GOLDFISH STAR WARS MANDALORIAN CRACKERS

We've found the perfect snack to enjoy while watching new episodes of Star Wars' The Book of Boba Fett streaming on Disney Plus → GOLDFISH from Pepperidge Farm. My kids have been snacking on these crackers since they were toddlers. So, we were geeked to discover Goldfish packaging with a Mandalorian theme featuring "Baby Yoda"! With the character's re-emergence in recent episodes of The Book of Boba Fett had to pick up some of these Star Wars themed Goldfish packages when we spotted them at the grocery store.

It is not just the packaging though with a Star Wars tie-in. In addition to the traditional goldfish shapes, these Pepperidge Farm crackers also come in the form of Baby Yoda (aka Grogu), stormtroopers, and Din Djarin (aka The Madalorian). Sweet! Now just need to pour some blue milk to go along with these crackers.

Stormtrooper Goldfish

Baby Yoda in Pram

The Mandalorian Goldfish

DIVE BACK INTO GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL

For the last few years our normal family routine has been spending Sunday afternoons at Goldfish Swim School as my kids have gone through lessons and participating in the swim team there. In mid-March as the coronavirus began spreading into Michigan little did we know that visit to Goldfish Swim School may have been our final chance to dive into their pool. As things began to get crazy with the pandemic impacting the State that Sunday in March was one of our last moments of normalcy as the next week my son and daughter's school shutdown while my wife and I's work places went into lockdown. As we all know now life has changed quite a bit over the last five months.

Originally, it was thought the virus would burn out and life would resume back to normal in a few weeks. Yet it is August and my wife and I are still working from home. It looks like the kids' school year will start off with online learning from home. And that Goldfish Swim School we enjoyed spending our Sundays at has been shuttered since our last visit in March. We were one of the last families in the pool before the pandemic closed the place down.

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Light turn out for swimming practice tonight but the pool is open at @goldfishswimschool --> chlorine in the water kills virus germs and outside their pool the facility is taking extra efforts to sanitize the rest of the place. #GoldfishPartner *********************************************** #goldfishswimschool #goldfish #swimschool #swimforce #coronavirus #corona #virus #pandemic #dadlife #swimdad #swimclass #swimpractice #competitiveswimming #swimlessons #swimmingclass #swimminglessons #swimming #pooltime #pool

A post shared by @ geekdad248 on Mar 15, 2020 at 2:38pm PDT

Fortunately for families some sense of normalcy may be returning as our local Goldfish Swim School just opened again. Kids can dive back into the water and resume swimming lessons starting today! The Swim Force has been cancelled so we may not be back but my kids have had a golden experience at this swimming school that we will always appreciate. Now during these tough times it is nice to know that Goldfish Swim School can brighten the days with swimming lessons for kids who have been sticking close to home for a very long time and are probably very stir crazy to get out and about.

During our time at Goldfish Swim School, the staff not only focused on building the kids swimming skills but also emphasized water safety. So you know Goldfish Swim School is going to be taking the safety of their re-opening during this coronavirus pandemic very seriously! Here are some of the ways that they'll be letting children dive back into the pool being conscientious of the ongoing public health crisis:

Screening Swimmers & Caregivers

• No one will be allowed in the building before being pre-screened for exposure to the virus and having their temperature checked.
• Only one caregiver per family allowed in with swimmers. No non-sibling swimmers allowed inside.
• The parent will have a designated socially distanced seat in the observation gallery corresponding to the lane their child will be swimming in.
• Wearing masks by everyone is required. Children can remove masks when in the water.

Building Adjustments

• Screening barriers have been added alongside the edge of the pool to separate children in their lanes when out of the water.
• Showers and some changing rooms will be unavailable. Please come having your child wearing their swimsuit. Please don't linger and leave immediately after classes.
• Shared amenities such as hair dryers have been removed.
• Decals promoting social distancing and circulation of traffic flow through the building have been added.
• The facility will be a cashless operation with all purchases being charged to your account.
• Will not have googles on the pool deck to borrow.
• Specially designated cleaning staff will be continuously sanitizing the facility throughout the day.

Swim Class Sizes

• Group lesson ratios will be 3:1 instead of the usual 4:1.
• Mini 3 lesson ratios will be 2:1 instead of the usual 3:1.
• Mini 1 and 2 lesson ratios will be 4:1 instead of the usual 6:1.
• Swim Force team training sessions and competitions are cancelled.
• No Family Swim or Birthday Parties at this time.

Staff Precautions

• All staff will be temperature checked and will complete a self-assessment upon arrival. Anyone experiencing a fever or any symptoms will be sent home. 
• All dry side staff members will be wearing masks and all wet side staff will be wearing face shields. 
• Staff will go through a number of trainings to help keep themselves and swimmers as safe as possible.

Dive back in! The pool is back open! Go to goldfishswimschool.com for more information.

OUR GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

For the last few years swimming at Goldfish Swim School has been part of my family's regular weekly routine. After struggling to learn to swim through programs offered by our local parks and recreations department, my daughter excelled at Goldfish Swim School. It has been a golden experience!

She has consistently been in the pool at Goldfish Swim School every week for the last four years. Moving up from basic swimming lessons to participating in the Swim Force team my daughter loves swimming at Goldfish Swim School. So with the coronavirus pandemic closing our local Goldfish Swim School and reversing our summer travel plans turning this time into a staycation we decided to invest in putting a pool in our own backyard.

In addition to providing instruction on swimming skills, Goldfish Swim School always put an emphasis on kids learning about water safety too. As a parent that makes it nice to know that in addition to being able to swim, my daughter is also smart about being safe in the water. It provided us with confidence in getting our own pool for the family to enjoy at home.

Having graduated through all the programs at Goldfish Swim School, we didn't want my daughter to just stop swimming. As Dory says in Finding Nemo, "When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming." That seems like a good mantra during these tough coronavirus times!

So we've been having her recreate Swim Force practices, competing against her brother in races plus been having lots of fun family time swimming in our new pool. After a few months break from diving into the pool at Goldfish Swim School, jumping back into the water has brought a lot of joy to our family. Swimming is wonderful for adding exercise and entertainment into your day. Also a great way to destress from tension that may be in your life. So true with all the troubles caused by this virus that is impacting us all!

Thank you Goldfish Swim School for making swimming a cherished part of my daughter's life. We are keeping her enthusiasm for swimming alive! Hoping these tough times will pass quickly and kids will soon be back in the pool at Goldfish Swim School. We are putting our Goldfish experience to good use this summer!

A MUCH NEEDED EVENING AT GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL

Beyond going to work and school, my family had been staying around the house playing it safe this week as concerns about the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) began spreading throughout the country and here in Michigan. Then things really hit close to home on Thursday when the kids' school district began cancelling classes. Looks like they won't be returning to school until mid-April at the earliest now! As Sunday rolled around we were all getting a bit stir crazy being home.

So it was nice to find out Goldfish Swim School was still open! Sunday nights are Swim Nights at Goldfish Swim School for my twins. Both of them are on the Swim Force competitive swimming team. They have an hour long practice once per week and quarterly competitive meets. My son and daughter were really excited to get out of the house for some pool time.

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Light turn out for swimming practice tonight but the pool is open at @goldfishswimschool --> chlorine in the water kills virus germs and outside their pool the facility is taking extra efforts to sanitize the rest of the place. #GoldfishPartner *********************************************** #goldfishswimschool #goldfish #swimschool #swimforce #coronavirus #corona #virus #pandemic #dadlife #swimdad #swimclass #swimpractice #competitiveswimming #swimlessons #swimmingclass #swimminglessons #swimming #pooltime #pool

A post shared by @ geekdad248 on Mar 15, 2020 at 2:38pm PDT

My son and daughter enjoyed having fun in the water and getting some exercise in during their Swim Force practice. Both of them put the stress of the coronavirus out of their minds for an hour as they focused on swimming. I wasn't too worried about them getting sick while being in the pool because the chlorine kills germs like coronaviruses and had peace of mind about the rest of the facility as I watched staff constantly taking actions to sanitize the place as we were there. Chairs, countertops, door handles, the pool deck and more were being doused with antiseptic in an effort to hold the virus at bay. No one showed signs of being sick and everyone kept a distance from each other to respecting one another's space.

From what I witnessed Goldfish Swim School understands our society is facing a serious health emergency but also realizes that people need to maintain some normalcy to their lives. They are striving to provide a safe space where families can get away from the stress of current events for a moment. We really appreciated that!

For more information about their swimming programs go to goldfishswimschool.com. A Geek Daddy is a brand ambassador for Goldfish Swim School receiving complimentary goods and services for sharing my family's experiences participating in their swimming programs. All opinions shared by this dad blogger are honest and my own.

UPDATE [3/16/20]: Because of a county state of emergency being enacted that restricts occupancy within public venues, including pools, to help reduce the spread to the COVID-19 contagion our local Goldfish Swim School is closing from March 16 to tentatively April 6, 2020. Check with your local Goldfish Swim School franchise to find out how they are being impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST VISITS GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL

My daughter's favorite event in her Goldfish Swim Force swimming meets is the backstroke. So she was thrilled when Olympic Gold Medalist Ryan Murphy stopped in to Goldfish Swim School for a visit. Ryan won a gold medal for the backstroke in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and is a current world record holder in the event (100-meter backstroke). She was able to get some swimming tips from him and he let her wear one of his gold medals.

Ryan was in town to thank Goldfish Swim School for its partnership with USA Swimming Foundation's Make A Splash initiative. The objectives of Make a Splash are to raise awareness about the importance of learning to swim and providing free or low cost swimming lessons in low-income communities. Children in families with household incomes of less than $50,000 often have very minimal – if any – swimming ability. Because it has been shown that swimming lessons can reduce the likeliness of accidental drowning by 88 percent, the USA Swimming Foundation is trying to Make a Splash by helping kids obtain lessons who might not otherwise be able to get them.

Goldfish Swim School has partnered in this effort to provide the opportunity for every child in America to learn how to swim by asking the families of children enrolled in their swimming lessons to "Float it Forward" by making a donation to the Make a Splash endeavor. Ryan was in to town representing the USA Swimming Foundation to announce that so far in 2019 Goldfish Swim Schools have raised nearly $164,000 (including more than $24,000 at my kids' location alone) through Float if Forward donations supporting the Make a Splash initiative. He provided a very heart-felt thank you to the Goldfish Swim School community during his appearance on behalf of the USA Swimming Foundation, which is the philanthropical arm of the national governing body of the sport of swimming in the United States.

During his visit, Ryan was very personable and outgoing with everyone who had a chance to meet with him while he was at the Goldfish Swim School that my kids swim at. Not only is he an impressive athlete but Ryan also presents himself as an incredible ambassador for the sport of swimming. My kids were so geeked to be able to touch and wear an actual Olympic gold medal from the 2016 Rio Games.

Ryan expressed a generous interest in asking my kids about their swimming skills and interests. My son and daughter really had a nice time chatting with Ryan. They also had some fun showing off their swimming muscles with him.

I spent some time talking with Ryan too. This dad blogger appreciated getting a close up look at his gold medal. Wow … not only is it shiny but these medals have some weight to them. You have to appreciate all the effort that athletes like Ryan put into training and competing to earn one of these.

We've had some wonderful times spent at Goldfish Swim School and this was another great experience to remember. If you are looking for a swimming school for your kids, Goldfish is #1! For more information or to find a location near you, head over to goldfishswimschool.com

MY GOLDFISH ARE LEARNING TO SWIM LIKE BUTTERFLIES

Ugh! The Spring weather in Michigan has been frigid this year. So my kids have especially been enjoying jumping into the comfy 90-degree heated indoor pool for their weekly swimming lessons at Goldfish Swim School.

This month the kids have been working on improving their butterfly and breast strokes.  We received our quarterly progress reports on my son and daughter's proficiency on what they are being taught in their PRO 2 swim class level.  The butterfly and breast strokes both came up on their progress reports but for completely different reasons.  My daughter excels at the butterfly but needs to make some improvements on her breast stroke. While my son is the opposite; he's doing great with his breast stroke but needs to improve upon his butterfly technique.

My swimming skills are adequate but limited pretty much to the general freestyle stroke, doggy paddling, and floating on my back.  So I've been learning quite a bit about all the different types of strokes along with my children while our family has been going to Goldfish Swim School. For those of you who like myself may not know the ins and outs of all the different swimming strokes, here is a description for the breast and butterfly strokes:

The breast stroke is a style of swimming where you push your arms forward and then sweep them back in a circular movement while the legs utilize a motion that has them tucked in toward the body then kicked out away from it.

The butterfly stroke has a swimmer's arm move in a windmill fashion from the back to front of the body while doing dolphin kicks. These kicks mimic the movement of a dolphin's tail with the legs being kept together and moving up and down with knees bent at the motion's upswing. Butterfly strokes can be difficult to perfect but when done right make the swimmer look as if he or she is flying through the water.

These two strokes have been what my kids have been working on mastering during their recent sessions at Goldfish Swim School.  With my son, the teacher is working on his arm motions being more accurate and having him not use different types of kicking styles while doing the butterfly. For my daughter, the instructor is working with her on head placement to make her more efficient with the stroke and improving on the kicks to add more speed to her pace.

It is nice that my children get a lot of personalized attention at Goldfish Swim School.  Their classes never contain more than four kids in a session and they always get a lot of one-on-one instruction. After each class, the teacher at the edge of the pool always provides me with an updated evaluation on how each one of them has done in the class and what she would like to see them improve upon.

Many Goldfish Swim School locations, including the one we attend, have Open Swim hours during weekday lunch hours that are free for families who are enrolled in swimming lessons to get in the pool to practice swim strokes or just play around in the water. During my kids Spring Break week off elementary school this month, we took advantage of the Open Swim time on a couple of days.  Of course my son and daughter spent some time practicing their butterfly and breast strokes while we were there, but they spent a bulk of the time having some fun with their good ole dad in the pool.

I have to say we've had a "golden experience" during our time being involved with Goldfish Swim School. For more information and to find a location near you, please visit goldfishswimschool.com.

A GEEK DADDY is a brand ambassador promotional partner with Goldfish Swim School.  My family receives complimentary products and services in exchange for sharing our experiences with the swim school.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.

THE VALUE OF 30 MINUTE SWIM CLASSES

For several years we enrolled my son and daughter in swimming lesson sessions with hour long classes at a local community pool.  So it seemed odd that when they started taking classes at Goldfish Swim School their lessons were only thirty minutes long.  Yet after just one year at Goldfish the twins' swimming skills have positively progressed significantly more than they did over the three year span taking classes at that other place.

Here are three reasons why thirty minute lessons have worked out great for my kids at Goldfish Swim School:

• Small Class Size -- lessons are limited to 4 students or less per instructor.  This really allows the teachers to interact with the students in their class and get to know the kids' strengths and weaknesses.  My son and daughter have been in classes at other facilities that had 8 to 12 kids in it. You get a lot more quality swimming time learning in the pool when an instructor is attentive on helping 2 to 4 kids instead of eight or more. Our family found out first-hand how this can make such a big difference!
• Attention Span --  in developing their results-oriented lesson plans Goldfish Swim School determined that after thirty minutes kids begin to tire out and lose focus.  Once a child stops being actively involved in a lesson or starts having his or her mind wander, they stop retaining information and become less productive.  Goldfish strives to have kids get the most out of the time they are in the pool.
  
  My kids are always tuckered out when they finish a Goldfish Swim School class so I know they are getting a workout. Since their swim strokes have been consistently improving this thirty minute approach is obviously working. I have to agree these lessons really seemed nicely timed to capture my son and daughter's attention span.
• Perpetual Lessons -- when taking lessons at other pools there often would be weeks and sometimes months between class sessions.  That's not the case with Goldfish Swim School!  Kids keep the same time and day for their lesson continuously throughout the year until they graduate to a new achievement level.  This consistency enhances the overall quality of a child's comfort with swimming and their skill development.  My kids look forward to having swim lessons EVERY week since we started going to Goldfish Swim School.

We've really had a golden experience at Goldfish Swim School.  I've been incredibly impressed by the impact their swim lessons have had on my kids.  So of course they've earned A Geek Daddy nod of approval. With classes available for toddlers through tweens head over to your local Goldfish Swim School and get your kids swimming.

For more information, please visit goldfishswimschool.com

SNOW DAY AT GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL

It was -15 degrees outside but my kids were nice and warm inside our local Goldfish Swim School's shiver-free pool that is always heated to a comfy 90 degrees.  Because of bone-chilling cold weather my kids' elementary school decided it wasn't worth the risk of exposing students to the frigid conditions and called off classes for the day.  It was too dangerous to let the kids go outside to enjoy the snow day off school and they were going stir crazy inside the house.  Fortunately, a call over to Goldfish Swim School confirmed they were still open for the day so we headed over there to take advantage of their afternoon family swim time.

A nice perk of attending Goldfish Swim School is that they have an open swim time taking place every weekday afternoon that is included at no extra charge as part of a family's membership with the facility.  During the facility's break between morning and evening classes, families that have children enrolled in a swimming program or the Swim Force can take a dip in the pool.  Times and participation vary from franchise to franchise but for the location we attend open swim is Noon to 1pm Tuesday - Thursday and Noon to 2:30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays.  It was a Friday so my kids had almost three hours to enjoy playing around in the pool during their day off from elementary school.

Moms and dads can jump in the pool along with their kids during these open swim hours at Goldfish Swim School.  Work with your kids to get some practice on their swim strokes or relax  in the pool yourself while watching them have a good time.  My kids always have no problem making new friends to pal around with whenever we go to an open swim.

While just swimming is fun in itself, open swim time also provides a time to bring out some of the pool toys. My daughter loves to put on flippers and practice her underwater swimming while pretending to be a mermaid.  While my son likes the floating mock ups of an automobile, airplane and atv that kids can spin around the pool on.  Plus there is a canoe kids love to paddle across the pool in.  Though they normally spend more time having spills than floating in it!  Plus both my children like to throw dive toys to the bottom of the pool and compete to see who can retrieve the most during open swim times.

Open swim times are a great way to entertain children while also having them get some exercise. Especially in the winter time when they aren't getting outside as much! Just come in during the designated times and swipe your key fob to check in.  Remember you have to be enrolled in Goldfish Swim School to take advantage of this exclusive benefit.  If you have children at home between the ages of 6 months and 11 years old and aren't having them participate in programs at Goldfish Swim School you really do need to check the place out!

Goldfish Swim School has franchises in 22 states as well as within the province of Ontario, Canada.  There are nine Goldfish Swim Schools here in Michigan including 6 in Metro Detroit as well as locations in Ann Arbor, Okemos and Grand Rapids.  Michigan is actually home to the very first Goldfish Swim School which originally opened in Birmingham, Michigan and based upon the great customer service, first class facilities, and wonderful lessons provided they have been expanding locations ever since.

If your kids are off from elementary school for a winter break, holiday or snow day, I absolutely recommend heading over to your local Goldfish Swim School for a jump in the pool.  Taking advantage of open swimming hours in the 90 degree heated pool at Goldfish Swim School on a cold winter day is always going to get you a thumbs up of approval from your kids!  For more information about the facility and its programs, please visit goldfishswimschool.com 

Disclaimer:  A Geek Daddy receives free products and services as a brand ambassador for Goldfish Swim Schools.  Opinions expressed are honest and my own.

SWIM LIKE A GOLDFISH

**  Sponsored by Goldfish Swim School **

My daughter has been excited this summer that we've been able to spend some time at some of Michigan's great beaches putting her swimming lessons from Goldfish Swim School to use.  The state's lakes may be a bit cold and the water is murkier than you'll find when visiting an ocean location, but on the positive side they're filled with fresh water and you don't need to be worried about bumping into a shark during a swim.  That being said the water can still be dangerous if you don't treat it with caution and respect.  Goldfish Swim School has provided my kids with the necessary skills to be confident swimmers who know what they need to do to be safe in the water.  This lets them have more freedom and fun at the lake or in a pool; and while I still keep a watchful eye over them it makes me a lot less nervous about something bad happening when they are in the water.

In addition to teaching a mastery of a variety of swimming strokes, Goldfish Swim School's lessons also include aspects that help kids develop an increased comfort level in the water and essential safety skills.  Before we attended Goldfish Swim School, my kids really hated putting their heads under the water.  Now they love swimming underwater and really have demonstrated some incredible breath control being able to stay submerged longer than I actually can based upon the diving ring drill incorporated into their swim classes.  They LOVE diving to find toys, rocks or shells underwater whenever they can!  Plus whether it is for leisure or an emergency occurs they know how to handle themselves underwater now.

Beyond learning swimming strokes being able to tread water for an extended period of time is a skill that is reinforced at Goldfish Swim School.  So if children find themselves in water where they can't touch instead of panicking they have the ability to tread water and think about their options.  Maybe it is staying in place waiting for help or it could be swimming to a safer spot.  Avoiding panic and making intelligent decisions is one of the best ways to stay safe when trouble in the water arises.

Get dragged away from the shore by a current or have to evacuate a boat that is too far to swim to safety?  Goldfish Swim School makes sure kids are able to flip from various positions onto their back to do the dead man's float.  This is one of the most important water survival skills to have because it allows people to stay safely afloat preserving energy and oxygen when they may not have the stamina or swimming skills to handle the circumstances.  It is also an invaluable technique for kids with limited swimming experience who may find themselves in a deep pool.

For beginning swimmers, Goldfish Swim School also works on making sure little ones know how to get in and out of a pool.  They have a drill Jump, Turn, Swim to the Wall where kids learn what to do when they become immersed in water to safely get out and work on it repeatedly to make sure they have the routine down.  The kids are also taught the Fin, Fin, Belly, Flipper (Elbow, Elbow, Tummy, Knee) which shows them how to get out of a pool by manipulating their bodies.

Yes we aren't going to have to avoid sharks in Michigan, but there are still dangers to be aware of such as cramps, currents, drop offs and reckless behavior.  Goldfish Swim School provides kids with practical guidance on how to handle these type of situations.  Plus thanks to their lessons my kids are really good swimmers now too! So while you aren't likely to see a shark in the Great Lakes State there is a very good chance you'll come across a ... Goldfish.

Goldfish Swim School has nine locations in Michigan and also has franchises in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Ontario, Canada.  Classes range from parent-tot sessions to swimming lessons for kids up to 12 years old.  For more information, visit goldfishswimschool.com

FUN THINGS TO DO OUTSIDE THE POOL AT GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL

** This post was sponsored by Goldfish Swim School **

We always arrive a half hour early to my kids swimming lessons at Goldfish Swim School so they are ready to go and don't miss a minute of class.  My kids are never bored showing up early though because there are plenty of fun things to do outside the pool.  Just another reason we've had a golden experience at Goldfish Swim School!

The twins love to draw on the large chalk boards in the waiting area and sometimes I have to pull them away so they aren't late for class even though we arrived early and are only a few feet from the pool.  They've really created some impressive drawings and the kids enjoy having the feeling they are helping decorate the place.  Plus there are always activity sheets and coloring pages tied to the swim school's monthly theme available to keep children occupied.  July's theme is "Celebrate Ocean Life."

Rushing out the door and forget to give the kids something to eat before leaving home?  Goldfish Swim School stocks a snack bar filled with affordable family-friendly items to help energize kids for their swimming lessons or re-fuel after class.  Items to eat range from bowls of Cheerios to Rice Krispy Treats along with juice or bottled water to drink.  They have coffee as well to help perk up moms and dads.

My son can't go into class without checking out the pair of turtles and tank of goldfish that are on display.  It is amazing how as many times as we've been there he is always fascinated with checking them out.  Have to admit I always go over and look at the turtles too whenever we're at Goldfish Swim School.

If you have toddlers and preschoolers there is also a play area stocked with games and toys to keep the little ones amused before they get in the pool.  As part of the theme of the month program, they also give out to students a small toy or puzzle that ties into it.  They really do a nice job with these giveaways and my kids are always on the lookout for them.

After class is over don't forget to grab a FREE balloon to take home with you!  At Goldfish Swim School your kids are sure to have fun in and out of the pool.  For more information, please visit goldfishswimschool.com.  You can also follow along with my family's fun times on Twitter and Instagram.

DAD TO DAD CHAT: GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL

** A Geek Daddy is a Goldfish Swim School brand ambassador **

I spent some time chatting with fellow dad, Chris McCuiston, the co-founder of the swim school my kids take lessons at in this edition of A Geek Daddy's DAD TO DAD CHAT segment.  Chris started Goldfish Swim School with his wife as a single location in Birmingham, Michigan eleven years ago and over the last decade has franchised more than 40 locations across the United States.  He shares some thoughts with us about entrepreneurship, fatherhood, and swimming lessons.

Since starting Goldfish Swim School not only has your business grown but so has your family.  Tell us about your kids?

I'm the proud dad of four boys ranging in age from 2 to 8 -- Charlie, Jack, Brody & Reid.

As a dad yourself what do you really want to instill with the kids who attend Goldfish Swim School?  

We want to help children build a respect and love for the water while building safer and more confident swimmers.

How does Goldfish stand out from other swimming instructional programs?  

When my wife, Jenny, first came to me with the idea of opening a swim school, it was because she knew there was a better way and better place to teach swim lessons. We’ve fulfilled that need with Goldfish – not only do we build our facilities with kids and families in mind (warm water, inviting environment, private changing rooms, hair drying stations, bright colors, etc.), we also offer a safe place for kids to learn about water safety, while also having fun. Our members become a part of our Goldfish family and we love hearing how much their families love Goldfish.

How can dads utilize the Goldfish Swim School experience as a way to bond with their kids?

In our Mini classes, dads can get in the water with their babies and spend an uninterrupted 30 minutes bonding with their child. That time is so important and beneficial not only to each child’s individual growth, but also to their relationship with their parent. As your kids get older, the entire family can come and enjoy Family Swim – having fun in the water, working on new skills and playing with our water toys. We have monthly Family Night Out events as a time for families to come together, enjoy each other’s company and have fun!

What is the most important thing every parent should know when it comes to water safety and their kids?  

The most important thing is to always make sure that an adult is supervising your kids while they are in and around the water. Swim lessons are the number one way to help keep your kids safer around the water, but it is still so important that someone is watching. Accidents can happen in an instant.

Goldfish has gone from a single mom and pop operated location in Birmingham, MI to becoming a successful corporation franchising numerous locations in multiple states -- what is your continuing vision and expectations for the brand?  

We never imagined that Jenny’s vision would turn into what it is today, it’s amazing how far we’ve come in 11 years. Our goals for the future are to continue to grow into new markets – the more locations we open, the more kids and families we have the ability to teach. We are committed to continuing to provide the best service, teachers and curriculum to remain the premier learn-to-swim destination for families. We want to continue to have a positive impact on the community and help more and more kids learn how to be safer in and around the water.

How do you balance work life and family life ensuring you spend quality time with your kids? What is your favorite way to bond with your kids?  

We balance work and life by making sure we set clear expectations around work and play. Clear communication is important along with accountability. We also have the benefit of working together so that helps us find time to be together both in and out of work. Jenny and I were both former athletes so we enjoy spending time with our kids on the baseball field, football field and in the pool.  

You played collegiate baseball at Michigan State University -- has that experience impacted how you handle your professional and personal life?  

Playing college baseball taught me a lot about teamwork, how to handle responsibility and how to handle winning and losing. There are so many situations that you encounter playing a college sport and I think those situations prepared me for the challenges of running a business and having a family.  

You obviously were involved with sports as a kid -- how important do you believe it is for today's children to be involved with organized athletic activities whether that be playing on a school sports team, joining a rec soccer league or participating in a swimming program at Goldfish? 

 I think being involved in sports and activities is so important for a child’s development. It teaches kids to be a part of something that is bigger than them, how to work with others and to set goals and work to achieve them. They will carry and use those skills for the rest of their lives.

Does your family have any traditions when it comes to celebrating Fathers Day with you?  

The only tradition is to allow Dad to sleep in.  With a family of 4 boys, there is not a lot of quiet time or down time. In all honesty, we tend to spend the day together and cook out with family at night. I enjoy entertaining and being with people so it’s fun to get the family together for special events.