Can you swim? How well?

[niccig]

I was reading an article about drowning and was surprised by the statistics that only 35% of Americans can swim and then only 2-7% swim well. DH said he'll probably be in the "can swim camp, but can't swim well." He jokes that if ever someone needs to rescue a person overboard, it'll be me first, then DS and finally DH.

I grew up in Australia and everyone I know there swims. Actually, I had 1 college friend that could not swim and the rest of us were very very very surprised at a pool party when she couldn't swim at all.

A friend here had her DS in 1 summer of swimming lessons and announced "he can swim now, so no more lessons." I was :47: as dog paddling across the pool is not swimming, and there was no way her son would be able to save himself. MIL insists that DNeice can swim w/o any lessons, and I argued that paddling across pool is not swimming. When we've gone to beach/pool with other families, I'm often the only parent IN the water with the kids, as no one else seems to swim.

There was no definition in the article about "swimming well", but my personal definition for DS is to have good technique with at least freestyle and breast stroke and be able to swim couple lengths of Olympic sized pool. He also has to be able to tread water for a few minutes - I think he's up to 2 mins. I did a lot more than that as a kid, but this is my minimum goal for DS.

Ideally, I'll get him on a swim team next year so he can get more stamina. I'm out of shape and would need to catch my breath at the end of each lap if I just did freestyle, but I could do several laps alternating freestyle and breast stroke. But I know I can save myself and I'm not scared in the water, and I want that for DS too.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Oops, should have said well. Just said yes.

I went through all of the Red Cross swim levels except life guard. Didn't want to do that (though in hindsight it'd have been a much better summer job!). Eta- I can swim all my strokes and swim lots of laps.

Ds1 can do every stroke except side stroke. He does swim team and has since he was 6. He's not fast and there are much better kids on the team but he's good at it. He swims 2-4 times/ week year round.

[queenmama]

I can swim. I'm from an area in California that gets HOT and if you don't have a pool, you know someone who does! Of course, I don't live at home anymore so I don't spend all day of summer in the pool, but I can still swim well enough to save myself.

DH isn't a great swimmer. He didn't have a pool growing up so he was in his late teens before spending much time in the water. His advantage is that he is unflappable; he knows how to keep a level head in a crisis, and he actually made it through two near-drowning incidents (both while canoeing in rough water) because of his ability to stay calm.

DS isn't an exceptional swimmer but he could save himself -- as long as he doesn't panic. He has to take a swim test every year at Boy Scout camp and they do drills with clothes, etc., so theoretically they will be able to prevent drowning.

We don't have a pool and I know there are mixed opinions on it, but I truly think every kid should grow up around water so they have the skills as well as confidence in case something happens. I don't feel like you can build this kind of confidence without spending hours and hours in a pool, so I would like more for my kids than just a visit to the Y or fitness club here and there.

Lara

[123LuckyMom]

I'm a strong swimmer, and I want DS to be one, too. I think it's very important! I expect he'll stop swimming lessons when he completes the Red Cross junior life saving course. That's what I did.

[daniele_ut]

Sorry, I voted wrong. I swim very well. I learned to swim at 3 and swam competitively through high school.

I'm embarrassed to admit that DS1 does not yet swim well. It makes me nervous because I believe everyone should learn to swim well!

[AnnieW625]

I too am from the HOT part of Nor Cal! :waving4: to QueenMama

I voted wrong, I voted that I can swim, which is what I can do (swimming well to me means masters swimming or swimming at the gym on a regular basis....neither are me), but I can swim a couple of laps (width of a Olympic sized pool) without any issue so I guess I can swim well. I can tread water as well with very little issues. I am not a strong swimmer by any means, but I can swim to save my life. I did jr. lifegaurd training the summer I turned 15. I didn't pass so I didn't get to do the two weeks of lifegaurd training at the end, and I should have retested the following summer but I didn't. I probably would have only been comfortable teaching the mom n baby swim classes though (jumping off the 6 ft. tall off the ground lifegaurd chair would not have been my thing).

DD1 can paddle/beginning free style across the long length of an in home pool. I am comfortable that if she fell in the pool she could get to the side. She will start taking lessons here hopefully two times a week and will do it year round starting in May (I could start her now, but I want to wait until DD2 is 3 other wise DD2 will have a fit because she will want to be in the pool as well).

My DH can swim well as well.

My MIL did not learn how to swim until the last year or so, she is 66, and grew up with family members who had pools. I have no idea why she never learned to properly swim. She also water skiied and didn't know how to swim, I guess she was fine with a life jacket.

[crl]

I can swim and likely just barely meet your definitions of "well" though I thi k I am a poor swimmer--mostly I really suck at breathing so I get tired very quickly.

Ds is a better swimmer than me already! He's nine and has all the strokes. We intend at least one more summer of lessons. I would rather him go for swim team as I think what he needs now is more stamina in the water but he doesn't want to do swim team.

Dh served 13 years in the Marine Corps and swimming isn't optional for Marines. He's quite good at just keeping himself afloat for a long time with minimal effort, which is a good safety skill. He did know how to swim before going in as well.

Dd turns three next month. She screamed her way through every swim class with me this time last year so we stopped at the end of the session. We will try again this summer and see if she does better without me in the water. I don't really expect her to learn to swim this summer, but am hoping she will be more comfortable in the water and learn some of the precursors. Unless she's magically better this summer, I am pretty much anticipating private lessons for her the summer she turns four to get her swimming.

Swimming is not optional for our kids for safety reasons and we definitely expect more than a dog paddle across the pool.

Catherine

[hillview]

I said I can swim well but that to me means I can do breast stroke NOT freestyle (I suck at free style). I am very comfortable in the pool and could do laps breastroke easily. I've been SCUBA certified and was on a swim team as a 5th grader (ha ha that was a while ago). I can tread water for at least 5 mins and did that red cross survival class in high school. I saw that same article and also wondered what swim well translated to.

[edurnemk]

My mom made me take swimming lessons from 2-13 yo, with a couple of breaks here and there. She can swim but not well, and she always felt bad about it, so wanted her kids to swim REALLY well. I can do several strokes. I'm also a certified open water diver. DH can also swim well. A few months ago a coworker of his admitted that he doesn't know how to swim and I was SHOCKED!

DS has been in lessons for 1.5 years. Lately he says he hates the lessons and wants to quit. But it's not optional in this family, once he can swim well he can quit, IMO for a kid that takes several years.

[niccig]

I saw that same article and also wondered what swim well translated to.

They should have given a definition.

I'm SCUBA certified Rescue Diver and DH is an assistant instructor, but he had difficulty with passing swimming requirement. It was easy for me and it's been a while since I've been a regular swimmer. DH is a much better diver than me, though he does have many more dives than I do.

I also need to get DS better with surf safety. I was teaching him how to ride a boogie board on last trips to Maui and while I'm OK, I'm not great either. I got dumped a couple times badly (my fault for mistiming wave) and broke DS's boogie board. Oops. I need to get my cousin (professional surfer) on next trip home to Australia to teach DS about being safe in the surf, as that's a completely different skill set.

[barkley1]

I voted Yes, Well b/c I can do several strokes and *could* do 2 lengths of the pool if I had to, but I really think I'd be almost dead, LOL! Stamina is the problem for me. i'm also SCUBA certified for at least the past 10 years, but I don't go anymore b/c i suddenly developed a fear (??!!). Oh well.

[kerridean]

I am an excellent swimmer (former lifeguard...now lap swimmer for exercise). My girls swim competitively in summer swim team.

[Nooknookmom]

I'm a fish. Love to body board and body surf. My oldest can swim but is not into it. My little one is also a fishie!

I live in CA and like Queenmama said if u don't have a pool you know someone who does!

I dislike the Pacific - too cold . Grew up going to the Atlantic, much better!

[♥ms.pacman♥]

Yes, I can swim but not well. DH while he is overweight, is a really good swimmer. When we went to Maui and were snorkeling he was basically staying afloat on his own for like 45 minutes..i needed the little inner tube thingy around the tummy :)

I too am SHOCKED at how many American adults cannot swim AT ALL. MIT has a rule that to graduate from there you must complete a swim test. Something like you have to swim 100 meters (no stopping or touching the bottom). A huge portion of the students not only did not know how to swim, but looked like they had never been immersed in water, ever. They had to take several courses just to be able to be able to doggie paddle for a few seconds. I grew up mostly in California, so i was very blown away. I almost drowned as a kid so i think swimming should be a life skill.

[AshleyAnn]

My parents have an in ground pool so I grew up around water and can swim like a fish. Honestly, I don't know how many strokes I can do as Ive never had any lessons or anything but I am a strong swimmer and could easily complete several laps

[belovedgandp]

I would consider myself someone who can swim, but not well.

I never mastered breathing. I love the water and do water fitness. I can tread water forever. I have a mean sidestroke, but no I could not do an actual stroke for any period of time. It is one of my goals.

My oldest is getting close. He is 9 and a better swimmer than I am.

DH would say he cannot swim. He wasn't around water much as a kid and was so dense he floated under the surface of the water and just hated it. He tolerates the pool with us, but even that is just not his thing. Kids are the only reason he goes near places with water now.

[niccig]

but no I could not do an actual stroke for any period of time. It is one of my goals.


This is DH. He had a pool growing up, but no lessons. He can swim and passed the SCUBA diving swim requirement, but there is no technique there. My sister is a swim instructor and last time together at the pool, she gave DH a couple of pointers and he was impressed with how much easier swimming was. He wants to take lessons now. And I think there may be some male pride involved in there, he can't catch me once I start swimming away.

[TwinFoxes]

I can now say I swim well after taking a "perfecting your stroke" class last fall. I grew up around water, but started realizing that I was expending a lot of energy and not actually moving! I had no fear of water, and could tread water easily, but my actual stroke was awful. I'm so glad I finally took lessons! I can definitely swim two laps now, and know two strokes. I'm really proud of myself that I did it at 40+. :)

[alexsmommy]

I can swim, but do not meet your definition of well. I agree, Americans think being able to keep your head above water in a pool and being able to swim the short way across is "swimming well enough.". I'm grateful I can swim at all, my parents cannot and insisted we take lessons. Ds1 is a stronger swimmer than me and passed a swim test at YMCA camp that allowed him to swim in the open lake vs only the pool or a roped off area. DS2 is just now back in lessons. I think large lakes/ocean swimming is a different beast than pool swimming and I'd like the boys to be safe in open water.ds1 is taking addition classes this summer.

[roseyloxs]

I voted swim well. I went to Notre Dame and you are actually required to pass a swim test freshman year. If you fail you have to take swim classes for your freshman PE requirement.

I grew up outside Chicago and took swim lessons every summer until I graduated out of them with some kind of swim test. DH had a small pool growing up. I recently learned that they never had lessons though and was a bit shocked. He is convinced that they all know how to swim though from playing in their own pool, I doubt they do though. DH did not have to take the swim test at college because he was in ROTC and that counts as a PE credit. He did have water survival though in his pilot training, hopefully it was effective.

[gatorsmom]

I can swim well. I grew up a half mile from the Missisisippi and my mother insisted That because we were so close to water my brother and I learn to swim well. In fact, I took some of my lessons in the summer IN the Mississippi.

[crl]

I think part of this is economic class issue in America. Access to swimming pools and money for lessons are a middle class and up thing for the most part. Obviously there are exceptions. I have no idea how that plays out in other countries.

Catherine

[teresah00]

I can't vote but would say well. Not fast but know all the strokes. Just out of shape. I uSed to be a lifeguard 20yrs ago.

7 yo can swim laps and tread water.
5yo can make it across my parents pool but its not pretty :) hope to work on this over the summer.
2.5 can't swim but has the idea of kicking and blowing bubbles.



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[hillview]

I can now say I swim well after taking a "perfecting your stroke" class last fall. I grew up around water, but started realizing that I was expending a lot of energy and not actually moving! I had no fear of water, and could tread water easily, but my actual stroke was awful. I'm so glad I finally took lessons! I can definitely swim two laps now, and know two strokes. I'm really proud of myself that I did it at 40+. :)
this is a good idea. I was trying to take up lap swimming and REALLY wanted to freestyle but just sucked at it. I should take a class -- I USED to be able to freestyle when I was younger.

[baymom]

I can swim well. I was on my HS swim team and can easily swim 4+ laps of an Olympic sized pool. Until recently, I participated in Olympic distance triathlons all with open water swims in the Pacific. Still, I don't think I'm an efficient swimmer anymore and could benefit from a coach refining my stroke. But, I'm extremely comfortable in the water and have good stamina.

[gatorsmom]

I think part of this is economic class issue in America. Access to swimming pools and money for lessons are a middle class and up thing for the most part. Obviously there are exceptions. I have no idea how that plays out in other countries.

Catherine

You are probably right, but I'm just wondering- is our city the only one that offers free lessons in the summer? The only thing you have to do is sign your child up. It's all through the school district.

[AnnieW625]

You are probably right, but I'm just wondering- is our city the only one that offers free lessons in the summer? The only thing you have to do is sign your child up. It's all through the school district.

Our cities lessons aren't free, but they are cheap. Mom N Me sessions are $15 per four weeks of Saturdays or everyday for two weeks session, and I believe that the non mom n me lessons are about $30 per session. They get really crowded on the weekends for DD1's age now and the only other non weekend option is 4 nights a week and it just hasn't quite worked out with our schedules yet so my girls have always done something else.

[niccig]

I think part of this is economic class issue in America. Access to swimming pools and money for lessons are a middle class and up thing for the most part. Obviously there are exceptions. I have no idea how that plays out in other countries.

Catherine

Yes and no.

Yes, that need to have access to pools.
No, in that DH's family was solidly middle class, so are several of my friends and none of them can swim for any decent length. They grew up in MI, so plenty of lakes and opportunities.

MIL and FIL think having a pool means you can swim. DH told me he had 2 near drowning experiences as a kid and his uncle fished him out of the water (both from boats). MIL/FIL couldn't have saved him as they don't know how to swim.

My friend, who is my age, can't swim and she still thinks 1 summer of swim lessons means her son can swim.

I think they don't put a priority on it, as they never knew how to swim.

Growing up in Australia, there's a lot of local pools. My parents very small town has fabulous pool complex that the community had to fundraise to afford. I read somewhere that Sydney has more olympic sized swimming pools that the entire UK, so there is access. Not sure how expensive lessons are now, I know it wasn't much for me as a child. We also went to local pool during lunch time, teachers would walk us across town to the pool. We had a school swimming competition every year to pick members for school swim team. Everyone competes (also had annual track and field competition). You didn't want to be the person that couldn't swim a lap of the pool.

[alexsmommy]

Statistics for African Americans and Latinos are even worse. Absolutely a combination of economic issues, access issues and cultural issues.

Interestingly, I am African American and we were out with another AA couple last night and this came up in a roundabout way. We were talking about the differences in how kids are raised now vs when we were kids. The other male was saying his community did not have a pool and he and his buddies would ride their bikes 50 minutes one way to go to a pool. We were actually talking about how now we cant/don't give the kids freedom we had at age 10, but he said in passing, "well we we're poor so there was no pool anywhere near us...".

Even if communities offer free lessons, if a parent works full time and doesn't have personal transportation, it's a barrier.

Our hs requires swim lessons and though everyone complains about it when going through it (you have to do them all four years for a six week stint), but as an adult I think it's a great idea.

[StantonHyde]

I had a horrific experience learning to swim. Let's just say my dad totally qualified for child abuse on that one.

Finally, when I was 9 or 10, I was at summer camp and didn't pass the test, so I had to take lessons and I learned. I always hated it, was always afraid.

At the age of 26, I hurt my knee running and switched to swimming. It was hard and my form was AWFUL. But I got up to swimming a mile 3x a week.

After a year, I stopped and had not been really swimming in a looong time. I finally decided, at 45 that I wanted to do triathalons. I hired a swim coach and worked hard. I am now in my 3rd year of swimming twice weekly. I can swim a mile in under 40 minutes--that's good for me! I am focusing on open water tris this year, which is a big deal for me, because open water swimming scares the crap out of me. But every year I get better and stronger. I hate being afraid of things. I am glad that I am getting better.

[dogmom]

Hmmm...I'm not sure where I fall on the poll. I could certainly due more than 2 laps, but I have no idea what constitutes a breast stroke from a freestyle stroke. I can tread water for a long time since I do it while hanging out at the docks at the lake monitoring my kids jumping in. But I do not consider myself a strong swimmer. I could not be sure to save my child in a strong current, which is how I quantify that. I won't let them go out past where I can touch in the ocean or past a certain distance if the water is shallow because I worry about rip tides.

My MIL never learned how to swim, she's African American. She has friends with pools she can bring the kids to in the summer, but she needs one of us to come with her because of that. She even lived on the lake at one time, and went to the beach, but she never tried to learn, it just paralyzes her with fear at this age.

[gatorsmom]

. DH told me he had 2 near drowning experiences as a kid and his uncle fished him out of the water (both from boats). MIL/FIL couldn't have saved him as they don't know how to swim.


I am always shocked when I hear about people who can't swim and then go out in boats. And I think its bordering on child abuse for an adult who cant swim to take a child who cant swim out in a boat. Just can not understand this.

Eta: I mean boats for leisure activities. I don't mean boats meant for transportation (like ferries).

[lmh2402]

i can swim well.

not as well as i used to - swam competitively from the age of 7ish until 18.

but i can still hold my own.

[gatorsmom]

I had a horrific experience learning to swim. Let's just say my dad totally qualified for child abuse on that one.

Finally, when I was 9 or 10, I was at summer camp and didn't pass the test, so I had to take lessons and I learned. I always hated it, was always afraid.

At the age of 26, I hurt my knee running and switched to swimming. It was hard and my form was AWFUL. But I got up to swimming a mile 3x a week.

After a year, I stopped and had not been really swimming in a looong time. I finally decided, at 45 that I wanted to do triathalons. I hired a swim coach and worked hard. I am now in my 3rd year of swimming twice weekly. I can swim a mile in under 40 minutes--that's good for me! I am focusing on open water tris this year, which is a big deal for me, because open water swimming scares the crap out of me. But every year I get better and stronger. I hate being afraid of things. I am glad that I am getting better.

Good for you! That must have been hard at first.

My previous boss learned how to swim at 40yo. She took private lessons and didn't tell anyone until she was really good at it. She said she was embarrassed that she didn't know how. Now she is excellent.

[niccig]

I am always shocked when I hear about people who can't swim and then go out in boats. And I think its bordering on child abuse for an adult who cant swim to take a child who cant swim out in a boat. Just can not understand this.

Eta: I mean boats for leisure activities. I don't mean boats meant for transportation (like ferries).

I was shocked too. DH's uncle was there and he can swim and saved DH. I also think in early 70's no one was wearing life jackets either.

I know if DS were to go overboard, I would be the one to get him and not DH as I've got better chance of doing it (did swimming up through lifesaving).

We went out on pontoon boat with 2 other families. All kids can swim and the 3 moms were all swimming team members/life saving lessons etc. None of the dads can swim well, so we joked that the dads were the ones that needed the life jackets.

[niccig]

I finally decided, at 45 that I wanted to do triathalons. I hired a swim coach and worked hard. I am now in my 3rd year of swimming twice weekly. I can swim a mile in under 40 minutes--that's good for me! I am focusing on open water tris this year, which is a big deal for me, because open water swimming scares the crap out of me. But every year I get better and stronger. I hate being afraid of things. I am glad that I am getting better.

Way to go. That is fantastic that you set the goal and learned how to swim.

My sister does tris and trains with 2 friends. One is great at running, one is great at cycling and my sister was a swim instructor, so they've all helped each other.

[mypa]

Swim lessons around here are very expensive. The city ones are around $75/month, 4x's/mo. for Mommy and Me and around $100/month, 8x's/mo. for group lessons. Private facilites charge twice that.

[o_mom]

By your definition, I can swim "well", but I'm out of shape and my strokes other than freestyle suck.

My kids can all swim at least 25 yds in 3-4 different strokes (DS3 can't do butterfly yet). They haven't really been in a pool longer than that, but could probably do 50 yds without stopping (again, DS3 is a maybe on that at almost 6 - I expect he will be able to after swim team this summer).

[KrisM]

I can swim. Close to 'well' by your definition. I'd be really tired by the end though.

[maestramommy]

I can swim, but not well. The only stroke I've ever learned is front crawl, and even that isn't terribly efficient. I was learning breaststroke in HS, but swim ended before I could really get the hang of it. I can do backstroke, but again, I don't know how good I am. I'm constantly looking behind me to see if I'm headed for the wall.

Dh is about the same. We didn't grow up around water. It's a little ironic that we ended up buying a house with a pool.

[BayGirl2]

I could swim enough to save myself most of my life but didn't have good form for freestyle. In my 30s I learned freestyle so I could do triathlons. I swam from Alcatraz so I guess I was successful. Now I'm not in great shape so don't have as much stamina, but would still have the wherewithal to swim/float/swim if I needed to.

DH does not know how to swim, just never learned as a child. He talks about taking lessons but hasn't yet. He's cautious because of that, if we go out on boats he wears a PFD and so do the kids.

Our town is an island and there's actually a program that allows every Kindergartner swimming lessons for free. Very cool concept, although I'm not convinced a session is enough for children to learn enough at least it's a start.

[brittone2]

I can do multiple strokes, but am not terribly efficient. I can float, tread, etc. I did not vote for "well" in the poll. I've never been a big lap swimmer because my stroke could use work and I would need coaching to be more efficient I think. But I feel comfortable in the water in the settings I am generally in, and I realize I have limitations.

eta: I did some aquatic PT in my working days; we had a life guard on duty at the insistence of the facility our agency leased space from. She slept (I mean, totally recumbent on a table on the pool deck. Not dozing off sitting in a chair, just totally checked. out.). We put our foot down because it was insane that our agency was paying for her to nap! So I was in the pool with clients, but we had a lifeguard on duty (in theory). I would not want to be relied upon to save someone in deep water in a true emergency.

[SASM]

I can swim freestyle and backstroke quite well, although my other two strokes are scary. All 3 of my kids are on a swim team and 2 have qualified for State level competition. My 5yo is a work in progress. :) Competitive swimming is an awesome individual and team sport! Like endurance running, it is all mental!!

[LMPC]

Crap, I should have said "swim well" -- grew up in the south, where we stayed in the water about 8 months out of the year. It's one of those things that is a non-negotiable with DD...she's gotta learn to swim!

[endlessheather]

I can swim well and grew up practically in the water. We went to the lake from the time I was a baby so I'm a big fan of the water. :) I started swim team at 7 and continued through high school, swam state. In college I did triathlons instead and helped coach usaa young age-group swimmers. I was an aide for swim lessons very early on and then as soon as I could I got my lifeguard certification. That same summer I got my water safety instructor to teach. It was my summer job from the time I was 16 through part of college. I loved teaching swim lessons and lived at the pool + had the greatest group of friends from those summers.

We have a pool in our neighborhood so I've had our boys in the water since they were babies. My 7 year old DS can swim laps (freestyle, backstroke and breastroke), tread water and all that. I'd like to move him to swim team but we are working on endurance first and he's in karate right now so it'd be hard to devote too much to the pool. My 4 year old DS can swim across the pool with his face down and pseudo armstrokes. :)

Dh on the other hand...HATES the pool and only likes to swim if we are in the ocean, river, lake ..anywhere but pools. He has never been in the pool at our neighborhood which is bizarre to me.

[erosenst]

I said "well", but that's probably not true any more.

As a kid, I did a five mile lake swim, and passed jr lifesaving. (Was too young at the time for senior, and never pursued it when I was old enough.) Could do freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, side stroke....and a very short distance butterfly.

I'm now just not in shape enough to gtee that I could do 2 50 meter lengths :(. If cardio weren't a concern, I certainly could.

DD (9) can do a passable freestyle easily for 25 yds. Not sure she's ever tried more, but with the same 'passable' stroke am sure she could. She can also do a passable breaststroke, and backstroke for a short distance. She stopped swim lessons at 6 (I think) because she was no longer interested, but could do all of this then. Memory is fading - pretty sure she could do 25 yards at 5, although wasn't coordinated enough to do the rotary breathing so it was much uglier/more taxing.

[trales]

I went to public high school just outside of Detroit and had to pass a swim test to graduate high school.

[ShanaMama]

I can swim to save my life but I don't swim well. It's on my bucket list to take lessons & actually learn the strokes so I could Do laps. I really enjoy the pool & hate that all I can do is hang around. Maybe this will be the year I take those lessons.

[KpbS]

I LOVE to swim and swam competitively when I was young. I wish that I had stuck with it--I love to race! Love all the strokes, etc. :love-retry:

DS1 swims on summer swim team (year round it too much for him with his FA I can't get enough calories into him) and DS2 has had lessons and is just on the cusp of taking off and having confidence. I am hoping it will all click at the beginning of this summer for him.

I haven't started with DD but she loves the water and I think will pick it up quickly.

[scriptkitten]

I think part of this is economic class issue in America. Access to swimming pools and money for lessons are a middle class and up thing for the most part. Obviously there are exceptions. I have no idea how that plays out in other countries.

Catherine

i grew up technically poor and i can swim extremely well and i've never taken lessons. my parents taught me when i was like 4 or 5. granted, i did grow up on a lake in a rural area.

every single kid i ever knew growing up also swam well. there were a lot of lakes and ponds around and since everyone was "poor" (rural Northeast PA) there was no shame or stigma in having an above ground swimming pool.

i guess what you are saying might be true in the suburbs and urban areas, tho.

[ZeeBaby]

I learned how to swim as an adult. I do not swim well at all. My goal is for both DD to make swim team.

[Kindra178]

I voted swim well. I can do every stroke except butterfly although I don't like freestyle. Breast stroke and back stroke are my favs. I am not fast but did swim team on and off from ages 4-12. I am from the east coast and everyone there can swim well. Swim bday parties were common when I was in second grade. Here, swimming is not as a big of a deal. It is common for 6 year olds to not swim well. Although there are definitely kids that do competitive swimming (three hours a week practice plus meets) here, there does not appear to be a middle ground just for fun swim team like I did.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

i think the socio-economic issue is one reason why many can't swim, especially in the inner cities where access to a pool or any body of water at all is probably pretty difficult. but i don't think that explains all of it. I just think many families don't see it as a priority. the vast majority of people i've met who could not swim at all were those in my graduate program, who had grown up in mid/high SES and had piano/violin lessons, SAT prep courses, and all that stuff that the majority of science/engineering students at a private, prestigious university grew up with. So i think it is also a question of priorities in the US...swimming just doesn't seem as important as other things.

[MontrealMum]

I can swim well. My mom did one of those Aquababies classes with me when I was little and I was in lessons throughout my childhood after that. Our next door neighbors had a pool and she'd just drop me over the fence :) Growing up in MI everyone I knew could swim, and swim well. There's just so much water there - we have the longest coastline :) . My family are also boaters so swimming was an important skill to have.

Even if people in my city didn't have access to cottages or enough money to drive to the big lake frequently there were tons of city pools that were either free or very low cost (like, 10 cents a visit). Of course, most of those are closed now, one is even filled in!

We all had to take and pass a course called Drownproofing in 4th or 5th grade. Can't remember which. I'm not sure if that was district- or state-wide. It wasn't until college when I met someone who couldn't swim. I can reliably still do 3 strokes. Not sure my shoulders or aerobic ability are up to the butterfly anymore.

[squimp]

I'm a good swimmer. I took lifeguard training in college and have done a few triathlons. DD swims but she's not taking lessons or on swim team any more. She swims a lot in the summer, and loves to go off the springboard.

[ilfaith]

I am a decent swimmer. I learned all the major strokes at summer camp, although I never swam competitively. I never really enjoyed swimming laps for exercise, but I can get back and forth across a pool when I have to.

We have a pool now. DS1 and DS2 have taken swim lessons. I have been behind in getting DS3 in the water, since we moved last summer and we aren't close to a place with year-rund swim lessons...but I do plan to get him started this spring. DS1 ad DS2 love the water, but they aren't particularly strong swimmers. I am hoping they can improve this summer.

DH is not a strong swimmer. None of his siblings are. DH even managed to get out of his university's swim test (he is deaf in one ear and somehow, Columbia University accepted that as an excuse)

[wifecat]

I began swimming lessons at age 3 or 4. Swam competitively from about 4th grade through high school. Do triathlons now and teach swimming. I'm VERY serious about the kids being able to swim and swim well. They don't have to compete, but they need to be competent.

Dh can swim but not well. I'd love for him to let me teach him. Honestly, he can't float well and he refuses to practice floating. He wants to jump right in to improving his stroke. Wrong order.

[twowhat?]

I would say I can sort of swim, but not well. If I fell off a boat, I'd probably be in trouble. I definitely can't rescue anything. In a controlled pool environment I can tread water but probably not for longer than 5 min since I'm way out of shape and I'm sure my technique isn't the most efficient. I never learned proper breathing and never mastered strokes. I can float on my back and I can "swim" across the pool using a combination of a floppy/ungraceful front crawl/back crawl.

If I were disoriented in the water, I'd be in big trouble.

DH says he is a good swimmer but I beg to differ. The last time we went snorkeling he immediately had trouble staying afloat (and staying afloat technically should be easier in salty ocean water) and had to go get a floaty thing. That doesn't count as "good swimmer" in my book. I think he thinks the definition of being able to swim is "moving through the water"...I think he forgot the whole "breathing" part.

I agree with PPs that swimming is a life skill. I want my kids to be WAY more comfortable in the water than I ever was, but to still maintain a healthy respect for the water. And for our family, that means overcoming genetics (our girls are genetically uncoordinated, overly cautious, and fearful). Hence the reason I put them through ISR.

[citymama]

Yes I cam swim but I can't swim well. I really need adult swim lessons as all I can do is dog paddle across the pool. I had zero swim lessons as a kid - learned to swim at 8 visiting family who lived in am apartment complex with a pool. We stayed with them for a few weeks and the aunt in law was an ace swimmer and was aghast that we couldn't swim. She made it her goal to teach us to swim and be comfortable in water. But that's it! My DD1 is already a better swimmer than I am. My DH is a pretty good swimmer - multiple strokes, years of lessons, grew up by the beach.

[essnce629]

Statistics for African Americans and Latinos are even worse. Absolutely a combination of economic issues, access issues and cultural issues.


This is true. I'm 1/2 black (dad), 1/2 Mexican (mom) and I never really learned how to swim well. My mom took mommy & me lessons with me when I was a toddler and then I learned how to swim on my own underwater when I was 3. We lived in an apartment and I remember swimming underwater all the time at the pool in our complex. After age 5 though, I never really had easy access to a pool. I never took regular swim lessons so I do not know how to do any strokes or the correct breathing technique. To this day, I only swim underwater. My mom was a single parent for the majority of my childhood and only made $24,000 a year till I was in high school so there was never any extra money for extracurriculars like swim lessons. As a kid I always wanted to be in ballet, gymnastics, and girls scouts and wanted to learn how to play the piano, but never got to do any of this since we didn't have the money. I'm still bummed about it now actually! And since I can't swim that well, I really wanted our kids to be strong swimmers. DS1 is on a non-competitive swim team right now and is on the wait list to join a competitive swim team. He's a very strong swimmer and is great at all 4 strokes and can swim multiple laps. DS2 will be 4 in May and has been in private swim lessons for a year now. He loves the water and his teacher just started him on freestyle and back stroke over the last few weeks. I'll have to have DS1 teach me how to do strokes when he's older. I probably need to take a class myself, but I'd be too embarrassed I think. My kids don't realize how incredibly lucky they are to be in so many extracurriculars-- swimming, soccer, Tae Kwon Do, and fencing (and hopefully piano for DS2 soon).

[jam224]

I can't swim at all. :bag

I had a terrifying drowning experience when I was younger and I think it scarred me for life. Even just standing in the pool, I feel like I can't breathe, despite having my feet firmly on the ground. It takes me quite a long time to "warm up" to the pool. :(

This is definitely something I want to overcome though. It gives me hope to hear that some of you took lessons as adults. And I definitely want DD to learn how to swim before she has a traumatizing experience like I did.

[cilantromapuche]

I swam competitively and my children swim on swim teams. DH doesn't swim so well. I am shocked at the adults I meet who can't swim. A good friend of mine is from Jamaica and can't swim. I was shocked but she said they would just put their feet in the water but not swim.

[klwa]

I was one of the last graduates from my university to have to pass a swimming test to graduate. Had to swim back & forth across the olympic sized pool using any stroke you wanted & then tread water for minutes, if I remember correctly.

There was one girl who jumped in the pool for the test beside me & sank like a stone. She had never been in a pool before but just assumed she could figure it out. I have NO idea how you could sink that fast without trying!

My dad didn't learn to swim until he was in college, so he made sure we all knew.

[ladysoapmaker]

I swam competively in High school, all 4 strokes. I can't do the butterfly anymore, I've lost all flexability to be able to do it well. I would like to do lifeguard training but haven't had the time. DH can swim but not as well as I can.

I insist that the kids get swim lessons. DS#1 gave up early on as his mother can't swim and she managed to transfer her fear of water to him. I don't push the issue. DS#2 does so-so, I'm trying to get him to the point he can pass the boy scout swim test so he can do some of the water merit badges he wants to. DD#1 nearly drowned at age 5 and has improved immensely since then (and is over her fear of water). She wants to be on the swim team, she just needs to improve her endurance and rotary breathing. DD#2 is my little fish.

Jen

[minnie-zb]

I can do what you said (swim 2 laps of an Olympic size pool + do 2 different strokes), but I would never say I'm a strong swimmer. I'm proficient. I would need to swim regularly to be a better swimmer and that's where I think the skills start to fall apart.

My husband is a much stronger swimmer than me (he's an ex-Coastie) so he had to be able to swim well. Plus he went to a Maritime college and has done lots of survival training in the water. His skills are exceptional.

Swimming is an important skill for us and I think we are both concerned as our kids do not swim particularly well -- they need more lessons, but I find that has been a challenge. Our neighborhood pool is offering swim lessons this year for the first time and I'm hoping to get the girls enrolled.

[ahisma]

I can swim well. I was on the swim team for most of my childhood and can still do all 4 strokes proficiently, although given the choice I'd never do the butterfly again.

We spend much of our summer on Lake MI and it is important to me that our children become strong swimmers - right now they are not. For me, it's a two pronged process; swimming in the pool is far different than swimming in the big lake.

[lizzywednesday]

I took swim lessons every summer starting at age 4 through age 15, plus I was on a summer season swim team from the time I was 8 'til the time I was 16.

I can swim freestyle/crawl, backstroke, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, inverted breaststroke, side stroke and a couple of rescue strokes. At one point, I could also tread water for 10 minutes, but I wouldn't be able to do it at the moment as I am out of shape as well as out of practice.

One summer, my mother took lessons and I was her swim buddy because I had more experience in the water ... and some basic water rescue training.

During the '92 Olympics, I fantasized about being Summer Sanders. I wasn't nearly talented enough, but she was close enough in age to me that it seemed realistic enough at the time.

My last 3 years of swim lessons involved basic water safety & rescue training.

I am determined that DD will learn to swim well, but I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out how to get that accomplished because I live in quite a different area than the one where I grew up and lesson offerings are a bit weird.

I find it appalling that some lessons in this area only meet once per week for a few weeks - my swim lessons were between 30 and 60 minutes per day, four days per week, for eight weeks each summer.

[Philly Mom]

I swim well though am out of shape so not sure if I could do freestyle for 100 meters straight. I can do breast stroke, back stroke, elementary back, side stroke for 100 meters no problem. I did swim team for a year but kept getting sick so had to stop. I was never very fast anyway. I have done 2 or 3 open water swims across a lake, but the last one was when I was 21 so a long time ago. I prefer lake swimming to pool swimming but sadly there are no lakes around me. I would love to get DD into good swim lessons but I think she needs to be potty trained for the best swim lessons around us. I may try to get her some basic ones this summer. It appears that the infant survival classes that others have mentioned don't exist near me.

ETA: I was also a lifeguard through college though I hated it. My mom taught me to swim to start. She swam a lot before I was born. By 4/5 she had me swimming freestyle across the length of the pool. In swim classes, I was always in the highest group.

[Carrots]

I can swim well, though I was never on a swim team. I love swimming.

[Dcclerk]

I swam competively in High school, all 4 strokes. I can't do the butterfly anymore, ... DH can swim but not as well as I can.

I insist that the kids get swim lessons. ...

This is me exactly. My job through college was as a lifeguard and swim instructor, and I'm utterly paranoid about my kids being watersafe, which to me means being a damn good swimmer. My kids are in swim lessons every day almost the entire summer, and I am making each one of them participate in the junior lifeguard program at least 2 summers, but hoping that they will do it for many years.

They all know that I couldn't care less whether they like to swim or not, because in our family, you are required to be a good swimmer. :P When I stop being worried about their safety, then they can stop swimming lessons. So far, we are not that close with my oldest, and he can already swim 12+ lengths of the Olympic pool. Realistically, for me, I probably won't be content until I see them competently handle some big waves and swim at least 500 yards straight.

[BabbyO]

I took swimming lessons faithfully every summer until I was 13 or 14 yo. So I used to swim well, but after that we moved away from the water and didn't have access to a pool. Since I just haven't had the interest in going swimming. Now we have kids and I'm in the water with them when I have a chance...but it is difficult because I WOH and have a long commute. So the day is pretty much over when I get home...but we do make the effort to do swimming lessons.

I don't know if I can do a couple lengths of an olympic sized pool...I don't really know how large one is. I know I can tread water for quite a while, and I can do breast stroke. I also can do side stroke for forever. It is my favorite swimming stroke. I never got into the crawls....I have terrible hearing and having my ears underwater makes it VERY difficult for me to be able to tell where I am. I get disoriented and swim in zig zags. But sidestroke, one ear is out of the water and I can just glide along.

I'm ashamed to say, I don't think I could save either of my kids while swimming anymore. I'm not strong enough to swim and keep their head above water at the same time.:bag

[codex57]

I played water polo in high school so I hope I can swim well. I don't think DW can swim that well. Apparently, in SF, you gotta take a swim test to graduate, but you can doggy paddle across to pass. It's too cold there to really swim much.

[cono0507]

I was a lifeguard and swim instructor through high school and college and swim for fitness now.
My kids are still working on it.

[TxCat]

I can swim "well" by the OP's definition, but I'm definitely not a strong swimmer. I can do two lengths of a pool, but I'll be pretty winded and pretty slow. I grew up in northern California and we had to swim at least 2 laps (4 pool lengths) consecutively and tread water for 15-20 minutes to graduate high school. I love the idea that some other posters have mentioned, of taking swim lessons now to improve my strokes and speeds.