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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think school should not ban goggles from swimming lessons?

95 replies

DizzyMum · 14/09/2012 19:31

My dd in Year 3 starts swimming lessons with her school next week. The note from the school states that they are not allowed to use swimming goggles but does not explain why. When my elder daughter was in Year 3 and had these goggle-less lessons her eyes used to water terribly and she was in pain.

AIBU to challenge the school about it this time around? Can anyone think why you wouldn't let them wear goggles?

OP posts:

thecatsminion · 15/09/2012 07:30

Similar to powerdresser's story, I go swimming with my contact lenses and wear goggles over them, and I hated going to the pool when I was younger and not being able to see. You could have prescription goggles and leave your glasses at the poolside, but prescription goggles are presumably quite expensive, and I'd hate leaving my glasses where they weren't safe. Presumably the kids in question are a bit young to have contacts, but hopefully they'd be allowed them if they were older? It just seems UR to ban them when some people need them.

The last time I went to the pool wearing my glasses (I forgot I had them on!) I went into the male changing room by mistake!

bruffin · 15/09/2012 07:54

We had a girl in dcs class who was very short sighted, almost blind without her glasses. She managed just fine without goggles. A teacher looked after her glasses in the lesson and one of her friends helped her round the poolside. She was one of the best swimmers in the top group.

My Dh does have prescription goggles for when we go on holiday as be doesn't wear contacts.

jamdonut · 15/09/2012 09:12

melonribena There is a child for whom English is not their first language amongst our swimmers who has to wear ear plugs and goggles . They manage just fine.

jamdonut · 15/09/2012 09:23

There must be lots of different conditions which mean you can't hear or see the teacher properly. what about children with hearing aids..they must have to take them off.
Perhaps it is just pools where the school teachers are teaching swimming and not "proper" (I don't mean that direspectfully to teachers) swimming instructors that have all these "Health and Safety" rules? Certainly our pool and instructors don't seem to mind,but probably because there are also lifeguards on duty there at the same time.

(I have a hearing aid and everything sounds like listening to a seashell (or being underwater!) when I take my hearing aid out to swim! )

AmIthatbad · 15/09/2012 13:34

jamdonut not "Health and Safety" rules. Really not.

TexasMamma · 15/09/2012 19:45

Schools are told by their LEA's to ban use of goggles. Health and safety gone mad. I have written article about use of goggles with regards beginners. The incidents of goggles smashing, straps twanging back in face have never been officially verified. Arguement that kids may fall in somewhere without goggles - true. But you can do some teaching without - strong swimmers can get in trouble in open water. If a child is put off swimming in first place they will never learn. I am a
specialist in helping adults conquer their fear of water. We do work with and without. Use of goggles often comforts people and keeps them calm. It also means they have a whole new experience and a fun one at that! Then they can concentrate on swimming rather than not being able to see! Kids should be given a choice. With over a third of pupils not learning to swim the children need to be allowed to chose whether they wish to wear them or not. If they feel the need to wear goggles let them! Should not have someone else make that choice for them.

AmIthatbad · 15/09/2012 19:51

Texas love all you say, except the "Health and safety gone mad" bit. This is absolutely nothing to do with H & S. Really, nothing at all. Health & Safety was introduced to keep people safe at work. It has nothing to do with swimming lessons or anything like that.

Why the fuck to people keep trotting out the "elf and safety" shite. It is all crap. If it's school policy - say so. if it is shop policy - say so. If it's for insurance reasons - say so. Fuckin stop with the "H & S" shite. Please

Sparklyblue · 15/09/2012 19:56

My child needs to wear googles, as she has poor eyesight. She has prescription lenses in them.

DollyTwat · 15/09/2012 21:37

I'm a rl friend of Texasmama and the work she does with adults overcoming their fear of water is inspirational

TexasMamma · 15/09/2012 21:37

I agree. Thats exactly what I'm saying. Its the lea's health and safety exec sending out the ban on school goggles rule. who are they to make this decision? Not up to the schools unfortunately. If I was a head and getting my pupils to swim sessions I would want better than only 66% achieving swim success. I feel allowing goggles would achieve a higher rate and get more pupils having FUN. Having fun mean they learn. Fact.

TexasMamma · 15/09/2012 21:41

Brilliant! More kids need to have prescription goggles and parents! Have written to goggle manufaturers telling them they need to provide affordable options.

fanoftheinvisibleman · 15/09/2012 21:58

I know I'm probably going against the popular opinion but I think they are better off learning without goggles where possible.

Ds asked for some when he started swimming lessons just because all the other children had them. To be honest after watching how much faffing the others did with them I said no. He'd managed without so I didn't see the point in starting it when I've seen kids who've forgotten their goggles so 'can't' swim. Ds is fine now and can swim umderwater with his eyes open and didn't even get sore eyes when in pool for 2 hours.

AmIthatbad · 16/09/2012 02:44

oh FFS. What is a " Lea Health and Safety exec" Some hybrid mystical, made up entity. Please, please, please, if someone says no goggles it is nothing to do with health or safety. Really, nothing.

I get so depressed about the fact that sometime MN seems like the Daily Mail.

DollyTwat · 16/09/2012 09:11

FFS amithatbad thats exactly what Texasmamna is saying
Read her post again

You are agreeing with her

She is saying its nothing to do with health and safety.

DollyTwat · 16/09/2012 09:14

She is a very well respected swimming teacher of many years, I am inclined to believe that she knows what she's talking about.

Are you saying there is no such thing as an lea health and safety exec?

AmIthatbad · 16/09/2012 09:18

Thanks so much. I did read the post(s).

I read "Schools are told by their LEA's to ban use of goggles. Health and safety gone mad" and "Its the lea's health and safety exec sending out the ban on school goggles rule. who are they to make this decision? Not up to the schools unfortunately"

I know it's nothing to do with H & S. I don't know what a lea health and safety exec is though.

AmIthatbad · 16/09/2012 09:18

I am saying precisely that

Prarieflower · 16/09/2012 09:20

They're banned at our school because of restricted vision which could cause accidents,30 kids squashed into a pool with restricted vision I'm guessing isn't good. You're allowed to send in a note but most don't bother.

My dd had a swimming accident at 4 and had to be rescued,she's had 1 to 1 lessons with a fab teacher to overcome her fear of water and is doing amazingly well now, she's always been fine with or without googles.

Have to say this does make me a snigger a bit as we all managed years ago without goggles.It only seems to be todays kids that can't learn to swim without goggles or learn to ride a bike unless it's an Islabike.

Prarieflower · 16/09/2012 09:24

Power I'm extremely short sighted and was from 6(blind as a bat without specs),I was always a good swimmer.I got taught up in Scotland where they chucked you in at the deep end and you literally sank or swam.Not being able to see seriously was neither here nor there.

I was one of the best in my group interestingly(swimming was the one sport I found that wasn't effected by me being short sighted).

DollyTwat · 16/09/2012 09:25

Amithatbad Texasmamna has been campaigning for many years to get rid of this silly notion that goggles are somehow dangerous.

She teaches adults who are afraid of the water. The amount of children who can't swim is very high. Anything that makes the experience feel more safe is a really good thing, goggles are something that really helps. Someone somewhere (if we can't agree on who that is) HAS handed down a directive that they are dangerous. There are any figures to back this up according to Texasmamma.

I asked her to post on this thread as she is so passionate about what she does. It's a shame she got such a nasty response from you when in fact you were agreeing with her.

Prarieflower · 16/09/2012 09:30

The reason children can't swim is because there aren't enough pools and lessons are shockingly high.

I've just had the bill for my 3 for this term and it's nearly £400,my parents pay because we live near a lot of beaches and streams and they worry a lot re the grandchildren. Cheap lessons are akin to chucking money away(I know because I've done it). You have to commit to years of fees like this until they reach what is it level 6.

If my parents hadn't paid we wouldn't have done the lessons,nothing to do with goggles.

meditrina · 16/09/2012 09:31

"How on earth can anyone learn to swim properly without wearing swimming goggles in a chlorinated pool? "

Just like all of us who learned in the 60s and 70s did. And we included the pyjamas-clad lessons to cover falling in in clothes, and even ones with jumpers, proper trousers and plimsolls too.

Most children are fine with or without goggles, and I can see that no goggles means fewer things to lose and/or fiddle about with. For those few who have an excessive reaction to chlorination, then goggles will be needed but as with many things there's no need for the exceptional needs of some to be the default for all.

DollyTwat · 16/09/2012 09:34

Prairie flower I'll let texasmamma give you her opinion on why it takes so long, but having listened to her on this subject its more to do with the way swimming is taught. Lessons focus on strokes very early on rather than teaching kids to float.

DollyTwat · 16/09/2012 09:37

I personally think if kids want to wear them and it makes the experience more enjoyable let them, if they don't then fine. But let them choose

If I had been able to wear them as a kid maybe I would be afraid of putting my face in the water

PavlovtheCat · 16/09/2012 09:38

DD has swimming lessons with a private club/coaching group and they encourage goggles in the first instance, as they progress is becomes compulsory.

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