I'm writing to let you know about the wonderful experience my family had working with Penny Phoenix at Zen Penguin Swim School.

Like most parents, my husband and I felt strongly that our child needs to learn to be water safe. We found this extremely challenging given that our child is autistic/PDA and has social anxiety. We tried group classes, which were crowded and overstimulating, and in which teachers followed a rigid series of exercises. Neither the pace nor the context was appropriate for our child. We tried individual lessons with teachers who were skilled swim instructors but had no concept of working within a neurodiversity framework. One instructor told us directly, “I don't know what to do with your kid.” In addition to our own fears about his water safety, these experiences were beginning to diminish our child's enjoyment of the water.

When a friend recommended Zen Penguin Swim School, I had my doubts. Aside from swim lessons, we, like so many parents raising neurodivergent children, have been disappointed by schools, doctors, and others touting themselves as “ND-affirming,” who then fail to provide a truly affirming and inclusive experience.

When we arrived at our first lesson, Penny welcomed us in a calm, gentle manner. Penny gave my son plenty of time and space to just get into the water. She made helpful acknowledgments about the feelings that might come with getting in the water, whether that's fear, excitement, or ambivalence. Penny gently invited my child to try something simple like holding onto the wall. I saw the panic wash over his face, so I motioned to Penny and told her about his autistic PDA brain.

As if flipping a switch, Penny changed her approach. She tailored her interactions with my child to reduce demand. She opted to model behaviors rather than require that he perform them. She welcomed his ideas and incorporated them organically into lessons. My child was particularly delighted by a lesson in which Penny encouraged him to jump into the deep end while naming capitals of countries, an area of interest for him. Most importantly, Penny built a relationship with my child that allowed him to feel that he was learning from someone who respects him, understands his boundaries, welcomes his whole person into the lesson, and can keep him safe. When Penny brought in an instructor she was training, I watched this new teacher replicating the skills, flexibility, and adaptiveness that Penny utilizes. While there's an art to what Penny does, there is also very clearly a science. My child came to feel comfortable with this instructor, too.

Aside from learning to backfloat, swim under water, dive for objects, and love being in the pool, my child has had a deeply positive experience connecting with a teacher he can trust. He walks into lessons with so much joy and enthusiasm. And my child has learned to swim!

She is a gift to our community.

Best wishes,

Lucy Rimalower