Swimming

[Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain]

How good at swimming are you? I was brought to the pool as a young baby, had swimming lessons when older but also used to live near a sports centre with an Olympic sized pool and we were taken every weekend. We always used to love swimming whether in the sea or in a pool.

Is it a life skill?

DNephew 7 used to have lessons now uses a board (where you kick legs). Last time I took him swimming he refused to do so (I kept on saying swim goddam you!) then he found a boy his age an was playing and swimming. I forever played sharks with my brother and friends when in pool (hands just above water in shark fin shape).

I LOVED swimming and should try to go now

(I kept on saying swim goddam you!)

To a seven year old boy?

Not really but I did say why have I brought you here? To swim.

I'm fairly strong - used to be a total water baby when I was younger. It definitely is a life skill - I was talking about it the other week when a friend and I were discussing the recent floods. Plus look how many people have died in the sea during recent rough weather? Not saying that strong swimming would have saved everyone, but knowledge of how to act around open water, how to tread water, etc. can be extremely valuable.

I agree it’s a life skill. Have never done life saving but think I could dive into water to save someone. I’m a strong swimmer.

I am a fairly confident swimmer. Happy to swim in rivers, lakes, and the sea as well as pools.

I love to swim and go several times a week. Not many people know this but as it’s an anonymous board I don’t mind sharing -I’m actually part mermaid 😉

I don't think much of your tactics!

I was maybe being a bit harsh. I could swim like a fish at his age.

My kids at age seven could swim but in the pool they’d just lark about. They’re hardly going to do laps at that age!

Thanks for clarifying. That’s what he was doing. I think he’s slightly scared of swimming due to confidence.

We live be the sea so it was vital for us for our kids to have swimming lessons.

dd is 10 and we’ve just stopped swimming lessons. She’s very confident in the water but let’s be honest, learning how to do butterfly is not going to help if you get swept out to sea on a paddle board!

ds is 9, not quite to the confident level so continuing with lessons.

for us it’s vital but if you live in a city and rarely visit the coast then a good level of swimming is still important

similsr to cycling, in was ingrained into me that it’s a necessary life skill so both kids learned to ride and my dd that struggled we went to cycling classes. I don’t ever imagine that she’ll willingly choose to ride a bike!

Another mermaid here and unsurprisingly I also love to swim, I also really enjoy aqua aerobics and all things water related.

Love swimming, more part walrus than mermaid though sadly.

Confident as a child, then didn't swimming for years then started again as I had ME and for me personally swimming was a salvation. It wiped me out for days after 50m (seriously) but gradually improved and now I can swim for a km easily. Prefer to swim with my depth though post menopause cause of leg cramps.

I LOVE swimming.

My parents took me to a swimming club for lessons. I became proficient on all four strokes and swam for the county. I have swimming teacher qualifications, life saving qualifications and assistant club coach qualifications. I’ve learned to scuba dive and sail.

It’s a life skill that never leaves you and it opens doors for other water sports.

Your approach doesn't sound like it would work with many 7 year olds. Maybe trying to make it fun would've helped.

I know! He’s not mine so I didn’t know what to do. I just assumed he’d swim. Obviously not!

Doesn't sound like much fun for him, you let him know you weren't impressed. Didn't inspire his confidence much. My nephew isn't a good swimmer at six but that's on my sister. Hopefully as he gets older he'll get more confidence.

It's mumsnet, @Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain

People will be pointing out your flaws from now until the end of time and beyond.

I was once told that it's more important to teach children who live inland to swim than those who live near the coast.
I am still a bit baffled by this, but maybe it's because they are less likely to just pick it up as coastal kids - or maybe don't have the same respect for how dangerous water can be as do children who see the sea during storms, or hear local news about drownings?

🤣🤣🤣🤣

I would say adequate- only get to swim in hotels on holiday, usually do about ten lengths albeit not very quickly.

I was coming at it at the point of it being a treat. I actually thought he could swim better than he could. He should be able to be a good swimmer, is tall for his age with long arms and legs. I guess just being with his auntie in a pool wasn’t enough to make him want to swim and he preferred to muck around.

@CastlesinSpain my partner grew up thousands of miles from the sea and is absolutely clueless, or was, about its dangers. No idea about riptide, undercurrents, the combinations of flood/ebb tides ans on/offshore winds.

He was (and secretly still is) baffled that I seek out only beaches that are known swimming locations and don't really go much beyond my depth. He follows my lead, but doesn't get it, and without me there there's a high chance he'd have obliviously swum too far in the past.

In the Netherlands the sea swimmer deaths come from people like him. Not the Dutchies.

My kids both hate swimming with a passion. Both can swim reasonably well, but stopped lessons at the first opportunity.
The way swimming is taught seems to mainly target future competitive swimmers (and attempt to get rid of everyone who isn’t).