5 Pro-Moves to Mastering Goldfish

As we have discussed here before, every Monday all three of our Daughter’s take swim lessons at Goldfish Swim School in Dublin. We are about three months into our lessons and Amber and I are feeling a lot more adapted to the Goldfish scene then when we first began. 

Dare we say we are feeling like Expert Goldfish Moms?

Because it is Monday and in a few short hours we will be participating in our usual Monday ritual of swim lessons we’ve decided to put together our Top 5 Tips for maneuvering Goldfish successfully.

1.)   Bring a Friend:

I feel like we are beating a dead horse here a little, but our three daughter’s are the bestest of friends. Watching them spot each other for the first time is hilarious and never ceases to amaze us how excited they are to see each other. Even if they saw each other the day before their excitement is unattainable. Part of what makes their Monday’s at Goldfish so incredible each week is because they know they get to see their bestie, even if it’s only for a few minutes.

It is also nice for Amber and I to have this scheduled 30 minute chat session each week, #besties.

If your kids are anything like ours, it is best to probably put them in separate swim classes. If Evelyn and Liaylah were in the same class, I imagine they would never pay attention.

There is a definite flow to entering and exiting the pool area. The incoming groups lines up at one end of the pool area, eagerly awaiting their weekly high-fives and entry into swim lessons. While at the opposite end of the pool the previous group of swimmers is exiting from their finished lessons out a separate door.

It flows.

Pretty seamlessly the whole process flows. Do not be the fish swimming up stream.

Figure out the flow. 

3.) Stake Out: 

There are usually plenty of chairs for every parent that wants one. But Amber and I like to spend our 30 minutes chatting and therefore we need chairs right next to each other.

Usually the first one of us to arrive will grab chairs and throw a towel over them to keep them reserved. It isn’t really to be front and center to take in our kid’s every doggy paddle, it’s more so we can talk. I think I just realized we are those Moms.

If you want to be front and center to watch your kid’s turning into Olympic swimmers you will definitely want to snag a chair as soon as you see one available. However, with the 30 minute rotation of swim classes, there is also usually a pretty good flow of open chairs.

Goldfish has their flow down.

4.) Embrace the Shower Scene: 

I was not all about the showers when we first began at Goldfish. But these open, community showers, with soap dispensers are like shower Disney for kids. There is no avoiding the after lesson shower with all 100 other Goldfish swimmer’s and their parents.

We’ve smartened up though, strategically wearing shoes to swim lessons that easily walk through the splashes of the shower scene. I leave much happier when my favorite pair of suede shoes aern’t soaked from trying to pry Evelyn out of the shower.

We’ve also embraced this shower as nightly bath time. At first when we came home from swim, I used to make Evelyn shower. But seriously, why? She’s been in a pool full of chlorine (clean in my book) and then stands and douses herself in soap after swim lessons. 

That’s a seriously clean kid.

Going along with the shower scene, after your kid is chlorinated, showered and sufficiently clean head on over to the hair drying station and make sure you’ve packed pajamas in your bag.

We take lessons at six o’clock so by the time the girls are through it is pushing seven. It makes for a very easy and quick transition to bed time when your little swimmer is already dressed and ready.

And of course, don’t forget to hit the blue bowl on your way out!