When to stop swimming lessons

[JocastaNu]

DS is 8 and has been going to swimming lessons for 3 years.

He has poor coordination in general so it's been a slooooow process.

Just wondering when others have stopped swimming lessons for their DC?

DS hates swimming, but he's still not confident in deep water. He can swim about 15 metres without stopping.

His lessons have changed from the old Stage system to a colour coded system which seems to focus on distance.

I'm just wondering how long I should keep him going?

@Londono

Many people stop lessons far too soon IMO but I know how excruciatingly slow progress can be. I added in crash courses in the holidays as well as swimming lessons when I felt they needed a bit of a push to get up to the next stage and that often worked well as they go every day instead of just half an hour once a week. Or, if you can afford it, finding lessons where the class size is smaller. It is the one activity that is compulsory for my DC. Also bear in mind that with the various lockdowns many children are struggling with swimming and it will take time to get them back on track.

So agree with this. DS loved swimming but the crash courses were super helpful. I really wanted DD to do one last summer but... lockdown. So I'm planning to do it this year but it will probably be traumatic as she's going to be very resistant.

My two both stopped when the lessons were just swimming length after length (with flippers).
Seemed a bit pointless once they could swim quite a long distance, and they weren't interested in doing lifesaving etc.

My DC stopped when they were competent, and the swimming instructor confirmed that further levels were about speed and refining the strokes for those who wanted to go into competitive swimming.

DD wasn't keen on distance lessons but we kept her going as swimming for a good distance is a requirement for lots of watersports like other PPs said. I think her Scout group only takes them with 50m min when they go kayaking or sailing.

She is now (well before Covid) a junior life saver, she saw the class training at her pool and when she realised she needed more distance swimming for it, she threw herself into it.

Maybe look into other watersport opportunities and see what is necessary as a skill and see if he wants to do this. DD still hates length swimming, typical club swimming is definitely not for her.

@Mybigbed

Things like scouts and guides ask if they can swim 50m in light clothing so I’d keep going until he can do that other wise it might limit him in terms of water activities he can do in the future and obviously in terms of safety.

They are expected to be able to swim 25m by the time they leave school too so that’s the bare minimum I’d stop at.

I agree with this as a practical minimum.

I couldn't swim until I went to adult lessons at 16 and needed the instructor in the water to help. There were things like school camp where I had a very restricted range of activities because of not being able to swim.

DS (10) has dyspraxia and progress has been slow over the years. Occasional intensive lessons in the holidays have helped when he's got stuck. He's reaching the 25m badge stage in terms of proper stroke but before lockdown could do 400m in half an hour with little rests. In normal circumstances, that's competent enough to manage a lanes session. It's worth continuing to have the lessons and keep working at his technique as longer term it will make swimming more easy and efficient for him.

Switching the lessons around with smaller classes or boosters can help. 1:1 is often cost effective in the long run if you can afford the initial cost. Options are less accessible at present though.