Learn to swim...goggles or no goggles?

[deborah_r]

DS1 learned to swim with goggles. The swim instructors recommended them. Only drawback now is he's a little dependent on them, so if we forget them and go somewhere to swim, he doesn't want to swim.

I've heard of other swim instructors who don't want kids to learn with goggles. I have no idea why. So I am wondering what is more common (either for your kids if they have had swim lessons, or for you)

[niccig]

Our swim instructor is no googles until they can swim a bit, for 2 reasons.

1. If accidentally fall in, they will not be wearing googles and she wants them to know what water feels like in their eyes so they don't panic because of that.

2. googles fog up, fall down etc and can be difficult to see out of.


Once they are swimming, she'll let them wear googles.

[mom2binsd]

My DD gets red itchy eyes so we always wear them.

She can do without if she has to, but it's easier to see underwater with them.

Most of the kids in swim lessons we've been in wear goggles.

[KpbS]

Our swim instructor is no googles until they can swim a bit, for 2 reasons.

1. If accidentally fall in, they will not be wearing googles and she wants them to know what water feels like in their eyes so they don't panic because of that.

2. googles fog up, fall down etc and can be difficult to see out of.


Once they are swimming, she'll let them wear googles.

:yeahthat: Same here. DS2 just started wearing them after swimming lessons for a year.

[jacksmomtobe]

I grew up swimming/teaching swimming and I am in the no goggles camp. I think they should learn first without them so that they are able to swim that way. If they start out with goggles they will never want to be without them.

[hillview]

We've done lessons in 4 different places and never had goggles. Both boys swim pretty well and still don't use them.

[egoldber]

Well, FWIW, my older DD would not really put her head in the water until she got goggles. Once we got her goggles, her swimming really took off. She now prefers to swim with them, but she does not "need" them to swim.

I think part of it may depend on the chlorine levels in the pool. I know I have been in some pools where the water really hirt my eyes.

[sewarsh]

No, they should definately not "learn" to swim with goggles.
The point of learning to swim is so they learn to get comfortable in the water in case of emergency. They should learn to open their eyes under water adn be comfortable with that in case they should ever fall into a pool.

[Ceepa]

If goggles make the difference between a child being willing to stop worrying about the water in his/her eyes and focus on swimming then I don't see a problem with it. If a child can get used to water in their eyes during the first year of lessons then they can get used to water in their eyes later on once they're more comfortable.

[brittone2]

Our kids use goggles (aquaspheres). At swim lessons they were encouraging parents to provide goggles for kids once they were past the "get acquainted with the water" type class.

Ours have the UV tint so I personally like them for long days at the pool and beach because they offer some eye protection.

eta: I never cared for goggles as a child as I always struggled to get them adjusted appropriately. We find the aquaspheres easy to adjust and the field of vision is pretty wide compared with the smaller type goggles.

[HIU8]

DS wears goggles to swim. He can do without but with his sensory issues and anx he relys on them more.

DD has a pair and never wears them.

I think it just depends on the child.

[rachelh]

My kids don't swim yet but we were all big swimmers in my family growing up and no one swam with goggles. I can imagine a child learning with them becomes dependent on them as you stated. I also find them extremely distracting - never get the suction right, foggy, water inside, etc - The few times I have worn, I was busy adjusting them the whole time.

[SnuggleBuggles]

No goggles b/c it is nice not to need them. Tis year is the 1st year ds1 has wanted them and he is 9. I'm glad he did fine before that. I never use/d goggles.

Beth

[kerridean]

They should learn to swim confidently WITHOUT goggles first. Then the goggles should be introduced later. I just introduced goggles with my girls this summer because they started swim team (ages 5 and 7). I am a former WSI and lifeguard.

[GvilleGirl]

I'm definitely in the no goggles camp, especially in the beginning. As a former swim instructor I've seen too many kids waste time playing with their goggles, mostly because they don't have a pair that fits correctly or they aren't tight enough. I have seen kids become dependent on them well and have complete meltdowns when they forget theirs and we didn't have any to give them.

[LexyLou]

Our swim instructor is no googles until they can swim a bit, for 2 reasons.

1. If accidentally fall in, they will not be wearing googles and she wants them to know what water feels like in their eyes so they don't panic because of that.

2. googles fog up, fall down etc and can be difficult to see out of.


Once they are swimming, she'll let them wear googles.

Yup, no goggles here. They become so dependent that even the best swimmers would be lost if they accidentally fell in a pool with their clothes on or even just without their goggles.

[minnie-zb]

I think if it is a choice between them learning to swim or not learning, than definitely goggles if that is what it takes. My oldest refused to take lessons, wouldn't put her face in the water, etc. until she got the goggles.

I will say, they do outgrow the dependency on goggles -- or at least this has been my experience. Most kids will get in the water and swim vs. sitting on the edge of the pool because of no goggles. Playing in the pool is just too much fun to miss.

[JElaineB]

We tried to have DS learn without goggles, as I had never used them learning to swim in oceans/lakes, but the whole set of lessons (in a pool here in the Midwest) was a disaster. We tried again later and this time it dawned on me to try goggles. That did the trick and he learned the basics of swimming in a matter of weeks. He can now use them or not, so he isn't dependent on them, but it helped him learn.

[gordo]

Our swim instructors recommend goggles. They say it helps with many children's fear of water because they can see what is going on.

[Gena]

The swim instructors at our rec center leave the option up to each parent & child.

DS has swim goggles, but will not wear them. He does not like the fact that they "don't work", meaning that they have no prescription and do not improve his vision. I cannot afford to get him prescription swim goggles.

[kboyle]

I prefer my boys to learn w/o. Ds1 is a confident swimmer, has been in lessons throughout every summer since 6mos and is in lvl 4 red cross lessons. This is the first yr I've bought goggles for him. I would prefer them to not be reliant on them.

Ds2 just started lessons this summer and can now swim (just needto learn real strokes,) and allow goggles when he's in pool playing, but not for his actual lessons. Chlorine REALLY REALLY bothers his eyes so he has to wear them when we r at the pool for the whole day, but for his 30min lesson he goes w/o.

Ds3 doesn't wear goggles and chlorine hasn't bothered his eyes so far...hope it stays that way...he does go under and can open his eyes.

[pb&j]

Well, FWIW, my older DD would not really put her head in the water until she got goggles. Once we got her goggles, her swimming really took off. She now prefers to swim with them, but she does not "need" them to swim.

I think part of it may depend on the chlorine levels in the pool. I know I have been in some pools where the water really hirt my eyes.
:yeahthat:, except change DD to DS. :)

DD, OTOH, doesn't like how goggles feel on her face, and prefers to swim without. Whatever gets them comfortable.

[deborah_r]

Thanks for all fo the responses. I am going to start working on getting him to jump in the pool and swim to the side without goggles. I talked to him about it and he sounded OK with trying it (he tested the theory that he could open his eyes underwater in the bath last night!). Since they recommended them in the beginner level of swim lessons (and this is at a facility referred to as a "world class aquatics facility" which boasts several former Olympic swimmers as present/past staff members) I never questioned it. I just looked at their webpage for swim lessons and evey kid in the pictures is wearing goggles!

I will have to decide how to proceed with DS2 who will be starting swim lessons soon. I think he might be more adaptable and ready to learn, since he sees DS1 swimming. He doesn't seem to be as afraid - but I hadn't started lessons for him yet because last year he still didn't like going in the pool because he would get cold too easily - this year he's been playing in the pool with me holding him and floating with a tube, so we're ready to get him started!

[mackmama]

I think it probably makes more sense to learn to swim without goggles just to get used to the feel. I'd then add goggles later after s/he knows how to swim.

[ThreeofUs]

I say "other", because I have a kid who is sensitive to the water and chemicals in his eyes. So for swim lessons and to get used to it, it's no goggles. For play, it's goggles.

[ett]

I was just talking to DS1's swim instructor about this today. DS1 has not used any googles yet and she said it was a good thing because some kids do become dependent on them and can't swim without them. We've had a few swim instructors here and I don't think they've voiced a strong opinion for or against them.