Swimming Lessons by Brandy Gerard Gautreau

🏊 Gregory

Gregory's growth this session has been incredible! Compared to last year, the difference in his confidence and trust was remarkable. Last year, he would not tolerate physical guidance. This year, he came to the pool excited to see me every day and eagerly participated in each lesson.

One of Gregory's biggest accomplishments was learning to trust both me and the water. He accepted instructor support for kicking, worked on coordinating his kicks and arm pulls for forward movement, jumped from the step into the pool, and proudly learned to blow bubbles.

My favorite milestone was watching him begin to truly relax during his back float. What once felt scary slowly became something he could enjoy. Seeing him submit to the water, lean back, and trust the process was amazing.

On his final day, Gregory even tolerated raindrops falling on his head while staying in the pool. For a child with sensory sensitivities, that is a huge achievement and speaks volumes about how much his confidence has grown.

Watching Gregory transform something that once felt frightening into something he looked forward to every day was such a privilege. His smile throughout the session was absolutely priceless, and I couldn't be more proud of how far he has come. 💙🌊

🏊‍♂️💙 Braydon's Confidence Took Off! 💙🏊‍♂️

Braydon returned for his third year of lessons ready to keep building on his skills. He came in with some anxiety in the water and would often inhale water if he was surprised, so our biggest goal was helping him relax and trust himself.

By the end of lessons, the transformation was incredible!

🌊 Swimming with his eyes in
🌊 Using strong kicks to propel himself forward
🌊 Floating independently on his back
🌊 Jumping in and returning to safety with minimal assistance

The biggest accomplishment wasn't just the new skills—it was watching Braydon learn to relax in the water. Once that confidence started to grow, everything else began falling into place.

I'm so proud of how hard Braydon worked and all that he accomplished this session. Way to go, Braydon! 💙🌊

🏊‍♂️💙 Drew's Great Start! 💙🏊‍♂️

Drew came into lessons with no previous structured swim instruction. He loved exploring the water on his own, so we focused on building the foundation while making learning fun.

Although we were only able to complete four lessons due to scheduling conflicts, Drew made some fantastic progress!

🌊 Blowing bubbles with confidence
🌊 Learning proper kicking position
🌊 Beginning coordinated arm and leg movements with assistance
🌊 Becoming much more comfortable on his back
🌊 Jumping in and confidently submerging

For just four lessons, Drew accomplished so much! He worked hard, grew more comfortable in the water each day, and built a strong foundation to continue developing his swimming skills. I'm proud of all he achieved and can't wait to see what he does next! 💙🌊

🏊 Kolten crushed it this week! 💙

Kolten came into lessons carrying something much bigger than learning to swim—he was carrying fear from a previous drowning incident. Because of that experience, he had become very dependent on his goggles and was nervous about putting his face in the water without them.

But every single day, he chose courage. 💪

Even though the weather kept us from finishing all 8 sessions, Kolten made incredible progress. He started relaxing with his eyes in the water again, began coordinating his arms and legs for forward movement, and is so close to independently floating on his back!

This is exactly why swimming lessons are about so much more than strokes. They're about rebuilding confidence, overcoming fear, and learning skills that can save a life.

I'm so proud of you, Kolten! Keep practicing—you've come so far, and I can't wait to see what you accomplish next!

🏊‍♂️Friendly reminder to all families: Drowning happens quickly. Active adult supervision is always the first layer of protection, and goggles should be a tool to build confidence—not a necessity—because emergencies don't wait for us to put them on. 🥽