Welcome to “Making a Splash” with Goldfish Swim School of Chapel Hill!
Every month on 97.9 The Hill, Brighton McConnell is joined by a member of the Goldfish team for a conversation about building confidence in kids, in and out of the pool. You can listen to the full segment below, as this month, Brighton has a conversation with the owner of Goldfish Swim School in Chapel Hill, Danelle Alex. This time around, the topic on “Making a Splash” is an especially important one: helping kids overcome fears and anxieties, and then applying the lessons they’ve learned through the experience elsewhere in their young lives.
“Let me just start by saying it would be an abnormal shift if we went through without any tears from any swimmers,” said Alex. “The majority of kids in lessons are thriving, they’re learning, they’re engaged. Although kids can definitely be naturally brave and start out that way, it doesn’t always mean they did start out that way. And oftentimes you don’t know the story behind how they got there.”
Taking into account that anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health issues in the United States, and that children certainly aren’t exempt from feeling unsettled or anxious — especially in an unfamiliar environment — Alex and the Goldfish Swim School staff work to help students overcome their feelings and conquer the pool.
“Our approach is being mindful of where kids are at, understanding their mentality. … The nice thing about kids is that you often don’t have to figure out how they’re feeling, they definitely don’t hide what they’re feeling. They’ve got big emotions, especially the younger they are. So, ‘meeting kids where they’re at’ often means having another teacher work one-on-one with them and calm them down.”
To learn more about Goldfish Swim School, visit their website and follow along on their Instagram page. Tune in to “Making a Splash” on the first Friday afternoon of each month with Brighton McConnell and a member of the Goldfish team!
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