermediate swimmers can lay on the board longitudinally (one child per board) and kick many lengths and have fun. Their body is in good body position and the board promotes proper foot position. They have the choice of exhaling underwater while kicking if they desire. Swimmers can kick synchronized (holding on to each others board), have races and perform many other fun swimming activities.

Conclusion

The Playboards hold up very well the abuse of hundreds of swim classes and will easily last 10 years. They’re made out of high-quality E.V.A. foam and specifically designed to reinforce the skills that are necessary in swimming.

Picture this: It’s a hot summer day in July. You and your friends are relaxing at the pool with your kids. The mixture of cool water and hot sun is perfect. The kids are having a blast in their swimming and you are enjoying the much needed break. Maybe you live near a lake or have a boat and your kids regularly play in the water while wearing their lifejacket. You feel that the children are “safe” and at least getting acclimated to the water and will surely lean to “really swim” in their own good time. What could possibly be wrong with this picture??

If you are asking yourself that question, think about these 10 things:

l. INSTINCTS. Your child is born with an instinct to survive in water. Most everyone will move his arms and legs to swim to the surface of water. This instinct is lost after just a few times of using floatation devices. Instead, your child will wait for his body to “pop” to the surface.

2. A WET FACE. In a floatation device, one is usually only under water for half a second. The device does its job of popping the swimmer up quickly. Proper swimming requires 5 seconds of a person either holding their breath or exhaling with their face under water. If the head is up, as it is in a floatation device, the hips and legs sink underwater. It takes a long time to teach a child that they have to keep their face under water for the 5 seconds required while swimming the crawl stroke.

3. CLOSENESS TO WATER. Floatation devices usually hold a child’s head high above the water. Often the face and head stay dry. In swimming, you must get a breath close to the surface of the water. You cannot lift your head fur out of the water to get good quick g=breaths. In swim classes, children who have work floatation devices will struggle to get the head so fur out of the water that their legs sink to a point where they cannot swim.

True story: a boy who grew up on the beach in Virginia swam in the ocean every day all summer in a life jacket with his head 10 inches over the surface of the water from the ages of3 to 6. His family moved inland and he did not swim for 2 years. He had to repeat the same level class three times to get comfortable getting a breath with his face close to the water.

4. BODY POSITION. Floatation devices usually keep the child vertical. The more exposure a child has to being vertical, the harder it is for them to feel comfortable in a horizontal position that is necessary.

The proper swimming position is horizontal with the head, hips, hands, and heels at the surface. The head controls the body position. IF a child lifts the head up the legs tend to go deeper into the water. If the hips are 12 inches under water, the drag (resistance) on the body is doubled. This means the child will have to work twice as hard to move the same distance through the water.

When stressed (fearful) children who have been vertical in the water will instinctively do a bicycle kick that will pull their legs underwater rather than splash at the surface where they should be. In the vertical position they will not be able to swim or stay afloat.

5. STRESS. In times of stress a person will go back to the first thing they have learned. If a floatation device has always kept them afloat even if they do nothing, then they will do nothing even if they are not wearing the device.

A few years ago in a college basketball tournament the star player had the ball. His team was behind by one point. They had 5 seconds left in the game. He got the ball and was in position to shoot a jump shot, a shot he had successfully made for years. The crowd was WILD! Everyone was on their feet and the noise was deafening. He worked clear but instead of shooting as he had done for years, he got very low with his elbow near his knee as he lowered his shoulder under the ball like he had done as a 6 yea old child shooting at a 10 foot basket. The ball flew into the bleachers. In time of extreme stress he reverted to the first thing he ever learned. The same thing will more than likely happen when a person panics in water. This may be the reason good swimmers drown when they accidentally fall into the water.

6. PANIC. A child may jump or fall into the water without the floats on and panic. As silly as it sounds, this the benefits are much greater than just water ability when you consider a lifetime of exercise and a feeling of self worth that comes from confidence of knowing how to swim. has happened many times. A child bas been playing in the water all morning in his swimmies. Mom calls him over for lunch taking the swimmies off so he can eat. After lunch the child’s friend yells “last one in is a rotten egg”. Always up for a challenge, your child runs and jumps in the pool, forgetting his swimmies. He panics and luckily gets pulled from the pool. If help had not been available your child would probably panic and drown.

7. UNRELIABLE. Floatation devices can also come off in the middle of the water or deflate. This could easily end in a drowning disaster. A mother with manicured nails was playing with her 2 year old son who was wearing a float ring in the deep area of a pool. She was a marginal swimmer. Her nails pierced the ring and it deflated immediately. The child grabbed her around the neck. Luckily, a lifeguard was alert and rescued them.

8. INSECURITY. Children lose confidence in themselves and become dependent on the flotation devices. They become afraid to swim. Usually, children make progress each lesson. Scotty (age 5) had swam 25 feet across my pool on one occasion on lesson 2 of his Advanced Beginner Class. He had been in my program since he was I year old. I really wanted him to be successful. On lessons 3 and 4 he was very fearful and would not attempt to swim even just half the distance. I was perplexed. I often lecture the parents about the bad judgment of wearing floatation devices. After class I went to the mother to inquire and find the problem.

Mom answered rather demonstrably, “We went camping. I wasn’t going to let him swim in the lake without that life jacket!” He would have been much better off going on a hike and not going in the lake.

9. FLATFEET. Children wearing floatation devices develop movement through the water by pushing their feet flat against the water. To swim three or the four competitive stokes the foot must be extended (pointed). The foot flat push makes learning the proper and efficient extended position very difficult. The more hours in floats, the more difficult it is to break the habit.

10. SOCIAL ADVANTAGE. Socially, the child will feel inadequate and may be ostracized by his or he peers if he or she is seen wearing floatation devices. Peer pressure is a great part of developing personality. A child depending on floats in the water can quickly be a target of other children’s unkind comments as to maturity and physical abilities.

We recommend getting adjusted to the water and learning to like it. Practice in the bathtub. Get the children to love water in their face. If they say “I hate water in my face,” You reply, “You love water in your face. Everybody does. You just do not know it yet.” A lot of children and adults have a deep fear of the water that can easily be overcome with just learning that water can be fun instead of just a scary situation. When a child jumps into the water let their heads go under and get to the position where he learns to swim up to the surface by himself.

Always have the child be doing something to stay afloat. Maintain the child’s instinct to move the arms and legs while in the water. Don’t let the floatation device keep them totally afloat. Use a TRAINING KICKBOARD that will let them realize they must kick their feet to move through the water. They learn to stay horizontal and keep their chin in the water to keep themselves afloat.

Try to get in the swimming position (horizontal) as often as possible. If using floatation devices a play board is recommended so the person is still horizontal and can kick their feet at the same time.

Start swimming lessons as early as possible. Get a professional program with professional instructors. If in the water as babies they are less likely to have fear of it growing up. Beginner classes usually start around the age three, but each class is adjusted to ability. Support the learning at home with bath tub and dry land practice as well as giving appropriate praise for effort during class.

Two brothers were taking swim lessons with us, and both of them were struggling stay afloat. People come in all shapes and sizes, and some of those shapes and sizes are beneficial for swimming, while others are not.

After we had them put on wetsuits, their buoyancy and stability (both swimming and back-floating) improved dramatically.

Hi Mr Ed,

While in Sydney, Australia this week I found a nearby aquatic center and went over to swim laps. The indoor pool is 50 meters long and the water is WAY colder than what I’m used to. The first day I sucked it up and started swimming and in no time I had a crushing headache. I got out after two laps and had to sit out a long time before it subsided. I thought perhaps I was dehydrated and it perhaps jetlag had really caught up to me. However, I’ve been drinking lots of water and it’s now three days later. I went back today and same thing started as soon as I started swimming. I stopped twice in the first lap before the headache got really bad and eventually it didn’t bother me. I can’t for the life of me figure out what’s going on. This pool gets gradually deeper, it’s longer than any I’ve swam in and it’s COLDER. I asked today and it’s about 47 degrees F. The headache started immediately when I started to swim. Any ideas?

Thanks,

K

Jumping Right In

At Adventure Swim, we designed a wet suit with a purpose—to provide just the right amount of floatation without encouraging bad habits. The entire suit is made from comfortable Neoprene, with specific sections of the suit made from a thicker cut of Neoprene to help with floatation.

Just the right amount of floatation encourages good posture

This design helps assist a swimmer as they float or roll over to get breaths while swimming, it does not provide excessive floatation that encourages dependence on the suit.

Getting a Breath

Unlike a life jacket, our wet suits can be worn both horizontally and vertically in the water, and are a discrete way to boost confidence for children and adults who need a little extra edge to help them complete their swim training. It can also be used to help swimmers gain confidence in the open water, because it conserves energy by assisting their float and keeps them comfortable by trapping body heat.

Stay tuned for the stories of a group of children and a group of adults that used our wet suits to give them the little extra edge they needed to swim well! Meanwhile, check out our wet suits in our online store now!

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Couple that with a little choking because they didn’t know to hold their breath first, and you have someone who may be permanently turned off to the water.

The name of the game is acclimation.

Our patent-pending Rain Bucket and Economy Rain Bucket trains children to hold their breath before they go underwater. Rather than starting out with the feeling of going underwater, the child feels a sprinkling “rain.” This isn’t scary, but instinctively will cue them to hold their breath. We sprinkle several times before we eventually move on to the “pour” stage, where the remainder of the rain bucket is poured over the child’s head.

Finally, we put the child underwater with a sprinkle/pour/go under sequence. Many children don’t even really notice going underwater, and they learn that it really isn’t scary at all. It’s just like having water sprinkled on your face.

For more information on how we use the rain bucket in training, check out our Rain Bucket training DVD.

Who said the water couldn't be fun?