Many of today’s parents are afraid to allow their children to fail; but if kids never fail, they won’t be equipped to face difficulties later in life. They won’t have the opportunity to learn resilience (see Parts 1 & 2). Your instructors need to realize that they’ll be swimming upstream in a culture where many adults are afraid to let kids face challenges and instead offer coddling. The kids … [Read More...] about Teaching Life Skills: Resilience, Part 3
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Teaching Life Skills: Resilience, Part 2
Among many life skills your students can learn in your gym, resilience (see Part 1) is definitely among the most significant. Children start facing challenges early in life, and they need to learn to respond in a way that’s healthy. Every time they respond to even small daily challenges with resilience, they strengthen that life skill, helping them … [Read More...] about Teaching Life Skills: Resilience, Part 2
Teaching Life Skills: Resilience, Part 1
The little people who enter your gym aren’t simply potential future gymnasts; more importantly, they’re future adults and contributors to society. And the skills they need in order to grow into that important role can be developed now in your gym. We’re not talking primarily about the physical skills you’ll be teaching your students, here — … [Read More...] about Teaching Life Skills: Resilience, Part 1
How Old Should a Child Be to Begin Competitive Swimming? Part 2
A strong desire to swim competitively is extremely important when it comes to deciding if a child is ready for this rigorous sport (see Part 1). If your child seems eager to join a competitive swim team even after you’ve explained in detail the type of commitment level involved, they may be ready. But first, you need to evaluate their swimming … [Read More...] about How Old Should a Child Be to Begin Competitive Swimming? Part 2
How Old Should a Child Be to Begin Competitive Swimming? Part 1
When it comes to the question of what age a child should be to start swimming competitively, there’s no simple answer. Several different variables will come into play in making the right choice for each kid. In this article and the next, we’ll explore some of the factors involved so you can make the decision that will be best for your child’s … [Read More...] about How Old Should a Child Be to Begin Competitive Swimming? Part 1
Dancers: What It Means When Your Body Snaps, Crackles & Pops, Part 2
The constant movement involved in dance is a great form of exercise but can cause various body parts, especially joints, to make lots of different sounds. We’ve already looked at possible causes of and solutions for neck and back cracking and hip popping. Now we’ll turn our attention to the next joint down on the body: the knees. Knee Pops … [Read More...] about Dancers: What It Means When Your Body Snaps, Crackles & Pops, Part 2
Dancers: What It Means When Your Body Snaps, Crackles & Pops, Part 1
If you’ve been a dancer for any length of time, you no doubt have noticed that your body can be a bit noisy. This is especially true when you’re practicing in the studio or performing on the stage. If you’re new to dancing, you may be alarmed by this phenomenon. Dancers Can Expect Their Bodies to Make Certain Noises Body noises often come to … [Read More...] about Dancers: What It Means When Your Body Snaps, Crackles & Pops, Part 1
Dance Studio Tips: Keeping Staff Members Happy, Part 2
Your dance studio will run so much more smoothly when you hire quality staff members and keep them happy! Not only will you as the director have fewer headaches associated with the fallout of high turnover rates — including hiring and training new staff members on a regular basis — but you’ll also appreciate the kind of positive environment and … [Read More...] about Dance Studio Tips: Keeping Staff Members Happy, Part 2
Dance Studio Tips: Keeping Staff Members Happy, Part 1
As a dance studio director, managing your staff is an important aspect of your role. Among the many responsibilities you have, the last thing you want is to have to take the extra time to hire and train new staff members more often than necessary. One way to encourage low turnover rates is to be sure to hire top-notch staff members. But there’s … [Read More...] about Dance Studio Tips: Keeping Staff Members Happy, Part 1