Big Blue Parent Perspective: “It’s so worth the drive!”

Magda Lasota-Morales has been a proud ambassador of Big Blue since she enrolled her sons at Big Blue North Center when it opened in March 2019. We originally chatted with Magda in late February 2020, just before the Covid-19 shut down. Since our conversation, Magda’s family has moved to Los Angeles to embark upon a new adventure. However, her commitment to keeping her boys in swim lessons, and why she chose to drive more than 30 minutes across town to swim at Big Blue, is as relevant as ever as families look for safe ways to keep their children active and socially engaged.

Magda Lasota-Morales enrolled her sons in swim lessons in Chicago at Big Blue Swim School over a year ago. Every week, she makes the trip from Hyde Park with her two- and four-year-old boys to Big Blue’s North Center pool. On a good day, it’s a 30-minute drive, but with unpredictable Chicago traffic, Magda gives herself an hour for travel. She says, “It’s so worth the drive! There is nothing else quite like Big Blue Swim School near me, so I don’t mind the commute. We all love going there, and Big Blue makes the entire process so easy.”

Magda tried other swim schools closer to home, but scheduling swimming lessons for two boys was a serious challenge. As a business owner and entrepreneur, her schedule is somewhat flexible, but needing to find different days and times to accommodate both kids was out of the picture. “Being able to bring both of my boys to swim lessons at the same time is one of our favorite things about Big Blue, and the ease of scheduling our lessons on the Parent Portal is very important to us.”

Back to that unpredictable Chicago traffic - “There was a time when we were stuck in traffic and I knew we couldn’t make our lessons on time,” said Magda. “I called the school, and since Big Blue has such an accommodating schedule of classes, they were able to fit both boys into the next session, just 30 minutes later. It was a big win for my kids because they got to play for a while with the trains and sneak in some organic lollipops before their lesson started. It was a win for me because I didn’t have to make the same trip all over again.”

What else makes Big Blue worth the drive for Magda and her family?

• “We love that managers are always on the floor to keep an eye on everyone’s progress, and it’s great to know what our sons are achieving at each lesson.”
• “The way Big Blue celebrates a swimmer’s big moments on the spot is fantastic! My son was so surprised the first time he moved up a level, and it meant a lot to him.”
• “Big Blue’s focus on building confidence in the water is important, and we see it happening with our kids. My oldest son took lessons somewhere else, and his first time in the pool required him to jump in the water. He hated the sensation of that. The way Big Blue builds trust and confidence with kids is really special.”
• “We love that the staff is everywhere and knows everyone! The swim instructors know my family’s names, and the names of all of the families coming and going! You get a sense that they truly care about you!”
• “My boys are always excited to go to swim lessons. There has never been an occasion when they didn’t want to go to Big Blue.”

Magda also said she appreciates the cleanliness of the pool and the lobby area, the size of the changing rooms, and of course, free parking!  But, her kids will tell you it’s all about the trains and lollipops!

When Magda’s not at swimming lessons with her kids, she may be teaching a Fit4Mommy class or working on her line of clothing designed just for moms and moms to be.

An update from Magda from Los Angeles: "Oh how we miss our Big Blue Family! Funny enough, LA has a bus system called Big Blue, and right when we moved here the boys thought it was an ad for their favorite swim school! The boys still love swimming, and now that we have access to a pool in our building they have been practicing their water skills almost every day. We plan to sign Adrian up for competitive swimming once things open up here in LA. Shortly after we moved to LA, Julian (3) learned to swim under the water and is a lot more comfortable in the pool in general. I 100% credit Big Blue and your teachers with these accomplishments. Thank you!"