Following is a letter from one of our parents that highlights the benefits of teaching your children to swim from an early age. ‘Our family spends a lot of time in and around the water, so swimming lessons for our kids were a number one priority. Both boys have had weekly lessons at Paul Sadler Swimland since they were six months old. Water sports are a huge part of summer for us and in December 2010, at 2 years and 8 months, Callen had his first water ski. He had been on the biscuit with an adult since he was a little over a year old, but this was his first ‘solo’ attempt on the water! With a friend balancing him as he was pulled off the side of the bank, he managed about 300 m before we slowed down and let him sink into the water. He now has two or three skis a day whenever we go out on the boat, and has to ensure that his special skis are the first thing on board when we go away. Although he found the big lakes a bit daunting at first, after a couple of days he was happily treading water and waiting for someone to swim out and help him into the boat. He is even learning the safety signals for when he falls in! It’s amazing to see him out on the water and we love the fact that he enjoys it so much already. He is extremely proud of himself, as are his parents! Without the swimming lessons, I can’t imagine him having the confidence to be out alone in a lake. It’s really neat to see him doing the small things that have been reinforced during lessons – from doing his safe entry off the boat platform to treading water in circles if he falls off the biscuit or ski. It’s important that our children are strong and confident swimmers and already we can see how much their regular lessons have paid off.’