Teach Your Kids To Recycle From An Early Age
We need to do a better job of teaching our children the importance of recycling on a daily basis.
Houston has a low rate recycling rate of 14%, even when compared to our low nationwide rates of approximately 30%, and the problem begins from a young age.
Here is something to think about: the city of Houston, combined with its suburbs, has a population of over six million people.
Can you imagine how much waste goes into our 15 landfills every single day?
How long do you think it will take for those landfills to reach full capacity if we each do not make recycling our re-usable items a bigger priority?
Everyday each one of us throws away something in the trash bin that can be reused into something useful again. Our children see us and do the same thing because if mommy and daddy do not see the importance of recycling, then why should they?
We all want our children to grow up and be able to live in a clean environment. Nobody wants offspring to inherit a garbage-filled wasteland.
In order to accomplish that, we need to teach them not only why recycling is important but also how to do it on a daily basis.
Most of our kids are being introduced to the concept of recycling in elementary school. I remember my 2nd grade science teacher spending a a month on the subject. It was tons of fun! We studied about it, watched videos about it and finally each had a project to do about protecting the environment.
Fun times! I am sure sure that millions of others had the exact same experience in their school.
However, all that knowledge is worthless if we fail to apply it in our homes. The following are three actions that parents can do to teach their children how to apply recycling to their daily routine.
Show Them How to Sort Recyclable Items
Take your children around the house and show them items that can go into the recycle bin.
Teach them how to sort out the trash from a young age. Turn it into a fun game and you’ll be surprise how quickly you peak their interest.
Many parents have had success in decorating several bins with pictures of what goes into each one (aluminum cans, plastic, paper, etc.).
This will imprint on them the items around the house that can be reused.
Show Them How Trash Affects the Planet
Bring your children to the beach or park, where you can point the trash that others have thrown on the ground. Talk to them how trash affects the animals.
Explain to them how they must do their part to help places like this stay clean. Bring some bags, gloves, and tongs to help clean it up.
Read Them Books about Protecting The Environment
Do you remember how sorry we all felt for the Truffula Trees when our first grade teacher read The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss?
There are other books that you can introduce to your children that will instill in them a love of protecting the planet.
Some of good reads you can buy them include The Adventures of an Aluminum Can, My First Garden and I Can Save the Ocean!
Set An Example Yourself
Never get into the habit of thinking that your little ones are not paying attention because they most definitely are. Your children will emulate what you do.
If mom and dad don’t care about recycling on a daily basis then they will not either. The whole family needs make recycling a habit that everyone participates in.
We each need to try to lower our carbon footprint on the world in a realistic way. This includes conserving water, turning off lights when not in a room; carpooling when possible and recycling items that can be reused.
Our schools do their best to introduce these lessons to our children, as they did with us, but its parents that reinforce these principals.
Our city has never been known for “being green,” like some other cities but with a little effort, we can each help to change that.
We need to do a better job of teaching our children the importance of recycling on a daily basis.
Houston has a low rate recycling rate of 14%, even when compared to our low nationwide rates of approximately 30%, and the problem begins from a young age.
Here is something to think about: the city of Houston, combined with its suburbs, has a population of over six million people.
Can you imagine how much waste goes into our 15 landfills every single day?
How long do you think it will take for those landfills to reach full capacity if we each do not make recycling our re-usable items a bigger priority?
Everyday each one of us throws away something in the trash bin that can be reused into something useful again. Our children see us and do the same thing because if mommy and daddy do not see the importance of recycling, then why should they?
We all want our children to grow up and be able to live in a clean environment. Nobody wants offspring to inherit a garbage-filled wasteland.
In order to accomplish that, we need to teach them not only why recycling is important but also how to do it on a daily basis.
Most of our kids are being introduced to the concept of recycling in elementary school. I remember my 2nd grade science teacher spending a a month on the subject. It was tons of fun! We studied about it, watched videos about it and finally each had a project to do about protecting the environment.
Fun times! I am sure sure that millions of others had the exact same experience in their school.
However, all that knowledge is worthless if we fail to apply it in our homes. The following are three actions that parents can do to teach their children how to apply recycling to their daily routine.
Show Them How to Sort Recyclable Items
Take your children around the house and show them items that can go into the recycle bin.
Teach them how to sort out the trash from a young age. Turn it into a fun game and you’ll be surprise how quickly you peak their interest.
Many parents have had success in decorating several bins with pictures of what goes into each one (aluminum cans, plastic, paper, etc.).
This will imprint on them the items around the house that can be reused.
Show Them How Trash Affects the Planet
Bring your children to the beach or park, where you can point the trash that others have thrown on the ground. Talk to them how trash affects the animals.
Explain to them how they must do their part to help places like this stay clean. Bring some bags, gloves, and tongs to help clean it up.
Read Them Books about Protecting The Environment
Do you remember how sorry we all felt for the Truffula Trees when our first grade teacher read The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss?
There are other books that you can introduce to your children that will instill in them a love of protecting the planet.
Some of good reads you can buy them include The Adventures of an Aluminum Can, My First Garden and I Can Save the Ocean!
Set An Example Yourself
Never get into the habit of thinking that your little ones are not paying attention because they most definitely are. Your children will emulate what you do.
If mom and dad don’t care about recycling on a daily basis then they will not either. The whole family needs make recycling a habit that everyone participates in.
We each need to try to lower our carbon footprint on the world in a realistic way. This includes conserving water, turning off lights when not in a room; carpooling when possible and recycling items that can be reused.
Our schools do their best to introduce these lessons to our children, as they did with us, but its parents that reinforce these principals.
Our city has never been known for “being green,” like some other cities but with a little effort, we can each help to change that.
Feet2Fins
1901 Post Oak Park Dr. #7202
Houston, TX 77027713-489-6133
feet2fins@gmail.com
Have questions? Visit our contact page!
Benefits of Swimming Lessons for Kids
As we head into Summer, thinking about swimming lessons for kids is very important. School will be out in a few weeks and kids around Houston will be bored at home within a few days. As parents, it is important to come up with safe, fun activities to keep kids engaged and out of trouble. Swimming is one of those activities that if kids are properly trained can offer a number of benefits during this long, hot summer in Houston.
Swim Lessons Decrease Risk of Drowning
In a 2009 study, the American Academy of Pediatrics found that kids who had received some type of swim lessons had an 88% reduced risk of drowning compared to those who had not had formal swim lessons. This alone should convince parents to enroll their children in swim lessons as early as possible.
Swimming Builds Strength
Swimming is not often thought of as a way for kids to get in shape, but it is actually a great workout. Swimming strengthens muscles throughout the entire body and is a great way to keep kids active as opposed to sitting at home playing video games.
Kids Who Swim Do Better in School
Some studies have shown that swimming actually helps your kids do better in school. Researchers found that the type of learning that kids experience in early swim lessons helps to develop the necessary skills that kids will use when they actual start school.
Swimming Can Be Done at Any Age
Some sports are much more difficult for young people. Swimming is a sport that can be enjoyed by individuals of all ages. Why not help your kid develop a skill that he or she will enjoy for the rest of their lives?
Contact Feet2Fins for Private Swim Lessons in Houston
If you are looking for private swim lessons for kids, Feet2Fins would be happy to provide you with our competitive rates as well as a list of our credentials. We are certified with over 10 years of experience and would love to help your child learn how to swim! Give us a call today at 832-704-3545 or shoot us an email at feet2fins@gmail.com.
Feet2Fins
1901 Post Oak Park Dr. #7202
Houston, TX 77027713-489-6133
feet2fins@gmail.com
Have questions? Visit our contact page!
Where Has The Summer Gone?
Hello everyone, I hope you all are enjoying your summer! Hopefully it’s been filled with trips to the beach, backyard bar-b-ques and a nice family trip to Schlitterbahn (I love that place).
The last three months have been crazy for me. The amount swim lessons I have been doing has tripled from last year. Though I really did love being a teacher, I am really glad that I ended up leaving it.
It was always my passion to be an educator and now I get to do it independently of the educational bureaucracy. My personal belief is that the educational system in Texas, as well as many other states, needs to be reformed because it burns out some of the best teachers who really want to make a difference. We truly need to applaud the ones that have been doing it for several decades because it is not easy.
Adults
Though teaching children is something I will always love, one of the most rewarding parts of my job has actually been teaching adults how to swim. I never imagined that so many adults were suffering from some level of aquaphobia before I started this business.
It’s not extreme in most cases, yet very important to address the reasons for individuals who do not feel comfortable in water. This 36 yr old woman (and very sweet I may add) was telling me that she was thrown into a pool by her uncle when she was 5 years old, never came out until someone jumped in to get her, had a near drowning experience and never learned how to swim after that.
She told me that she can be sitting in the shallow part of the pool with no problem, but gets a panic attack if someone so much as splashes her. I had several lessons with her and now she is able to swim without any problem. In many of these similar cases I have found it beneficial to not only teach this person the proper techniques of swimming so that they are confident in their ability but also attempt to talk about and tackle the root cause of their phobia. I guess you could say I have turned into an “aqua-psychologist.”
Group Lessons
Many of my friends who own businesses themselves have suggested that I start offering group lessons. Their reasoning is sound: you can make more money by teaching more individuals in one setting.
Though I have thought about it for some time, unfortunately, it goes against one of the core principals behind starting Feet2Fins. I firmly believe that people best learn how to swim, as well as many other things in life, when they get personalized training. Every person learns things at their own pace and something is lost when you teach something to a group. This is why many students get left behind in school. It isn’t because they are dumb, or unable to learn, but because they are not receiving the information in a way they can personally understand.
I really like the idea of being a private swimming tutor. Many children and adults have come to me after taking many different group classes, having learned virtually nothing in them. Several children have come to me after taking at months of group lessons and do not feel comfortable enough to swim independently.
So, for now, I have no plans of offering group lessons. I am going to try to eschew that idea for as long as I can. I started this company with a clear purpose in mind and its my goal to stick to that.
Its Hot But Enjoy Your Summer
The summers go so quickly so I hope you enjoy the last month we have of it. They are always over before you know it. Make sure you use plenty of sunscreen and stay safe. I cannot believe we are halfway done with 2013. It feels like yesterday we were bringing in the new year. .
Feet2Fins
1901 Post Oak Park Dr. #7202
Houston, TX 77027713-489-6133
feet2fins@gmail.com
Have questions? Visit our contact page!
If You Suffer From Aquaphobia, You Are Not Alone
This Is A Prevalent and Real Anxiety Disorder
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 18.1% of the adult population in America suffer from some type of phobia. Of all of the basic cases mentioned, aquaphobia is one of the largest sub types that individuals have.
The word aquaphobia derives from the Greek word hydrophobia, literally meaning “water fear.” At one point the “hydro” was dropped and the Latin word aqua replaced it, hence, the word we get today that signifies light to high morbid fear of drowning or the water in general.
The levels of this anxiety disorder ranges from feeling uneasy about getting into any type of large body of water, like a pool, to being afraid to get into a bathtub. In extreme cases, some individuals suffer a panic attack when they are splashed with a little bit of water.
Typically the root cause of aquaphobia is due to a bad experience in the past. There are many instances where a traumatic experience happened at a young age and the person it happened to was never able to move on from it. This is why pushing children in the pool before they know how to swim or trying to force them into the water before they are ready can prove to be disastrous in the future.
How To Get Over Your Fear
In the most extreme cases a qualified therapist will be need to assist you with your anxiety disorder. This is a real fear, despite what some others would have you believe, and treatment of it needs to be done by a trained physiological specialist. There are all kinds of exercises they will have to do that have proved to be highly successful.
The majority of individuals who suffer from aquaphobia, however, can benefit from having an experienced swim instructor teach them how to swim, at one’s own pace. The process involves taking baby steps in order to get comfortable with being in water.
You need someone who will encourage you and give your positive feedback during your journey of getting rid of this fear. Someone who is highly skilled at doing something is rarely afraid of it. Likewise, as your develop proper swimming techniques you will begin to fell more comfortable in the water.
While there is no treatment that works 100% of the time, I have found that most adults start to love the water once they are gradually introduced to it and are taught proper swimming techniques.
I have also found that it is helpful to understand your past if you plan to get over your fear of the water. You need to attempt to find what started this fear in the first place.
Was your head held under the water resulting in you thinking for a brief moment you would drown? did you loose someone you loved in a traumatic drowning experience? or were you never properly introduced to the water at an early age that later on affected your comfort level with it?
Personally, I have been given the privilege to teach many adults how to swim. Many of them came to me with an acute fear of being in the water. Thankfully, they put their trust in me and I was able to help them conquer this phobia.
Many adults have avoided the water their whole life and only made it a point to overcome this fear when they had kids. I was told by several adults well into their late 30s that they did not want to pass their fear of the water onto their children.
Remember that you can overcome this. I have witnessed many great success stories. Do not let this fear haunt you for the rest of your life. Take action now and make small steps every single day to accomplish your goal. It might take a while but once you do, you might find that you actually love the water and will not be able to imagine the days when you avoided it.
Feet2Fins
1901 Post Oak Park Dr. #7202
Houston, TX 77027713-489-6133
feet2fins@gmail.com
Have questions? Visit our contact page!
The Importance of Teaching Your Toddler to Swim
Knowing how to swim is one of the most important skills that a child can have. It encourages physical fitness, builds confidence and gives you peace of mind. The toddler years are the perfect time to enroll your child in swimming lessons because at this age children are beginning to develop a higher level of independence.
This age is critical for gaining water safety and swimming skills as they can save your child’s life. Swimming is an excellent full body exercise. Children who learn to swim early will continue to enjoy water activities throughout their lives.
Pool parties, swim team or just an evening of hanging out at the beach become a desired way to spend a summer afternoon. It is important in today’s world where many children and adults are obese that we teach our children to remain active and healthy. Watching your child gain the physical strength and stamina needed to swim during swimming lessons is a great bonding experience that will strengthen your relationship with your child.
Toddlers are beginning to test the boundaries of their independence. Swimming lessons that begin during this age can help build confidence in your little one as well as teach them boundaries. A qualified swim instructor will carefully guide your child as their learn how to treat water with respect. In addition, swimming lessons will be a perfect place for your toddler to meet new people and build new friendships.
The most important reason to enroll your toddler in swimming lessons is for safety. Every year tragedy strikes when a small child drowns in a family pool or other body of water. It only takes seconds for a place that is a haven for family activity to become the scene of a terrible accident.
A toddler with some basic water safety skills will learn the importance of staying away from pools or other bodies of water when an adult is not present. They will learn survival strategies in case they do accidentally fall into water. Every second your child can keep their head above water and yell for help is a second that can save their life.
For these reasons it is important to teach your child to swim. The toddler years are the perfect time to use the pool to build friendships and confidence and give your child a skill that will benefit them for their entire lives.
Feet2Fins
1901 Post Oak Park Dr. #7202
Houston, TX 77027713-489-6133
feet2fins@gmail.com
Have questions? Visit our contact page!
Chicago Drowning Related Deaths Up Among Children
According to the Chicago Sun-Times ten children under the age of 17 have drowned in the Chicago metropolitan area since summer begin. There were 15 drowning related deaths of children and adults in Chicago during the whole year of 2011.
What does this mean? It means that more parents should be teaching their kids how to swim at earlier ages. The ages have ranged from toddler to fifteen year olds. Granted, some of those kids knew how to swim. They were in a lake and wind conditions was more of a factor but if they knew proper swimming techniques...who knows.
Making sure your children are equipment to handle small to large bodies of water is very important. Its an investment that will always pay off. This especially applies for parents who have a swimming pool in their backyard.
Imagine how many young children have drowned in the backyard swimming pool. They were not being supervised for a brief moment, stumbled in and never came out alive. To be fair many of the parents of those kids were not negligent. They did a great job at watching their son or daughter 99.9% of the time. But, perhaps, maybe the phone rang or the pizza man came to the door.
In many cases the father or mother falls asleep without realizing it. How do you think they feel when the wake up to the horror of what has happened? How do you think they feel?
Each swimming lesson will cost anywhere from $60-$90 depending on where you are and what season it is. It takes 2-4 lessons for a child to adequately know how to swim. That means that it will take $400 for a child to learn all the techniques about swimming including all the information he needs about water safety.
That might seem expensive but what is your child's life worth? Those parents probably consider that cost fairly cheap now, in hindsight.
When you know your child can swim does that mean you do not have to watch him/her. Absolutely not! But you can rest easier. And if you were to fall asleep and your 3 year old stumbles into the pool then you might just wake up with a wet toddler in front of you instead of a dead one.
My advice: start early. Your kids can start learning how to swim as early as age one. Start as soon as possible. Why wait? There is no reason why any child in Houston or this country should die by drowning.
Feet2Fins
1901 Post Oak Park Dr. #7202
Houston, TX 77027713-489-6133
feet2fins@gmail.com
Have questions? Visit our contact page!
Even Adults Are Susceptible to Drowning
When people think about swimming lessons they mainly think about children.
There is the assumption that adults cannot drown.
This is simply not true. Adults can die from drowning just like children can.
Are the percentages much lower? Yes, they are.
Last year there were 41 drowning deaths in Texas (2nd behind Florida).
Adults who cannot swim are far less likely to be near or in the water because they are more aware of their own limitations.
Children, on the other hand, might play in the water without having any prior knowledge of how to swim.
What's more, a child's friends who are the same age as him are far less likely to know what to do in an emergency situation versus the friends of a typical adult.
Nevertheless, there is no age at which a person IS NOT capable of drowning.
Last June, a woman named Marie Joseph died by drowning in a public pool. She was 36 years old. Because of her dealth new safety precautions are being enacted in all the area's local public pools.
She didn't know how to swim. She slid down the water slide, apparently thinking that area of the pool was more shallow than what is was.
It was twelve feet deep. The water was cloudy and she slid in and never came up alive.
Just four days ago, an elderly man drowned in Cupsuptic Lake in Rangeley, Maine.
During the summer there are several news articles that pop up every single day about an adult who drowned in small and large body of water.
The lesson: adults need to learn how to swim also.
Even if you are not a fan of the water learning how to swim is a great skill to learn. You never know when you might be called to use it. You might have to rescue someone else in the future. It might be someone you know or a complete stranger.
Additionally, what kind of example are you setting for your children. They notice more things than we think. If their parents do not know how to swim then they might reason that its not important.
With our affordable packages there is no reason to put it off any longer.
In fact, why not start this week?
Call Feet2Fins at (713) 489-6133 and schedule your own private swimming lesson.
We come to you. You will be taught all the proper technique and mechanics of knowing how to swim.
Who knows, one day, what you learn might save your life or the life of another. The cost to learn is worth every single penny.
Feet2Fins
1901 Post Oak Park Dr. #7202
Houston, TX 77027713-489-6133
feet2fins@gmail.com
Have questions? Visit our contact page!
Early Summertime Registration Special
Save 15% Off Regular Price By Registering Before July 19
Summertime is here! Say hello to 95 degree weather, the kids being out of school and a steady diet of backyard BBQ s. Its the favorite time of the year for most people.
This time also begins the time that people in Houston like to go swimming. Whether you are going to the beach or just taking a dip in your own pool there is nothing better than feeling the cool water against your skin when the heat is blistering outside.
What better time to learn how to swim?
To kick off summer Feet2Fins is offering a 15% discount to anyone who registers for swim classes before July 19. We want to do our part to make this summer a safe and enjoyable time for all and encouraging people to learn how to properly swim is an excellent way to do so.
!!!Act Now Because We Fill Up Quickly!!!
713-489-6133
Feet2Fins
1901 Post Oak Park Dr. #7202
Houston, TX 77027713-489-6133
feet2fins@gmail.com
Have questions? Visit our contact page!
Swimming Benefits For Elderly
Swimming is a great way for elderly people to get the exercise they require to stay healthy but not put undo stress on their knees and ankles, which are problem areas for many.
An individual who has worked his or her whole life will start suffering from mild to severe joint problems by the time they reach the age of 50.
Not coincidentally this is when many people start slowing down. Its not that they do not enjoy doing physical activities but it hurts their joints when they do so.
This creates more problems in the long run. If you do not work you muscles then they deteriorate. The problem with joint and muscle problems is only compounded when you turn into a couch potato.
The solution: swimming classes. Taking regular swimming classes several times a week can improve endurance, help your cardiovascular system and strengthen your core muscle groups.
Can't other exercises do that?
Yes.
But the constant impact puts stress on your body.
Swimming allows you to exert yourself physically without placing stress on your ankles and knees.
Feet2Fins
1901 Post Oak Park Dr. #7202
Houston, TX 77027713-489-6133
feet2fins@gmail.com
Have questions? Visit our contact page!
Ideal Age to Teach Children To Swim?
The American Academy of Pediatrics states that children can begin learning how to swim by the age of one. This was newsworthy because for the longest time the minimum age was set at four. What is ironic about that is that 1-4 years of age is the largest segment of the population susceptible of drowning.
That percentage has been declining with every passing decade because more associations, parenting guides and people in general advocating that children learn how to swim as earliest as humanly possible.
Waiting until a person is in his early teens is not advisable.
Whats funny is that many experts had been saying for years that children as early as six months old could start being exposed to water.
It was about time that the AAP officially acknowledged this fact.
This doesn’t mean that a six month old baby can be put into the water by himself. But with supervision, be it a parent or trained professional, a baby as young as six months old can start being exposed to water.
I felt like this article was a great resource for people who are wondering how much a child should know about swimming depending on what age he or she is.
If you live in the Houston area and would like your son or daughter receive private swim lessons then give Feet2Fins a call. It might be one of the smartest calls you make on behalf of your child’s life.