What age did your kids give up swimming lessons?

[unlikelychump]

Morning!

What age did your kids give up swimming lessons? My kids are 12, 10 and 8 and I am thinking we might be getting to that point with 2 of them. I'd like them to complete all the levels first really, but I am not sure we will quite get there.

Once my dd could swim 50m confidently then I gave her the choice of continuing lessons or stopping. She's happy to continue at the moment.

Mine stopped just before they started secondary school and had almost completed all the levels.

DS1 will stop when he starts secondary (this autumn). He’s level 6 so a ‘decent swimmer’ to quote his teacher and I would rather he had time for his primary sport, music and Scouts (all of which he prefers to swimming).

My 10 year old was a strong swimmer after having lessons since he was 4, and was bored of going so i let him drop out. I will probably apply the same to my others who are younger and still in lessons atm

Stopped when they went to secondary school, were confident swimmers and didn't want to go anymore.

I was at a private school so we had compulsory swimming lessons until the last term of year 11 when we could opt out in favour of revision in the library if we wanted to (pretty much everyone did).

I had my 2,500 metre badge at that point I think.

Mine all stopped around 9 years….they had been in lessons from age 4

DS stopped at the beginning of the year, he's 12. He was in level 6 for well over a year (nearly 2) but didn't complete it apparently and was fed up.

They did them for about 6 months until they could swim.

My eldest stopped just before secondary.
Number 2 stopped year 5 but she had obtained the same level as when eldest left (200m).
Youngest, age 7, has 25m and desperate to leave, I prob won't make her stay until 200m but will see where we get to:

I do t understand these years of lessons unless is being done as a sport. Mine did 3 courses of 8 weeks to get to being able to swim lengths but we didn't start until a bit older due to circumstances, older kids learn quickly

At the end of the term before starting secondary. Not completed all the levels but got to level 7. Swimming had become a battle ground, and I anticipated they'd have more homework at secondary to fit in.

Mine stayed until they started secondary...this also coincided with them starting their periods. They'd reached the levels before you start swimming competitively, which neither of them were interested in. I was quite sad about it! But there were no other kids their age continuing.

Mine were 9&10, in levels 5 (95% complete) and 6. This was partly because their lessons were crap, and we were all disillusioned with the "Swim England" programme. Decent lessons were they were learning something productive, they would have continued.

I started mine really young, DS3 was 10 days old when he started, because we have a river on our property (that sounds much posher than it is!!).

They stopped as soon as they could swim we'll and we're confident in the water, so after about a year. They continue to swim a lot on holidays and in the local pool though.

I've always thought that once DD was a confident and capable swimmer we'd stop lessons. At the moment she still loves going, so will encourage her to go as far through the levels as possible.

DH swam at County level, I grew up by a beach. so swimming is a big deal in our lives.

I have told mine they can stop when they complete the main 7 levels

Stopped just before secondary school. She could swim well, various strokes including butterfly and the main focus of the lessons by that point was technique to become competitive swimmers. She had no interest in doing that, so she stopped.

DS1 stopped at 8 and then did Rookie Lifeguards instead.

DS2 stopped at 8 and joined a competitive swimming club.

So we are not exactly a good example but I would say if they can swim and find lessons boring but enjoy swimming find another route.

If they can swim confidently front and back in clothing and without goggles (you won't be wearing goggles and swimming trunks in most emergency situations) tread water for a significant length of time and pull themselves out of the pool without using the steps then they could probably stop if they wanted to.

Mine both stopped aged around 9/10 once they were in level 6 and had done the bits where they practice what to do if they fall in water wearing proper clothes. They both like swimming but don’t really enjoy lessons so I just take them myself now.

DD started in grade 4 at 7 (I had taught her to swim she just needed to improve her technique) and finished at 10 due to COVID but had completed level 10 in life saving, synchro, diving and competitive by that point ( she went for three sessions a week) and there was nothing left to do so had also joined the local swim squad.

If you want your DC to keep swimming but they don't need lessons try the local swim squad and see if they have a recreational session for those that don't want to compete.

End of Y11. Brought up by the sea and live by a river though, so see swimming very strongly as important.

Mine still go they are 13. I like them to go for the exercise rather than the lesson. They’ve not resisted so we will keep going till they do!

I was wondering this my 8 year old is progressing very slowly but she has had big gaps of no lessons/swimming, covid, 2 sets of broken bones and another operation, she will probably need another one soon. I was planning to get her to do at least stage 7 although at this pace she maybe 30 by then!

They stopped having lessons at age 9/10 but they continued to go swimming and could swim well.