Growing up in Michigan I was very fortunate to have always been close to lakes. Michigan has many small lakes along with the Great Lakes that are the most famous. My Father taught me how to swim when I was about 2 or 3 years old! We would go to the lake to relax on Sunday and my Father usually took me out to about 1 to 3 feet of water and would throw me in! I would float up to the surface and was soon able to kick and use my arms in a simple swimming style. Infants have a natural “mammalian reflex” which causes them to close their mouths and hold their breaths underwater. We lose this reflex as we get older. Because I started learning how to swim so young I do not know what it is like to not know how to swim! When my Father was teaching me to swim in this manner my Mother would be sitting on the beach almost having a heart attack! She did not know how to swim and was very afraid of the water. I ended up becoming a swimming Instructor and teaching infants and small children how to swim in the same manner as my Father taught me!