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3 year old swimming lessons

5 replies

Helium321 · 03/08/2013 22:35

My 3 year old has swimming lessons. For the first 10 weeks he absolutely loved them. Had no problem getting in, constantly smiling and joining in. But then after that, he had one lesson where the teacher dunked him and keeps crying every time I leave him. I have to stand v close to him on pool side now rather than sitting in spectators area which he used to love me doing and would look at me and say 'I did it!' When he did something new!

I'm hoping it is a confidence thing as he loves swimming when I take him still.

Any advice on whether there's anything I can do to help raise his confidence again in lesson?

Thanks

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cjel · 04/08/2013 18:19

there was a thread on here recently about teaching which involved having to go under the water and it was agreed that it was wrong and damaging. I have ds,dd dil and niece who teach children to swim and this is a huge no no. DS manages pools and I have spent a lot of time around swimming lessons and have never seen this.
I would stop lessons and go to the pool on your own with him just play at his own pace.He will get confident and forget this teacher who tried to drown him . I don't know why some people think it is ok to treat children like this. Don't make him go again

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Dottygirl · 06/08/2013 12:42

My 3 year old DD had a similar wobble - was OK when I promised her she wouldn't have to go under water today (and told the teacher the same). She's now building up her confidence again and voluntarily going under by herself!

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Helium321 · 06/08/2013 23:20

Thank you both, that's really useful. I think I will try a few more sessions and talk to the teacher about ensuring he doesn't get dunked. The most recent lesson he had( they've now changed teachers) and for some reason even though he is in a 3-4yr class everyone else this week was 4-5 hence a lot taller than him- the teacher subsequently told the kids to take off their arm bands as they could touch the floor. But mine eventhough is obv too short, was told by the teacher to let go of the side and try to touch the floor with his feet like everyone else and sunk again, it seemed she didn't expect it as the moment he did that, she was helping another child and left mine properly dunked for a couple of seconds. Not long but I think long enough for a child.
Gosh, sounds really bad now I write it down. Just a bit disappointed as we made so much progress in the first 8 weeks where he loved his lessons and went from a kid who hated having his hair washed to being completely fine and now when I take him swimming he is so happy that there's no teachers.
Ideally I'd like him to have a positive experience with lessons as I don't want him going away with an awful experience which could have an effect when he has lessons when he's older.

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zippey · 07/08/2013 17:58

Is he enjoying his lessons? I think it's good he is learning but if he is happier swimming with you then maybe stop the lessons for a while. At that age it's maybe more important to enjoy things rather than be really good at it.

I don't agree that dunking is bad, but I think you need to prewarn with a countdown.

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Helium321 · 07/08/2013 19:13

He was really loving them and looked forward to them, but has had 3 bad lessons so far where he needed me on pool side with him. I'm not sure if its a trust thing now where he doesn't feel safe with the teacher. I think I will have a talk with the teachers as my only aim with the lessons is to raise his water confidence and not necessarily for him to learn to swim at this stage... Which was actually happening. I'll try him with a few more and see how it goes. Whether it is just a blip.