By: Audrey Renae Garcia
arg136@txstate.edu
June 13, 2019
LOCKHART - Chubby cheeks and squishy feet, all splish-splashing through
the clear blue pool water. While walking through
Lockhart State Park, babies are
enjoying the cool water on a bright morning, while mothers are watching and
guiding closely.
Kicking, splashing, cooing, swimming lessons have begun Thursday
morning at the state park pool. As one of the last pools in any Texas state
park, Lockhart ISD utilizes this area for great summer activities. One of those
activities includes parent and child swim lessons, presented by the American
Red Cross. Though the classes are open for anyone to enroll in, this particular
morning was shared between mother and baby.
 |
| Jennifer, 32 & Hendrick, 14-months. |
Jennifer, mother of three, has been coming to these swim
lessons for about 7 years, since she enrolled with her first baby girl. Now she
sits and enjoys the kiddie pool while she allows her fourteen-month-old,
Hendrick, to become familiar with the water.
“I’m enjoying that he’s getting exposure to the water. I
like coming here,” she says. “The scenery is wonderful and basically, the fact
that we can spend one-on-one time together is building our bond, building our
mother-son relationship.”
The Lockhart pool swim lessons have been going on for over thirty
years, and Rip Mitler has been teaching them for over fourteen years. Mitler
teaches for the Red Cross and provides swimming lessons that focus on safety to
every age.
“There’s a lot of benefits [to swimming]. One of them being exercise…”
Rip says, “also taking lessons in the Red Cross is really high in safety. We don’t
just teach how to swim, but safety around the pool.”
Anyone can enroll in swimming lesson at Lockhart State Park.
These lessons, and other activities like them, are offered through Lockhart ISD’s
Community Education program. You can find more information by clicking one this
link.
