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Early immersion

Brianna Gunderson, right, says swimming can help build trust between parents and children -- one of the reasons she brought daughter Ava, 2, to an open infant swim at the Family Swim School in Lakeville. Gunderson brought her 7-month-old son, Liam, to the session, too, for his first experience under water. Gunderson says swimming is "an essential lifetime skill that will help them with their motor skills and everyday use, living in the Land of 10,000 Lakes."

March 20, 2011 at 4:53PM

Brianna Gunderson passes her two year old daughter Ava to swimming instructor Katherine Schrock at the Family Swim School in Lakeville, during an open swim for infants. The water is constant 90 degrees at the Family Swim School in Lakeville,where Brianna Gunderson of Lakeville swims with her children 7 month old Liam and 2 year old Ava. Brianna Gunderson say's that swimming is "an essential life time skill that will help them with their motor skills and every day use,living in the land of ten thousand lakes". This was her son Liam's first time swimming under water. Swimming can be a bond building experience between parents and their children. Gunderson says that "it's absolutely a trust thing,I think when they are that little,it comes more naturally to them, because they are swimming in the womb, seven months ago he spent nine months swimming.To them it comes naturally, that's why I feel strongly about starting them so early." (Joel Koyama — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Brianna Gunderson, right, says swimming can help build trust between parents and children -- one of the reasons she brought daughter Ava, 2, last week to an open infant swim at the Family Swim School in Lakeville. Gunderson brought her 7-month-old son, Liam, to the session, too, for his first experience under water. Swimming, Gunderson says, is "an essential lifetime skill that will help them with their motor skills and everyday use, living in the Land of 10,000 Lakes."