by Betsy Stern | Sep 8, 2022 | uncategorized
As school starts for another year, so do ALL the fall activities – specifically, fall sports. Football. Soccer. Fall ball. Gymnastics. Whatever your child is into, there is likely a sport starting this month. With the chaos of those precious few after school... by Betsy Stern | Sep 8, 2022 | uncategorized
Let’s face it. Fall is full of activities, and for those with kids in elementary school and above, after school evenings are often jam-packed. Squeezing in dinner, clean up, homework and time for relaxation in between sports, clubs, music lessons and other... by Betsy Stern | Sep 8, 2022 | uncategorized
While the local pools are closed up and emptied til spring, you don’t have to hang up your child’s suit just yet. Summer swimming is a blast, and Madison is known for being an amazing swim city. Many local kids sign up for team, and many others hit the pool to cool... by Betsy Stern | Sep 8, 2022 | uncategorized
With swim lessons beginning as early as infancy, many kids learn early on to enjoy the water. But… not all of them. In fact, even though my son began swim lessons as a baby, joining me for Parent-Tot classes at SwimWest, he was NOT interested in swimming solo. If he... by Ashley VanHaren | Aug 28, 2022 | uncategorized
When you live just a short drive away from the waterpark capital of the world, waterpark tips are a must for summer! And now, knee-deep into the last month of summer, we know many of you are wrapping up those bucket lists and last-minute summer activities before the... by Betsy Stern | Aug 1, 2022 | uncategorized
As we dive into the end-of-summer days, and school supplies loom at Target, it can feel like August is just a quick pit stop on the way to fall. For my family, August is a bit more relaxed than June and July. Swim lessons are mostly over. Swim and dive team wrapped... by Betsy Stern | Aug 1, 2022 | uncategorized
Every year, nearly 4,000 people fatally drown. It happens at the pool, while boating on the lake, or even in the bathtub. Drowning happens anywhere there is water, and it can happen even if the person (usually a child) isn’t expected to be near the water. For example,... by Betsy Stern | Aug 1, 2022 | uncategorized
HOW IS IT ALMOST AUGUST?! Seriously, it feels like the summer just started, and that we are all finally getting into the groove of these sunny days together. But alas, August is here and that means our summer days are limited, no matter how much we wish we could hold... by Betsy Stern | Aug 1, 2022 | uncategorized
I’ll never forget those very first swim lessons with my oldest child. While we’d completed Parent/Tot classes at SwimWest already, it was his first time “on his own” at class, and he was NOT happy about it. I dropped him off at the steps to the pool with his brand-new... by Betsy Stern | Jul 11, 2022 | uncategorized
Whenever the end of the school year approaches and I begin to think about what our summer will look like, I always seem to have (WAY TOO) high expectations of the “work” we’ll get through over their 3 month hiatus from school. I think about spending an hour leisurely...