Swim Mom: Have Goggles Will Travel

6. Bring a paper and pen to record your swimmer’s times. You can use the meet program or a paper plate, but a piece of paper will enable you to keep track of times. My husband keeps a notepad with a pen in the cooler, so that he can record wins and personal best times.

7. Explain to your young swimmer that doing his or her best is more important to you than coming in first in the race or winning the heat.

8. Work out a family plan for meets when there is a concession stand. In our family, we let the kids buy food only after their races. I pack food and drink in a cooler, but if every other swimmer is buying from the concession stand it is hard to say no to your swimmer. You don’t want your kids to load up on food and candy before a race, so I let my children buy food from the concession stand after they race.  My preteen will buy a donut while my teen prefers a hamburger.

9. If the meet is outside, scope out a shady spot for your family. A beach umbrella or a shaded collapsible awning come in handy at outdoor summer swim meets. Many pools will provide chairs or loungers, but it is always a good idea to bring a chair or two.

10. Bring extra towels. At indoor swim meets, kids will go through several towels as the heating and AC are often inconsistent. Bring a warmup suit so that kids can change in to warm clothing after drying themselves off after racing.