Safe t swim...bellmore or east meadow

Which one would you recommend? I feel like I have read some negative things about bellmore but not sure if I am remembering correctly.

Also is there a specific instructor you would recommend?

My twins are 2 thanks!

Re: Safe t swim...bellmore or east meadow

Here is my review of Bellmore I'm on my iPhone so sorry in advance for the spelling and grammar mistakes and if its incoherent lol.

We have a boat so swim lessons and water safety is important to me at a young age. We did two mommy and me classes from 5-8 months at the Deer Park Saftswim. It was good. Ds got a gift certificate for his first birthday for a 6 week private lesson session we saved it until month before his 2nd bday when we were planning on starting going every week long term. We chose Bellmore because its easier for us to get to.

It's expensive. We chose their 10 session package each session being 6 weeks. The more sessions you buy the less each session is plus if you bought ten you got a session free...that's a whole 6 weeks for free plus cheaper sessions. And if you pay all at once and not installments you get another discount. Since we knew we were going long term we couldn't pass up all those deals. Makes sense.

Parking at Bellmore is a nightmare and we go Fridays at 3 I heard weekends were unbearable.

The instructor makes a huge difference. The first session he cried the whole time, hated it. His instructor was out one week and they gave us a different one and Ds loved him. When the girl came back he cried again so after the session we switched to the guy. BUT the instructors are VERY young and with that comes them having little work hours due to school, sports and whatever so we had one time that we could be fit in with the new guy then after awhile he went to lacrosse camp or something and we were forced to choose a new instructor. Being so young, most chat with each other and what not during the lesson. That half hr I pay is expensive and it goes FAST and I do t want you chatting about the party coming up pay attention to my kid.

They cram as many private lessons into the pool as possible. The pool is packed and they also have a lane for laps for the older kids. They bump into each other and my 2 yr old has trouble focusing with all that's going on around him.

We are paid up until Dec. after that we are switching to World Gym in Wantagh. They don't take them until 3.5 so it's not like I'm wasting my time at Saftswim there aren't many other options this young. At world gym they are one on one in the pool and they use the Red Cross program.

Any other questions please feel free to ask me

Message edited 4/5/2013 11:41:53 AM.

Re: Safe t swim...bellmore or east meadow

Re: Safe t swim...bellmore or east meadow

I hated east meadows led bellmore much better

Re: Safe t swim...bellmore or east meadow

bump anyone else??

Re: Safe t swim...bellmore or east meadow

I am doing Bellmore now and have done with my sons (I have also done World Gym in Wantagh).

My middle son took the most lessons there. I was able to take him mostly in the early morning and it was fine. Parking is tough but not horrible in the day time (evenings are bad). I started with a great instructor and loved him and my son did awesome. He started right around 3 and moved up to level 4 in 4 months. I stopped after a year because at that age - I think he had met his max. He is a good swimmer. My son is now 5.5 and I finally was able to get an evening appt with that instructor again! He is hard to get...I cann here nad ther eand never find him available in the after school time frame. I want him to learn more technique now that he is older and want him to pass his summer swim test which is difficult.

I loved this instructor but heard negative about him from others. I think instructor will partly depend on who your kid takes to and you kids personality. I had a good experience there and am now taking my 2 yr old daughter there. I did world gym when my older son was 4ish and it was fine but had a better experience with SafTSwim.

The negatives there are parking and luck of the draw with instructors. Another issue was make up classes are hard to get if you have a teacher you love who is popular. Also, with my sons I gave up on makeups with random instructors...I always had a bad experience when I did that.

My daughter has just started and it is so so. I am waiting to see but her personality is tough! She goes from over the top happy to miserable in seconds. I feel bad for her instructor. I also don't know if this is the new thing but hate that mommy and me is going on at the same time. When I use to go with my son in thr daytime - it would be 5-6 max in the pool in the mornings and no mommy and me at the time he was there (and I did lots of days and times with him). Currently there are 4-6 private lessons and them a quarter of the pool is mommy and me. The bathroom is packed at the end as is parking because of the mommy and me class.