Are you a “plunger”? Or a “dipper”?

I swam competitively for thirteen years and spent a majority of those years attending early-morning swim workouts. Getting out of a warm bed and jumping into cold water is not much fun. And I noticed two types of people at the pool, the plungers, who dove in the deep end to get the shock over with, and the dippers, who waded into the shallow end one toe at a time.

When it comes to preparing our teens, I prefer the “dip” method. Slowly adjust them to the waters they’ll be swimming in as adults. If you over-shelter them all through childhood, the “plunge” into the deep end may be a shock they’re not ready for.

Ready to take your family swimming? Wade in slowly.

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