At PhD Swim School, offering expert swim lessons in Durham, NC, we understand this challenge. Our goal is to transform hesitation into confidence, especially through our focused survival swim lessons. Here are three supportive strategies you can use to help your child feel safe and ready for our kids’ swim classes. Enroll today.

Start Small and Stay Positive at Home 

The journey to comfort begins where your child feels safest: the bathtub. Avoid pressuring them into water activities they resist. Instead, introduce water in a playful, controlled way. Use toys, let them pour water over their own head, and turn breath-holding into a fun game (e.g., “See who can make the biggest bubbles!”). Never shame or dismiss their fears. 

Talk About the Process, Not the Pressure 

Before attending swim lessons in Durham, NC, prepare your child by talking about what to expect. Focus the conversation on the fun parts and the amazing new skills they’ll learn, not on the fear itself. Explain that the instructors are specially trained to help them feel safe and that crying or being nervous is okay. If you enroll them in our survival swim lessons, emphasize that learning to float and roll over is a “super skill” that keeps them safe. 

Trust the Experts and Stay Consistent 

Once you enroll your child in our kids’ swim classes, allow the instructors to take the lead. They are skilled at gently navigating water anxiety. Consistency is key; regular attendance helps your child build trust and muscle memory faster. Resist the urge to pull them out of class prematurely if they cry—often, the crying is brief and a sign of adaptation, not trauma. 

ENROLL TODAY

Overcoming a fear of water is a collaborative effort between parents, the child, and the instructor. By being patient, positive, and consistent, you pave the way for a successful and life-saving experience in our survival swim lessons. Enroll at PhD Swim School in Durham today.


Enroll Today

Coach Katie Blalock

SENIOR INSTRUCTOR, DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Katie B. is a former sprint triathlete and triathlete coach. She also has experience teaching fearful adult beginners how to swim. Katie is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. She also has prior accounting and business administration experience with Raleigh Brewing Company and Charles & Colvard.

Katie has two boys herself and loves working with young children. She is a gifted teacher with special strengths in class organization, maintaining structure in a fun environment, and establishing a relationship of trust with her students. Katie has undergone over fifty hours of intense in-water and academic training to learn our method. She primarily manages all day-to-day business activities and is also an instructor. She currently teaches Survival, Kicks & Tricks, and, FUNdations.