Question about swimming lessons

[momtoemma]

I've been thinking that my oldest DD should be taking some sort of swimming lesson. She will be 3 next month, and I don't want her to be afraid of the water. I'm thinking there is a window of opportunity with swimming, and I don't want her to be older and too scared to swim, but at the same time, I don't want to rush her either. We take DD swimming frequently, but I'm talking about things like how to safely get out of the pool by themselves, how to dip their face in the water, etc...I'm not sure whether the sort of lessons I'm looking for would involve me being in the pool with her or not. Have any of you started your child in swim lessons (something other than the mommy & me type class where you get the child familiar with the water)? What age do you think is best to start this sort of lesson?

Thanks,

[August Mom]

We've been doing swim lessons since DS was around 7 months. I suppose you could consider it a mommy and me type of class, but we have advanced through various skills to get the kids to kick, stroke, blow bubbles, go underwater, jump off the side, use various floatation devices, monkey walk along the side of the pool, climb out and some other things that are precursors to floating and swimming. Our instructor says that between 3 and 3.5, most kids can advance to the next level where a parent is no longer in the pool with the child. In this sort of class the instructor helps each child and they take turns doing different skills. Sometimes, they all are in the water wearing floatation belts.

So, if I were you, I'd sign her up. Have fun!

[MelissaTC]

Our local Y has a list of skills that your child has mastered and places them in the appropriate class. At 3, there are still classes available where you can be there with them in the pool of you are concerned about her. They teach the basic skills. They offer the same class without the Moms as well. I know my DS would need me in there, despite his no fear attitude...

Have fun!

[tigalig]

This is such a great question because I was where you were last year. My ds was about to turn three and most of the local private swimming schools have the "throw them in" approach and I refused to enroll him in such a class. So we spent three weeks in a mommy and me class and I felt comfortable with my decision. Fast forward to this year when we were in a pool, doing all of the things that he learned last year and suddenly, he let go of dh's hands and went under. He came back up and went under again. It was literally two or three seconds and he was unable to keep his head above water. I freaked out! Now I've signed him up for the "throw him in" session for a whole month and I don't care if he freaks out. Better freaked out and able to swim than a casual learner and drowning. I don't mean to scare you, but after I discussed this with the swimming coach, he said that most parents are afraid to traumatize (like I was last year) and that it's unfortunate when they're the ones who are traumatized when something happens to the child. I think you'll know if your child is ready or not this year, but there comes a point when it's a life or death decision (not just a sport that you could take it or leave it) and you have to make it for them.

*edited* to say that I apologize if I sound really harsh, but my passion about this is now directly related to my regrets over last year's decision when I saw ds go under water this year.

[Mommy_Again]

I live in South Florida where practically everyone has a pool, so swim lessons start early here. DS is 19 months and he's been doing it since the beginning of the summer.

The 'school of thought' on swim lessons seems to be cyclical like most child-rearing opinions. But down here, lessons are given one on one, instructor with child, no parents in the water. Reasoning is that child will want to play with parent will not pay attention to swimming.

Lessons are typically given for short amounts of time, several times a week. We do 10 minutes 4 days a week. Thought being that is all their attention span can handle, and the repition is good for them. Older kids get longer lessons (I would consider 3 older).

Everyone has a different teaching philosophy. One VERY expensive teacher here is nicknamed the "swim nazi" - she lets the child sink underwater for 7 seconds (OK, so that is the rumor, but bad enough that I said thanks, but no thanks).

Our teacher is a very sweet older woman who has been doing this for 25 years. DS screamed and cried the first three weeks of lessons. One day DH came to watch and he laughed and smiled the whole time and has loved it every since. He can kick, move his arms, get to the wall and grab on. His form is atrocious, but he can do it. Can hold on to the side and move his body along (if he needed to get back to the steps). Can go from on his back/floating, turn over, and get to wall. Is very comfortable with his head under water. LOVES to swim back and forth between me and DH, to the point that he will often just launch off of one of us without making sure the other person is there (scares the crap out of us, but it is typical).

IMO, 3 years old is definitely old enough- don't let this summer go by without getting her basic water skills. But we think differently down here because it is such a pool-centric society.

[jd11365]

We're doing this "survival" program too. The first few weeks were not easy...she also cried...harder for me I think than for Kayla. Here in Florida though, it is a necessity to have these skills. We have one of the highest drowning rates in the nation because everywhere you look, there is a pool or a pond.

I would definitely do a mommy and me class and then see what kinds of swimming lessons are available. Call your local Y and see what they have available.

HTH!

[hjdong]

DS and I are taking one session of mommy and me this summer (prior to him turning 3) and when he's 3 he'll go to the "big kid" class. Where I'm taking them, under 3 has to be mommy and me and at 3 you decide. I wasn't really sure, and when I asked DS, he wanted to take classes with Momma. But, when we got to the pool, and he saw the "big kids," he wanted nothing to do with the "baby" class. On the way to lessons every morning he says, "You have to be 3 to take the big classes and you are 2. But when you're 3 you can take the big classes and you have to listen to the teacher and there's no mommas in the big kid class and you have to be three."

I think taking the mommy and me first, to get him excited about the other classes, was good. He also clung to me the first day and wanted nothing to do with the teachers. The second day he "swam" with them just fine. So, you might want to do an introduction to lessons with you and then let DC decide.

[ddmarsh]

We start our kids in private swim lessons when they are 3. Our instructor does not feel that there is much to be gained before that age for most kids. In the past we had tried group lessons and I really didn't feel that there was as much to be gained from them, I notice such a huge difference in water safety since we moved to the one on one.

[sweetbasil]

Hey there, girl! :D
We had Kellen in private lessons last summer, and he loved them. This summer, it only took two lessons before he completely remembered everything he'd learned last year--- and by the end of the week (5 days of lessons, 30 min/day), he can now swim across the pool, coming up for breaths as needed. He's even jumped off diving boards and kept swimming over to the pool ladder. We're sooo proud! ;)

I wouldn't hesitate a bit about having her in this year. But let us know how it goes, if you decide to do it. You're gonna have one cute little fishie on your hands!

[alkagift]

I think 3 is a great time to begin. They've lost all that water swallowing reflex, have better muscle tone and a much better memory. I think our YMCA has classes like you describe, with the parent in the water at first, and you don't have to be a member to go to those.

Have fun, I know your cutie will enjoy it!

Allison
Mommy to Matthew Clayton, who is TWO!

[Phoebe]

>Our instructor does not feel that there is much to be gained
>before that age for most kids.

This is exactly what I've heard from swim instructors. Here are a couple of tips a swim teacher gave me to use before actually doing swim lessons.

*Always* put a swimsuit on your kid (and make a big deal about it). That way they'll think they have to have that on to get in a body of water, as opposed to just stripping when they see a pool or fountain.

Always get in a pool before child and get out after them. The idea is that they will learn they are not to be in there alone.

Mary
DD 4/01
DS 6/03

[momtoemma]

Thanks all for the advice! I definitely want to get DD started in swimming lessons and I'm waiting for a call back from my local Y regarding private lessons. I think I would feel better about it if the lesson was one-on-one since DD is relatively young.