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In This Issue
Pruny Fingers And Toes
Swim Suit Shopping
Family Swim Nights
Riptides
Safety Day Success
Little Otter Loyalty
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Pruny Fingers

And Toes

The Real Story   

Pruny

If you spend much time at all in a swimming pool, you have noticed that extended time in the pool will produce pruny fingers. If you are really observant, you've also noticed that this affects your toes.

Why does this happen? You cannot see it but a special oil called sebum covers the outermost layer of the skin. This oil moistens - or lubricates - the skin, protects it and even makes it a bit waterproof. (This is why water runs off the hands when they are washed instead of soaking it up like a sponge.)

Staying in the water too long washes away the sebum. Water can then penetrate the outer layer of skin, causing the skin to become waterlogged.


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Buying Swim-Lesson-Appropriate Suits for Your Children

Spring is officially here, so it's a good time to talk about shopping for swim suits for your little swimmers to wear for swim lessons. There are a few "best practices" that help in making good choices.

Buy a suit that fits.

Face it that your children will only get one season out of each suit you purchase, so don't buy anything big enough for them to "grow into". In fact, a tight fitting suit is the best choice. Anything with Lycra in it will stretch with wear - and swim suits definitely have Lycra! A good rule of thumb: You should only be able to fit two fingers in the top of the straps. Tight fitting suits also last longer because being pulled tight strengthens the Lycra from chlorine breakdown caused by pool water. Your suits will also last longer if you do not wash them in your washing machine because doing so will break down the suit much faster and waste your money.

 
Family Swim Nights 
 
Don't forget about Little Otter Swim School's Family Swim Nights.  On two Fridays each month we host a family swim night for all registered students and their families to come out and enjoy a bit of the Little Otter Experience!
Click here for our Little Otter Event Calender!
 
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Greetings!

New Little Otter Swim School  
Huntersville Location to Break Ground:

Date:
Friday June 7th, 2013

Time: 11:30 AM

Location: Site of the future Little Otter Swim School on the corner of Rosewood Meadow Lane and Reese Blvd. West in Huntersville.

For anyone interested in attending we would love to have you join us for a short ground breaking ceremony.  We are very excited about this new venture and we would honored to have you share this occasion with us.  For further information please call 704-846-7946 or email info@littleotterswim.com.

Riptides: Dangerous But Escapable - Heidi Did It   

Rip Tide Diagram 

The danger of riptides was proved over Easter holidays in Oahu, Hawaii. Supermodel Heidi Klum saved her 7-year-old son and two nannies from drowning in a riptide that had swept them out from the beach where they had been enjoying the surf.

 

As soon as you get in the water, you can feel its current pulling at your body. Many swimmers love to swim with the current and "catch a wave" to body surf or ride a wave in from a surfboard. This same current can also be dangerous, even for those who know how to swim, when conditions converge to turn current into a riptide.  

 

It is important to encourage swimming lessons for children as early as six months from reputable swim instructors like those at Little Otter - where children can take lessons year-round. Knowing how to swim is not always enough to survive the power of the water when riptides occur. Understanding how riptides work and how to escape them can be life-saving!

 

Click for more on Rip Tides and swimming >>

Another Successful
Safer 3 Safety Day

Loads of Little Otters attended our Safer 3 Safety Day at Little Otter Swim School on Saturday May 19th.  Lots of great skills picked up for the little people that attended.

The Safer 3 is a comprehensive initiative to dramatically reduce drowning incidents by:

1.) Recognizing risks associated with water related activities
2.) Implementing strategies to reduce and manage those risks
3.) Responsibly maintaining those strategies

 

The main concept of the Safer 3 is based on the definition of the word "Safe." Safe means you are free from risk of harm or danger. When it comes to water, that simply isn't true. There is always risk when you are in, on or around the water. The risk may vary in degree from very slight to very severe.

 

The letter "r" in the word "Safer" reflects that difference. Risk of drowning is found in 3 main areas; Water, a Person which we shall refer to as a KID, since we are all someone's kid, and a Response that will become the last chance for saving a life.

 
Little Otter Loyalty    

Don't forget that if we spot your car with one of our magnets on it, we write down the tag number and choose a plate at random from  among all those we see out and about. We then announce the tag winner on our Facebook page: facebook.com/littleotter

Spot your number on the Facebook page and call us and tell us the rest of your tag and you will win ONE month worth of swim lessons for one child.  FREE!  If you want a magnet of your very own, just stop by the front desk. They are also FREE! 
Little Otter Magnets
Thank You
 
As always, thank you for sharing your children with us.

swim, baby, swim icon Sincerely,

 

 

John & Lory Kirk
Little Otter Swim School