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About Beth Debrecht, Swim Instructor

Learn to swim or improve your strokes with private instruction. Professional, energetic instructor, Beth Debrecht, makes swimming fun and successful!

We offer swimming instruction for babies, toddlers, children, and families.

Private lessons are available.


Information:

Hoover, Al 35226

Phone: (561) 289-8229

swimlikeafish.fla@gmail.com

Welcome

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My son drowned, and in my last video of him all I see is a puddle jumper

My 3-year-old son.
Just two hours after this video was taken, I would pull his lifeless body out of this same pool. How can a video so short fill me with such anger, regret, and despair?
I never thought I would have any “new” videos of Levi. But, last month, one of my friends from our annual beach trip texted me. Her daughter had an underwater camera from last summer. In the chaos and hell of losing Levi, our friends had all left the beach trip in a fog. Just a few weeks ago, a full year later, the camera was charged, and 2 photos and 1 video of Levi were unexpectedly discovered.
This video, timestamped 4:53 p.m. on June 10, 2018, replaced my previous latest video of my son.

https://tidal-video.s3.amazonaws.com/webm/720p/nicole-hughes-puddle-jumpers.webm


Did I want it? She asked me, always protective.
My stomach turned. Of course, I did. A “new” video with Levi? This felt like a gift and dagger all at once.
I have only watched it once, and I will probably never watch it, again. My heartfelt mostly ripped open anew as I watched these unexpected seconds with this little boy I miss so much. The few short seconds of this video are seared in my mind forever. I know that little body, those little legs, those toes. I snuggled him as a newborn, I chased him as a giggling toddler. Then, the world ended on an unsuspecting Sunday night, and I kissed that beautiful face one last time and walked out of the hospital room without him.
One year ago, my Levi wore a puddle jumper anytime we were in the pool. I was strict about it, putting it on INSIDE before we even walked to the pool. I truly thought I was doing everything right when it came to water safety. Of course, this was back when I thought drowning happened to neglectful parents who didn't watch their children while swimming, back before I knew the real truth about drowning.
One year ago, I unknowingly contributed to my son’s death by strapping on this damn puddle jumper. He only knew water was fun, only knew he could “swim” when he was in the pool. This puddle jumper led to muscle memory, keeping him vertical.

In the video, his little legs were kicking, and he was held upright, the opposite position of swimming. Do you know this is the “drowning position”?
I am not pushing blame off of my shoulders. The truth is that I failed to keep Levi safe. But, I truly thought I was doing everything right to keep him safe. Target sells Puddle Jumpers, and the package states: “learn to swim.” I just didn’t know how dangerous they are.

At the end of the video, his face breaks into a grin and he says “cheeeeese.” The precious girl taking the video captured his innocence and his security in how much he was loved.
He was so loved.
WATER IS DEADLY. Stop treating swimming pools like a playground.
At least 69% of toddlers who drown do so when they are NOT swimming (but, based on what I now know, I think the statistic is much higher). Many of these toddlers wore puddle jumpers in a pool just hours before their last breaths, just like our Levi. He was wearing khaki shorts, sitting on a couch when I turned to close a bag of chips. I found him in the pool just a moment later.
WATER DOES NOT HAVE FEELINGS.

It will snatch a life and a future IN SECONDS. Water didn’t care that Levi was adored or that his parents would have traded their lives for his without hesitation or that his mom was right behind him. I was right there. I was so close to reaching him in time. But, Water didn’t care.
Drowning is the #1 cause of death for toddlers age 1-4, and it can happen in seconds. Nobody ever thinks it will be their child. I will never know how we didn’t see Levi slip off the couch and out the back door in the room filled with people. But, I do know that he had zero chance once he reached the water. He truly thought he would just pop back up.
Drowning is also 100% preventable. Please stop relying on puddle jumpers in the swimming pool. Enroll your child in swim lessons. Put up as many barriers between your child and the water as possible. Avoid flotation devices in the pool, but ALWAYS wear life jackets in natural water, since it is dark, has undercurrents and unknown depth/dangers.

Not only do puddle jumpers in the swimming pool create a false sense of security for the child, but they hinder the ability to learn to self-rescue and swim. Swim instructors have to un-do the muscle memory learned from being held upright. Also, parents (even if unconsciously) let down their guard when their children are in puddle jumpers. Instead, we need to stop relying on flotation devices in the pool, get in the water with our children, and teach our toddlers and children to swim. Stop making excuses.
Please believe me. My mama-heart is begging you.

Children should learn to swim before they can walk to avoid drowning, new guidelines say
Author: CBS

In Southwest Florida, swim season is year-round. Unfortunately, for too many children, a good time can turn tragic. Drowning is a leading cause of death for children ages one to four.
That’s why The American Academy of Pediatrics now says children should learn to swim before they can even walk.
“We’re always watching them, but what happens if I turn around one minute? It could be really dangerous,” says mother Nicole Guerrero.
She says she wanted to start her children at a young age.
“If my son has the skills or my daughter has the skills, I am not worried anymore,” she explains.
Her daughter began lessons at age two, and she put her son in lessons at six months old.
“It’s so great to know that at six months my son was just able to turn over, float, and breathe,” says Guerrero.
The Florida Department of Health says Florida has the most child drowning deaths in the country.
In an effort to save lives, The American Academy of Pediatrics came out with new guidelines that recommend swimming lessons by the time babies have their first birthday.
“Children should absolutely learn how to swim and obtain a survival float before they can walk,” says Yazmin Acocella. She’s a swim instructor and owner of Born to Swim.
“Because once they can walk, they’re mobile. Once they’re mobile, they can crawl into a pool. They can walk into a pool.”
Her lessons focus not just on swimming, but, most importantly, surviving in the water.
“At six months, we are able to teach kids how to survive in the water— how to roll over from their belly to their back in a floating position, an independent floating position where they can rest and breathe,” Acocella says.
Maytee Avetrani takes her granddaughter, who started before she turned one.
“At first it was really, really nerving,” she admits when she saw her granddaughter in the water.
Once she got over her own initial fears, she says she was so impressed by how quickly her granddaughter adapted. She even went through a course where she learned to float fully clothed, simulating what it would be like after a fall in the pool.
Avetrani says with all the other activities children get involved in from an early age, swimming should be a top priority.
“Ballet, soccer, karate,” she says. “Then, I see 4 and 5-year-olds that just can’t swim.”
“Anyone that’s in the aquatics industry has the best of intentions for your child,” Acocella says. “It’s not a gimmick. It’s not a luxury. It’s a necessity.”
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American Red Cross Certified

I am American Red Cross Certified in Water Safety and CPR.
I am dedicated to teaching all levels of swimming from the basics to mastering all of the strokes. You, your child and your whole family will learn to swim . I build self-confidence while building swim skills!
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Contact Us for More Information

Email us and we will get right back to you or call 561-289-8229
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LIKE US ON FACEBOOK !

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Cora 2, Laela 3 & Leo 5

Raleigh 5   cason 4

Raleigh 5 & Cason 4

Monroe 3    clark 1

Monroe 3 1/2  & Clark 1

Evie 3   eden 5

Evie 3 & Eden 5

Liam 3

Liam 3

Eli 5   whitney 3

Eli 5 & Whitney 3 1/2

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Millie. 3 years old

Benjamin 2yrs

Corah 6 years old

AnnaRobin 4 yrs

Wyatt  age 6

A NEW Alabama swimmer

 Lacy 2 years old

Testimonial by a Mother


"Beth is an incredible instructor! she has many years of experience with young children and this shows through her work. My two-year-old son was very defiant to start. He loved the water but did not want to be told what to do!
Beth was very calm and instructed him through his "difficult" personality. by the third lesson, he was loving her lessons and was so excited to return. after two months of instruction, my son was swimming freestyle, jumping and diving into the pool and floating.
I have yet to find another instructor that was so patient and was able to give my son the survival skills he needs in a pool, all while having a blast. There is just no one like her!"


Lindsey Seminara​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Piper

A new Alabama swimmer

Lacy 2 years old

Paulina

Diving
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Paulina - Diving

Daniela 4yrs

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Aiden 5yrs

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Paulina  and  Alessia - almost 3yrs

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Frankie 3yrs

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Addy 9mo.

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Harper 13 mo.

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Joey 19 mo

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Landon 2 yrs

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Call Us Today - 561-289-8229

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Learn to Swim Songs

Songs to sing during swim lessons. Tiny Tim, I'm a Little Pancake, I'm a Little Rocket, If You're Happy and You Know It, Old MacDonald, The Kids in the Pool, Ring Around the Otter, This is the Way, 5 Little Ducks.

Swim Like a Fish_Video age 2

Typical Private swimming Lessons for age 2 after 10-12 lessons.

Experience Says It All

My experience of over 30 years, keeps me on the leading edge of aquatics and I have developed new and innovative teaching techniques to improve your swimming quickly and efficiently. I believe in using water education to develop water safety and swimming skills and also to develop self-confidence, self-esteem, and personal excellence. I acknowledge that each child is unique, and direct the instruction towards each child's emotional and developmental abilities. Our goal is to help each child develop self-esteem, confidence, and a love for swimming while teaching them to become water-safe.

Like Us on Facebook

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JJ and Caroline ..

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Georgia age 3

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Isabel has mastered the Back Float

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I am American Red Cross Certified in Water Safety and CPR.
I am dedicated to teaching all levels of swimming from the basics to mastering all of the strokes. You, your child and your whole family will learn to swim . I build self-confidence while building swim skills!

Lansing 6 years old

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Juliet - 3 yrs.

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Jonathan 3 yrs. and Isabel 4 yrs.

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Lanya - 2 yrs.

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Learn to swim or improve your strokes with private instruction. Professional, energetic instructor, Beth Debrecht, makes swimming fun and successful! We offer swimming instruction for babies, toddlers, children, and families.  Private lessons are available.
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Finding Dory finger family | Nursery Rhymes | Songs for children

Dory, Nemo, Destiny, Hank, Squirt and more Finding Dory Characters dancing Finger Family Song.
Here I am, here I am. How do you do? Destiny finger, Destiny finger, where are you? Here I am, here I am. How do you do? Nemo finger, Nemo finger, where are you? Here I am, Fox I am. How do you do? Dory finger, Dory finger, where are you? Here I am, here I am. How do you do? Squirt finger, Squirt finger, where are you? Here I am, here I am. How do you do? Thanks for watching!!!! See you in the next dRuLii TV video...!!!