ISR with Sofiia, Lees Summit, MO (2026)

10/05/2026

Please join me in welcoming Kaylynn Donnell to ISR with Sofiia!

I’m very intentional about who I bring onto our team. Finding someone who shares our commitment to thoughtful, individualized teaching and truly cares about the children and families we work with is so important to me. I believe Kaylynn will be an amazing addition, and I’m excited for you to get to know her!

Kaylynn will be teaching traditional private swim lessons on Saturdays and Sundays. Here’s a little introduction from her:

“Hi! My name is Kaylynn Donnell, and I’m so excited to join the team! I’ve been teaching swim lessons since I was 14 years old, starting at Adventure Oasis in Independence.

I attended the University of Missouri, where I worked at MizzouRec as an aquatics lead. While there, I taught swim lessons and managed the swim program until I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education in May 2022.

Since then, I’ve continued teaching private swim lessons every summer for returning and new clients. I just finished my 2026 summer season, and I’m so excited to continue teaching year-round!

Some of my hobbies include yoga, reality TV, painting, and, of course, swimming! I’m also a mom to an amazing 19-month-old boy, and I love being able to continue teaching while raising my kiddo.

I can’t wait to get started!”

We’re so happy to have you, Kaylynn!

09/18/2026

52 days.
7 weeks and 3 days.
1,248 hours.
74,880 minutes.
But who’s counting?

2027 enrollment for ISR and traditional private swim lessons opens November 9!

I’ll be sharing more information about next year’s schedule, locations, and registration process as we get closer. If you’re hoping to swim with us in 2027, complete the interest form below to receive all the updates. Putting the link in the comments below!

09/10/2026

One question I get asked often is, “Do you work with children with special needs?”

Yes, we absolutely do.

We offer adaptive swim lessons, which simply means that we adapt the way we teach to meet the individual needs of each swimmer.

Every child is different. Some kiddos may need more time, a quieter approach, additional repetition, different physical support, or a different way of communicating. Because all of our lessons are private and one-on-one, we are able to get to know each child and build the lesson around their personality, comfort level, sensory needs, physical abilities, and pace of learning.

Adaptive does not mean lowering our expectations. It means finding the right way to help each child learn, make meaningful progress, and become safer in and around the water.

Depending on the swimmer, we may work on becoming comfortable in the water, breath control, independent swimming, floating, safe entries and exits, or finding and returning to the wall or steps.
Something else we are excited to implement is the opportunity for some of our adaptive swimmers to practice at different pool facilities.

Some kiddos may become very comfortable performing their skills in one familiar pool, but a change in the environment can feel completely different. A new pool may have different sounds, lighting, water temperatures, steps, walls, or entry points.

When a swimmer is ready, carefully practicing at different facilities can help them learn that their water-safety skills work in more than one environment. This will always be introduced gradually and based on each child’s individual needs and comfort level. The goal is never to overwhelm them. The goal is to help them feel more confident, prepared, and safe wherever they encounter water.

Water safety is for every child.

08/12/2026

Things I’ve learned as a swim instructor + business owner:

You really, really have to love what you do.

Running a business around something you’re only kind of passionate about would be incredibly hard. There are days when the schedule changes, the pool has an issue, someone cancels, emails pile up, and you’re solving five problems at once while still showing up and giving every child your best.

On those days, loving what I do is what keeps me going.

Resilience is EVERYTHING.

You will get thrown curveballs. And as a business owner, there usually isn’t someone above you to fix them. You have to think critically, think quickly, adjust, make a new plan, communicate it, and keep moving.

You also cannot make everyone happy.

You can be kind, flexible, understanding, and accommodating while still having boundaries. Trying to say yes to everyone eventually means saying no to yourself, your family, or the quality of what you provide.

Your reputation is built in the little things.

It isn’t just about being good at teaching swimming. It’s showing up. Communicating. Being honest. Owning mistakes. And genuinely caring about the families who trust you with their kids.

Growth requires change.

The way I ran my business when it was small isn’t necessarily how I can run it now. Sometimes growing means changing policies, changing schedules, delegating, saying no, or making uncomfortable decisions because they’re necessary for the business to stay healthy.

And maybe the biggest lesson…

Success doesn’t always feel like success.

Sometimes it looks like a packed schedule and a growing business. Other times it feels like, “How in the world am I going to make all of this work?”

And then you figure it out.

You adjust. You learn. You get better. And the next curveball doesn’t feel quite as scary because you already know you’re capable of finding a way through it.

Owning a business has taught me so much more than I expected — about swimming, leadership, boundaries, resilience, problem-solving, and myself.

And somehow, I’m still learning every single day.

08/09/2026

I cannot wait to take my little one here!

08/06/2026

Things you WON’T see during our swim lessons… 😎

🚫 Goggles (until a child is fully skilled.)
Because the pool doesn’t pause and say, “Hang on, let me grab my goggles first.”

🚫 Floaties. Puddle jumpers. Water wings. Any flotation device.
If your child needs a piece of foam to swim, then the foam is doing the swimming—not your child.

🚫 Levels.
Fish. Seahorses. Turtles. Stingrays. Super Octopus. 🐙😂
Cute? Absolutely.
Useful in an emergency? Not really.

There is only one level that matters:

Can your child confidently and independently handle themselves in the water?

🚫 Cookie-cutter lessons.
Children aren’t robots. We don’t force every child through the exact same progression. We teach the child in front of us, adjusting the order of skills when needed because every child learns differently.

🚫 “Close enough.”
Almost floating.
Almost breathing.
Almost making it to the wall.

In the water, “almost” isn’t good enough.

🚫 Rushing to fancy strokes.
Before freestyle comes floating.
Before butterfly comes breathing.
Before any stroke comes knowing how to survive.

🚫 Fake confidence.
We’d rather build real skills than tell a child they’re “doing great” while they’re still relying on goggles, floaties, or someone else’s hands.

Now… here’s what you WILL see instead. 👇

✅ Kids who genuinely LOVE coming to swim.

✅ An individualized approach. We teach the child—not a script.

✅ Lots of patience, encouragement, and celebrating every little victory (yes, I get just as excited as they do 😂).

✅ Skills practiced until they’re reliable—not just “good enough.”

✅ Confidence built through real ability, not equipment.

✅ Safety woven into everything we do.

✅ An absolutely ridiculous amount of stickers. 😂 Seriously… I might have a sticker problem, and I’m not looking for help.

The goal isn’t to pass a level.

The goal isn’t to collect ribbons.

The goal isn’t to make swimming look impressive for 20 minutes.

The goal is that if your child unexpectedly ends up in the water, they know exactly what to do.

That’s the standard we teach to.

07/30/2026

I haven't really posted much lately, and honestly... I've just been tired.

Not physically tired from being in the pool (although that too 😅), but mentally tired.

People see me teaching 30+ hours a week, but what they don't see is the other 30+ hours behind a computer or on my phone. The endless texts, emails, phone calls, scheduling, problem-solving, planning, social media, bookkeeping, and trying to make sure every family feels heard and taken care of. The business doesn't stop when I get out of the water.
Lately, I started feeling guilty because I wasn't excited to answer another message or make another phone call. Then I caught myself wondering, "What's wrong with me? I love what I do."

And the truth is... nothing is wrong.
Sometimes when you care deeply, you simply give so much of yourself that there's not much left at the end of the day.

This four-day break was the first time in a long time that I truly unplugged. I laughed more, slept more, spent time with my family, and for the first time in months, I felt my mind slow down.

It reminded me that rest isn't quitting. It isn't laziness. It's maintenance.

To every small business owner who feels like they have to answer every text immediately, never say no, always be available, and somehow keep all the plates spinning...

I see you.

You're not failing because you're exhausted. You're human.

The beautiful thing is that after a little rest, I found myself missing it again. I missed my kiddos. I missed celebrating milestones with families. I missed watching those little moments when fear turns into confidence.

That's how I know I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.

If you're in a season where you're questioning yourself or wondering if anyone else feels this way, they do. You're not alone.

Take the break. Fill your cup. Then come back and keep building the dream you once prayed for.
Because even on the hard days... it's still worth it. ❤️

07/09/2026

2027 Swim Lesson Interest Form is now open. 💙

If swim lessons are on your radar for next year, you can go ahead and add your name to the interest list.

This simply helps me get an idea of interest as I begin planning my 2027 schedule. I’ll share updates and registration information as it becomes available.

Looking forward to another year of helping little ones build confidence and life-saving skills in the water.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSccRsas1l4qZ0BM7MjV-J0mIkaYtqJ090IkATZ6nxq_LokO_w/viewform?usp=header

07/08/2026

If your child has been in swim lessons for years but still can’t recover from an unexpected fall into the water, it’s time to ask yourself why.

Water safety isn’t about collecting participation ribbons or moving up a level. It’s about learning skills that matter.

If your child isn’t being challenged to build real, functional water skills, don’t be afraid to look for a program that will.

Don’t settle for “they’re just not ready.”

Don’t settle for “they’ll get it eventually.”

Ask more. Expect more.

Because water doesn’t care how many years your child has been taking lessons. It only cares what they can do when it matters.

This cutie? He chose to count airplanes while floating on his back before turning over to come grab my hand. I love this job!

07/07/2026

This right here is why we don’t stop at just learning to float. Real accidents aren’t perfect. Kids lose their balance, they get turned around, and they end up in positions we can’t predict. In this video, he rolls into a float, loses his balance, flips onto his belly, and then does exactly what we’ve practiced over and over—he calmly rolls right back onto his back to breathe. That’s what self-rescue is all about. It’s not about doing everything perfectly. It’s about having the skills to recover when something doesn’t go as planned.

You will never convince me these skills aren’t life-saving. Watching a child recover independently instead of relying on luck is exactly why I do what I do. Every repetition has a purpose. Every lesson builds toward a response that could one day save a life.

And yes… I held my breath the whole time too.

ISR with Sofiia

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