Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

To complain about kids swimming lesson?

20 replies

noseynoonoo · 20/04/2012 23:40

DD (5) and DS (3) go to 30 minute swimming lessons, both in the pool at the same time but in different classes. DD has a great teacher and has learned loads. DS's teacher is pretty useless and I don't think DS has learned much but he enjoys it. The lessons are expensive and I did consider withdrawing DS because the teaching is so rubbish but it would be unfair for him to not swim when his sister is.

The style of DS's lesson is that the teacher takes them in turn up and down a 10m stretch, holding on to floats and kicking, splashing for most of session. Today there was a new boy in DS's class. He was tiny, perhaps might have reached 2nd birthday. He howled as soon as he was put in the water so the teacher carried him on her hip. He was apoplectic within minutes and had gone past the point of being able to soothe himself. His mum did nothing and teacher kept him with her. The other children had to do their swimming with teacher with the boy screaming 30cm from their face. DS and other girl wanted to get out; it was horrible. After 15 minutes I spoke to the top-teacher and asked if the boy would be staying in for the duration. She said yes, he just has to get used to it. I said that the other children, including mine, weren't enjoying it. She said nothing. I walked back to my bench. After 20 minutes he was transferred to DD's teacher's hip and after 25 minutes the mum finally intervened. When we finally left the changing rooms he was still crying!

So, I want to email the boss (not at the pool today) but not sure if IABU to expect next week to be different. Am I just being a heartless cow? DH wanted a refund for today's lesson but I'm not sure I have the guts to request that (bit scared of the boss lady)!

OP posts:

NoWayNoHow · 20/04/2012 23:47

Not much you can do to control other children, I'm afraid. Unless DS's teacher was actively not teaching the class (with or without screaming child) I think you'll be hard pressed to get anywhere with the pool in terms of a refund.

DS (4) had his first lesson this week with 3 others and a teacher. Two of the kids (including DS) can't swim at all, and the other 2 can swim a little by themselves. One of the boys who could swim was a nightmare - throwing himself all around the pool, splashing the other kids, not listening, interrupting, attention seeking, always wanting to do ALL the exercises first and multiple times. At the end of the lesson, after DS was dressed, I just had a little word and told him that no matter what the other children in the lesson are doing, it's important that he ONLY listens to the teacher, doesn't get distracted, and doesn't copy the children.

Maybe a quick word with your DS would help? Something along the lines of "that little boy is a lot smaller and littler than you, maybe you can show him how much fun it is to be in the water?". Maybe also explain to your DS that he needs to do really good listening to the teacher and try to ignore everything else that's happening.

Original poster

noseynoonoo · 20/04/2012 23:55

You make good points and I'll try to do that next week -however, DS did say hello to him before they got in and then the second he touched the water he was truly hystercial. It was really quite something and horrible to watch/hear.

I think my gripe was that the other children couldn't hear what the teacher was saying and then they had the boys face literally in their face screaming at them as they did their bit. I think once the boy went past the point of being able to soothe himself he should have been given back to his mum, or she should have gone to the pool side.

OP posts:

Salmotrutta · 20/04/2012 23:55

The lessons are expensive and I did consider withdrawing DS because the teaching is so rubbish but it would be unfair for him to not swim when his sister is.

I'm curious - in what way are the lessons rubbish?

I'm assuming you are a swimming instructor in order to be able to say this?

Original poster

noseynoonoo · 21/04/2012 00:00

The teacher just seems to carry them along - no real stucture to it and no encouragement/explanation. DD's teacher is excellent. She took a child lacking in confidence and the first to say, "can't do it, won't do it" and has turned her into a swimmer in no time.

DH is a serious swimmer - can literally swim miles. He thinks she's rubbish too and is annoyed that DS still goes to the class but I know that DS enjoyed it until today.

OP posts:

MooBaaWoofCheep · 21/04/2012 00:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

noseynoonoo · 21/04/2012 00:02

Oh and Salmonrutta - whilst I am not a swimming instructor I do teach another skill so I think I can say it to some extent and one of the keys to teaching in a group environment is managing the group dynamics.

OP posts:

seeker · 21/04/2012 00:04

If I were you, I would stop the lessons and dh would take them swimming, I don't really understand this swimming lesson thing.

Salmotrutta · 21/04/2012 00:15

I know about group dynamics.

I deal with them daily.

bigjoeent · 21/04/2012 08:33

I agree with MooBaa, if you complain / mention it you could point that out. I don't see why other children should suffer because a parent hasn't carried out basic acclimatisation.

Original poster

noseynoonoo · 21/04/2012 09:19

Salmotrutta - not sure why you are so confrontational. My point about group dynamics is that they had to be managed with effectively. Perhaps if you think the teacher was doing a good job, you are not dealing effectively on a daily basis. When you pay for a group course you are paying for the transmission of the skill and the management of the group so that all members of the group benefit. Yesterday no member of the group benefitted. In fact I think the little boy may have been scarred for life and the rest of the group aren't looking forward to next week. A lose-lose scenario.

OP posts:

Seona1973 · 21/04/2012 09:35

our local pool doesnt have children younger than 3 in group lessons - under 3's need to have a parent in the pool with them. Maybe the other child is just too young and not confident enough to be in with a group of children and would do better in a parent and child swimming class.

Marymaryalittlecontrary · 21/04/2012 10:27

I don't agree with group lessons that little. My sister in law sent her son aged 2 and it was a total waste of time and money. He wouldn't use the floats 'properly' and by the end would just stand on the side and refuse to go in. After a few months sister in law saw sense and took him out and now they swim as a family and just have fun.

If your husband is a really good swimmer then why can't he take them? Generally if kids are taken swimming regularly and just allowed to have fun with a bit of swimming thrown in by encouragement and praise then they will learn to swim. I can understand wanting kids to know proper strokes and styles, but wouldn't consider lessons until a few years later when they are already confident in the water and know the basics.

youbethemummylion · 21/04/2012 22:40

I would be suprised if they put a maybe just turned 2 year old in with your 5 year olds class when there were obviously classes for younger children taking place at the same time, especially as he obviously wasn't a happy confident swimmer. My DS2 is tiny and it is very annoying when people assume he is younger than he is!

Having said that I don't think (no matter what his age) he should have been forced to endure the whole lesson when so obviously very distressed.

YesIamYourSisterInLaw · 21/04/2012 22:54

*I'm curious - in what way are the lessons rubbish?

I'm assuming you are a swimming instructor in order to be able to say this?*

So you have to be an expert before your allowed to give an opinion on something?
I'm not a driving instructor (hence why i took lessons) but i knew my first instructor was a waste of space not very good

I'm with the OP on this, why are you so confrontational? your not the instructor in question are you?

MrsShitty · 21/04/2012 23:06

Silly Mother and silly teacher! My DD hated the water at that age and would have screamed in the pool with a stranger too. She's 7 and has JUST learned to swim....we never pushed her...she's only ready to enjoy it now.

Some people befuddle me! It seems that swimming is something parents thinkk the DC HAVE to learn or they'll be behind in some way.

HexagonalQueenOfTheSummer · 21/04/2012 23:32

If I was the mother of the screaming child I would have taken him off the teacher, conscious of a) him being very upset and b) the fact that he would be disturbing and possibly distressing the other children in the lesson.

YANBU,OP

HexagonalQueenOfTheSummer · 21/04/2012 23:33

And Salmotrutta, what a ridiculous thing to say. You don't need to be a swimming teacher to be able to judge for yourself whether they are good or not!

Original poster

noseynoonoo · 23/04/2012 00:15

I emailed the manager earlier today. I just described what happened and asked if there were any ways to avoid a repeat.

OP posts:

treadwarily · 23/04/2012 00:46

I would feel disappointed too. I don't know how many times I have been at the pool and listened to a small child scream the entire length of a lesson and I will never comprehend why it is a good technique to force them through it. It is horrible for everyone.

I think emailing the boss is a good idea, ask for ideas on how it could be better for everyone. If you don't ask, you don't get...

HexagonalQueenOfTheSummer · 23/04/2012 19:05

At my DD's swimming lessons, if a child cries for more than 5 or 10 minutes then they are given to their parent at the side of the pool for the parent to deal with them and coax them back in.

Flip