# Tessa Rhodes

> Practical swim coaching and water-safety guidance for parents, babies, and kids — from Tessa Rhodes, an American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor with 10+ years of coaching, who teaches parents how to help their children love the water and stay safe in it.

## About

Tessa Rhodes is a swim coach and water-safety educator. She helps parents teach babies and children to swim, helps swimmers of all ages overcome a fear of water, and supports fellow swim-school owners. She runs an online swim academy and a physical swim school.

- Free baby-swim course (ages 0–8 months): https://tessarhodes.com/free-resources/
- Online Swim Academy (courses): https://onlineswimacademy.thinkific.com/

## Articles & guides
- [Small Business Ideas for Teachers](https://tessarhodes.com/small-business-ideas-for-teachers-how-to-start-a-private-swim-school-business/) — Are you looking for small business ideas for teachers? Why not start a private swim school? Here's how to get started!
- [3 Amazing Health Benefits Of Swimming In Toddlers That Will Blow Your Mind!](https://tessarhodes.com/3-amazing-health-benefits-of-swimming-in-toddlers-that-will-blow-your-mind/) — Everybody knows that sports have amazing health benefits for those who participate. Yet, we feel that people rarely speak of the amazing health benefits
- [Secrets to a More Family-Friendly Yard](https://tessarhodes.com/secrets-to-a-more-family-friendly-yard/) — Could your home's outdoor space use an upgrade? More families are spending time together these days, and a yard that's ready for various activities can be a joy.
- [Your Family's Guide to Swimming Pool Safety: Top Resources and Tips](https://tessarhodes.com/your-familys-guide-to-swimming-pool-safety-top-resources-and-tips/) — Swimming is a perfect way for your family to have fun and stay cool in the late summer and into the early fall.
- [Teach Your Child to Respect the Water](https://tessarhodes.com/teach-your-child-to-respect-the-water/) — How to Teach Your Child to Respect the Water. Independent play teaches them to respect the water. When children understand that water demands
- [Can Babies Swim Naturally? The Mammalian Diving Reflex](https://tessarhodes.com/can-babies-swim-naturally/) — Can babies swim naturally? Short answer. No. You might think they can because most babies, not all, are born with a diving reflex commonly referred to as
- [How Do I Know If My Child Is Dry Drowning?](https://tessarhodes.com/how-do-i-know-if-my-child-is-dry-drowning/) — Dry drowning and secondary drowning, also called delayed drowning, are not accepted medical terms. Here are the facts every swim parent should know.
- [What Is the Best Age to Start Swimming Lessons?](https://tessarhodes.com/what-is-the-best-age-to-start-swimming-lessons/) — What is the best age to start swimming lessons? The answer is four months of age. if you give your infant the opportunity to early water exposure, he's...
- [How Do I Make My Child More Comfortable in Water?](https://tessarhodes.com/how-do-i-make-my-child-more-comfortable-in-water/) — How do I make my child more comfortable in water? Whatever you do, don't force your child to do anything they don't want to do. Your child is more...
- [Baby Fear of Water: Does Your Baby Suddenly Have a Fear of Water?](https://tessarhodes.com/does-your-baby-suddenly-have-a-fear-of-water/) — A parent contacted me with this question: How do you help a baby/toddler overcome the fear of water? My son is now terrified when we have to rinse shampoo
- [How to Prepare Your Baby for Swimming Lessons Part 3](https://tessarhodes.com/how-to-prepare-your-baby-for-swimming-lessons-part-3/) — Teach your baby independence Just as you teach your baby to be independent on land, learning independence in the water is even more crucial. I don't mean
- [How to Prepare Your Baby for Swimming Lessons Part 2](https://tessarhodes.com/how-to-prepare-your-baby-for-swimming-lessons-part-2/) — Teach your baby to float on his back. Tips on how to get your baby comfortable with this life-saving skill.
- [How to Prepare Your Baby for Swimming Lessons](https://tessarhodes.com/how-to-prepare-your-baby-for-swimming-lessons/) — Conditioning your baby to hold their breath is the best way to prepare your baby for swimming lessons. They've recently emerged from a watery environment.
- [How I Stopped Swimmer's Ear Infections Once and for All](https://tessarhodes.com/how-i-stopped-swimmers-ear-infections-once-and-for-all/) — Are you or your children susceptible to swimmer's ear infections, like I am? If so, I have an excellent little home remedy for you.
- [Tips and Tricks to Motivate the Scared Child to Float](https://tessarhodes.com/tips-and-tricks-to-motivate-the-scared-child-to-float/) — Easy games and activities to motivate a scared child to practice floating — turtle eggs, a bar float, a kickboard, and more.
- [How to Teach Assisted Floating: Watch This Video](https://tessarhodes.com/how-to-teach-assisted-floating/) — Alexa is 3-years-old. She has mastered breath control. The next step in the learn to swim process is assisted floating. Here's how to introduce it.
- [Respect for Deep Water: No Child Is 100% Water Safe](https://tessarhodes.com/respect-for-deep-water/) — David has had regular exposure to the water which has taught him respect for deep water. He has learned a lot about water safety and often is required...
- [What Is Breath Control in Swimming?](https://tessarhodes.com/what-is-breath-control-in-swimming/) — Breath Control. Remember Abram from about a month ago? Well, now he's one month shy of 4-years-old and has officially mastered breath control.
- [4 Must-Haves for Your Vacation Getaway: Taking a Trip over the Holidays?](https://tessarhodes.com/4-must-haves-for-your-vacation-getaway/) — Check out these 4 must-haves for your holiday adventures. A baby wetsuit is an excellent option for infants instead of a swimsuit or in addition to it.
- [Got a Child Afraid of Water on the Face?](https://tessarhodes.com/child-afraid-of-water-on-the-face/) — Meet Abram. Four simple activities to get kids as young as 2 to put their face in the water — without goggles or a nose clip.
- [Finis Tempo Trainer: Not Just for Competitive Swimmers](https://tessarhodes.com/finis-tempo-trainer/) — The Finis Tempo Trainer is like a metronome for swimming. It's used to set a specific pace at which you want your student to kick or pull in the case of...
- [Shallow Water Blackout: What Every Parent Should Know](https://tessarhodes.com/shallow-water-blackout-what-every-parent-should-know/) — Have you heard of shallow water blackout? Every parent should know about the dangers of it and how to prevent it.
- [Swim Mirror: Best Teaching Tool for Swimmers of All Levels](https://tessarhodes.com/swim-mirror/) — The swim mirror, made of reinforced polished aluminum, is one of the best investments I've ever made for my swim school.
- [Self-Rescue Challenge: 3-Year-Old Pulls It off Without a Hitch](https://tessarhodes.com/self-rescue-challenge/) — 3-year-old Brogan crushes the ultimate self-rescue challenge, which means that he can now self-rescue if he were to fall into a swimming pool fully clothed.
- [Drowning: The Silent Killer. Isn't it obvious when someone is drowning?](https://tessarhodes.com/drowning-the-silent-killer/) — Drowning: The silent killer. Isn't it obvious when someone is drowning? How this grandmother learned about silent drowning.
- [Best Swim Fins for Kids: Finis Brand Swim Fins Fit Best and Build Confidence!](https://tessarhodes.com/best-swim-fins-for-kids/) — The best swim fins for kids are the Finis brand swim fins. When ordering fins online, you'll want them to fit just right & Finis brand sizes are perfect.
- [Finis Floating Island: This Mat Isn't Just for Kicking Practice](https://tessarhodes.com/finis-floating-island/) — The Finis Floating Island is great for kicking since it prevents the bicycle riding leg action. Also promotes imagination, climbing skills and more.
- [Thailand Cave Rescue Mission + How to Teach Nose Bubbles to a Young Child](https://tessarhodes.com/thailand-cave-rescue-mission-how-to-teach-nose-bubbles-to-a-young-child/) — Did you follow the Thailand cave rescue mission? Thanks to the heroic efforts of all those involved, the boys are finally safe. Did you know that not...
- [Dry Drowning Real or Fake?](https://tessarhodes.com/dry-drowning-real-or-fake/) — Dry drowning real or fake? My friend Deb messaged me the other day because she was concerned about dry drowning. Here are the facts about how rare it really is and the signs to watch for.
- [Self-Rescue Swim: Amazing 2-Year-Old Crushes Self-Rescue Challenge](https://tessarhodes.com/self-rescue-swim-amazing-2-year-old-crushes-self-rescue-challenge/) — Self-rescue swim: Two-year-old Cooper crushes the ultimate self-rescue challenge. He killed it! Way to go Cooper! He is now officially water safe.
- [International Water Safety Day May 15, 2018](https://tessarhodes.com/international-water-safety-day-2018/) — INTERNATIONAL WATER SAFETY DAY MAY 15! Striving to make a planet that’s 70% water, 100% water safe.
- [This Is How to Get Your Child to Put Their Face in the Water](https://tessarhodes.com/this-is-how-to-get-your-child-to-put-their-face-in-the-water/) — If you have a child or swim student who is 4+ years old and still can't put their face in the water, this is for you.
- [2 Clever Ways to Get a Swim Cap on a Child in Under 2 Seconds](https://tessarhodes.com/2-clever-ways-to-get-a-swim-cap-on-a-child-in-under-2-seconds/) — Have you ever tried to get a swim cap on a child? Not so easy, is it? Here are 2 clever ways to do it in about 2 seconds — plus water safety tips.
- [Water Safety Tips for Adults: A Drowning and near Drowning Within 30 Min](https://tessarhodes.com/water-safety-tips-for-adults/) — One American drowns nearly every day in a bathtub, hot tub or spa. Read these CDC water safety tips for adults to help you stay safe in the water.
- [Self-Rescue Challenge: 3-Year-Old Survives the Ultimate Test](https://tessarhodes.com/self-rescue-challenge-3-year-old-survives-test/) — Three and a half year old Caiden passed the ultimate self-rescue challenge — life-saving skills to self-rescue if he ever fell into a pool fully clothed.
- [Swimming Pool Safety Act for California: Updated January 1, 2018](https://tessarhodes.com/swimming-pool-safety-act-updated-jan-1-2018/) — The new swimming pool safety act as of January 2018 requires two drowning prevention safety features now instead of just the one.
- [Pool Gate Left Open: The Unspeakable Happened...](https://tessarhodes.com/pool-gate-left-open-the-unspeakable-happened/) — Pool gate left open, and the unspeakable happened. "She's dead," were the first two words written in a Facebook post by a pediatrician...
- [Pet Doors: Are Any of Them Childproof? Let's find out.](https://tessarhodes.com/pet-doors-childproof/) — So I was thinking about all the ways young children can escape from their homes. And then I thought, "I bet pet doors pose a problem."
- [Do You Have a Fearless Child?](https://tessarhodes.com/do-you-have-a-fearless-child/) — Do you have a fearless child? I struck up a conversation with a woman recently about her fearless child. She told me that her son, five years old wanted...
- [Swim Diapers, in the News and Water Safety Tips.](https://tessarhodes.com/swim-diapers-news-water-safety-tips/) — All about swim diapers. Everything you wanted to know. Also, don't let this happen to your little ones. Did you know that any water deep enough to cover...
- [Do Swim Diapers Hold Urine? Swim diaper hack included...](https://tessarhodes.com/do-swim-diapers-hold-urine/) — Do swim diapers hold urine? When parents call me to inquire about swim lessons for their diaper-clad infant/toddler...
- [International Water Safety Day May 15](https://tessarhodes.com/international-water-safety-day-may-15/) — International water safety day is a global team effort to bring as much awareness of the statistics of drowning to the general population.
- [Do Life Jackets Prevent Drowning?](https://tessarhodes.com/do-life-jackets-prevent-drowning/) — Yes, life jackets do prevent drowning. But in some cases, if someone gets hit in the head and lands in the water face down, the life jacket serves no purpose.
- [Fence It In! Don't Become a Drowning Statistic Part 2](https://tessarhodes.com/fence-it-in/) — I'm so glad that the family is not going to take any more chances since they've decided to "fence it in" and install a climb-resistant mesh fence.
- [Climb-Resistant Mesh Fence: Keep Your Family Safe](https://tessarhodes.com/climb-resistant-mesh-fence/) — Please consider installing a fence (climb-resistant mesh fence is best) around your pool, if you haven't already. And even if you do have a fence...
- [How Do You Prevent Drowning?](https://tessarhodes.com/how-do-you-prevent-drowning/) — How do you prevent drowning? 1. Provide close and constant attention to children you are supervising in or near water. 2. Fence pools and spas...
- [Least Amount of Water It Takes to Drown](https://tessarhodes.com/least-amount-of-water-it-takes-to-drown/) — What is the least amount of water it takes to drown? Any water deep enough to cover the mouth and nose, which can be less than...
- [Drowning: How Do You Know If Someone Is Drowning?](https://tessarhodes.com/how-do-you-know-if-someone-is-drowning/) — 97% of people were unable to identify a swimmer in danger according to the American Red Cross water safety app.
- [What Does It Mean to Be Water Safe?](https://tessarhodes.com/what-does-it-mean-to-be-water-safe/) — What does it mean to be water safe? No one is entirely and completely water safe in every situation. Not even the most confident swimmer in the world.
- [Drowning Prevention: There Ought to Be a Law to Fence in Home Pools](https://tessarhodes.com/drowning-prevention/) — Drowning Prevention: Decrease the mortality rate with drowning and make it a law in California to enforce proper barriers around home pools and spas.
- [Teenage Risk Taking Statistics: When Will My Child Ever Learn?](https://tessarhodes.com/teenage-risk-taking-statistics/) — Teenage Risk Taking Statistics: Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14 years.
- [Drowning Statistics: What Are the Statistics of Drowning?](https://tessarhodes.com/what-are-the-drowning-statistics/) — Drowning Statistics: It's the number one cause of accidental death among children ages 1-4, and almost 4000 people die from drowning each year in America.
- [Where Does Drowning Occur? Location of Drowning Changes with Age](https://tessarhodes.com/where-does-drowning-occur/) — Where does drowning occur? The location where drowning is likely to take place changes with age. Children under twelve months commonly drown in toilets...
- [Drowning Is Silent: Consider Hiring a Lifeguard for Your next Pool Party](https://tessarhodes.com/drowning-is-silent-hire-a-lifeguard/) — Drowning is silent and will go unnoticed if no one is actively watching. For your next pool party, consider hiring a lifeguard.
- [Pool Fence: Don't Take Offense but You Need a Fence](https://tessarhodes.com/prevent-drowning-pool-fence/) — Install a climb-resistant mesh pool fence and make sure it's at least four feet high with a self-closing, self-latching gate and with pool alarms.
- [Water Wings: Are Water Wings Safe? AKA Floaties](https://tessarhodes.com/are-water-wings-safe/) — 67% of people think "water wings" are enough to keep kids safe in water according to the American Red Cross water safety app.
- [Water Safety: Are You Comfortable around Water?](https://tessarhodes.com/water-safety-how-common-is-near-drowning/) — Almost 50% of people have had a near drowning experience according to the American Red Cross water safety app. Are you and your children water safe?
- [Drowning Hazards: Any Source of Water Is a Potential Drowning Hazard](https://tessarhodes.com/drowning-hazards/) — Drowning hazards: Drowning can happen in a bathtub, toilet, a bucket of water just to name a few. If the mouth and nose can be submerged, a child can drown.
- [How Common Is Drowning? Take a Look at the Statistics](https://tessarhodes.com/how-common-is-drowning/) — How common is drowning? It is the number one cause of accidental death among children ages 1-4. Almost 4000 people die from drowning each year in America.
- [Breath Control: How to Blow Bubbles for Beginner Swimmers](https://tessarhodes.com/breath-control-blowing-bubbles/) — If your child can put her whole face in the water for at least ten seconds, she's ready to learn basic breath control (blowing bubbles).
- [Deep Water: Help Your Child Overcome Their Fear of It](https://tessarhodes.com/children-overcome-fear-of-deep-water/) — If your child is comfortable in shallow water, she's ready to take her skills to the deep end. Here's how to help her overcome her fear of deep water.
- [Goggles, Nose Clip & Ear Protection: How to Wean Your Child Off Them](https://tessarhodes.com/give-up-the-nose-clip-goggles-ear-plugs/) — Help your child become comfortable in the water without goggles, a nose clip, or ear protection — an important safety skill.
- [Glide Through Water: Teach Your Child to Propel](https://tessarhodes.com/glide-through-water/) — Is your child ready to glide through the water? Make sure she can perform these shallow-end skills before introducing propulsion.
- [Help Your Child Learn How to Back Float](https://tessarhodes.com/help-your-child-learn-how-to-back-float/) — If your child can float comfortably on his front, he's ready to learn the back float. How well you back float is determined by body composition.
- [Help Your Child Learn How to Front Float](https://tessarhodes.com/help-your-child-learn-how-to-front-float/) — Your child is ready to learn the front float if he can hold his breath and put his whole face in the water for at least 10 seconds.
- [Roll and Float: Teach Your Child the Skills to Self-Rescue](https://tessarhodes.com/learn-to-roll-and-float/) — Teach your child to roll and experiment with other ways to float. These skills are essential if self-rescue is ever necessary.
- [Games to Motivate Your Young Swimmer to Put Their Face in the Water](https://tessarhodes.com/motivate-child-face-in-the-water/) — The best games to motivate your child to put their face in the water. These games work for other skills too, like floating and rolling over.
- [Fear of Water? Help Your Child Learn to Put Their Face in the Water](https://tessarhodes.com/fear-of-water/) — Follow these 5 simple steps to begin to help your child overcome his fear of water. The journey starts with being able to put his face in the water.

## Contact

- Email: tessa@tessarhodes.com
- Site: https://tessarhodes.com