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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to wonder about swimming lessons

60 replies

badger2005 · 20/09/2013 22:16

Just wondering whether to get on the swimming lesson bandwaggon. Sounds like kids go for years and years and make slow but steady progress. Would they progress okay without the lessons? I don't remember having weekly out-of-school lessons for ages and ages as a child, and I can swim. Is it that hard?

I guess the swimming pools etc really benefit from this idea that you need weekly lessons for ages and ages to make even slow progress...

What do you think?

OP posts:

2kidsintow · 20/09/2013 22:18

Would you take them regularly? If so, they could well learn then.

I decided that I was definitely going to get my 2 to have swimming lessons when I went swimming with the year 6s in my school and watched some kids who were still pretty fearful of the water.

Mine had lessons until they had confidence to swim independently and then they stopped and we carry on swimming for fun at the weekends.

CustardOmlet · 20/09/2013 22:19

I had swimming lessons through out childhood and teens. It's like any sport, good exercise, motivation and skill building. Olympic swimmers didn't get where they are by just floating around!

ilovepowerhoop · 20/09/2013 22:23

I didnt have swimming lessons but then when i went swimming as a child we didnt have the adult/child ratios we have now. My 2 started swimming lessons age 4ish and ds still goes age 6 but dd has stopped now age 9 as she didnt want to go to the swimming club/do competitive swimming

NoComet · 20/09/2013 22:26

I agree that swimming lessons aren't necessary to learn to swim. My DDad sailed dinghies and taught me to swim in the sea in case I fell out.

I don't really remember learning. I do remember him trying to teach my sister in the pool near my grandparents. DSIS wasn't very good and I did a lot of giggling.
DSIS eventually learnt on holiday with my grandparents aged 7.

However, both my DDs who did lessons swim with much more style than me and DD1 can even do butterfly.

But in truth the reason for swimming lessons is to get them to do something active in the cold dark days of winter, rather than going flop infront of the TV.

MerylStrop · 20/09/2013 22:30

We haven't done the weekly half hour lessons thing, too much hassle with 3 kids in tow and no car.

Older two have had a handful of 1:1 and 1:2 lessons over the last two summers and this has been brilliant, seems expensive at the time but probably works out cheaper in the long run. and infinitely less grief

2kidsintow · 20/09/2013 22:31

Our local pools do free classes in every school holiday, except Christmas. If you wanted to give them some experience of lessons without the commitment or cost of weekly lessons then that could be something to explore.

mehimandthegirls · 20/09/2013 22:33

Learning to swim is a life skill (swimming teacher on maternity here) If you cant swim - you drown. simple.

You can ether pay for 1-2-1 which are expensive but work quicker (depends on age and strength too)
or
put them in weekly lessons, they normally last about 30 mins for 12 weeks so all in all you have about 6 hours teaching a year, so cant expect miracles in the first term.

Swimming comes naturally to some people, to others its a hard slog. If you cant float it can be even harder.

Ultimately if you ever go on holiday, or your dc fall in lake and they get in danger, they can at least 'try' to get to safety.

Its a no brainer!

bumperella · 20/09/2013 22:35

I had swimming lessons when I was about 6 for about a year. I went from not being able to swim to being able to rescue bricks in my pyjamas (an essential life skill). I definitely wasn't one of the "better" ones, probably below average ability. It meant that school swimming was fine and that I could/can do the things you need to be able to swim for. I'd not sign mine up for formal lessons unless they happened to really enjoy them and be convenient (cost/timing etc).

BackforGood · 20/09/2013 22:36

Few reasons I took mine to lessons -
one is I couldn't take all 3 by myself (only 2 under 8s).

Next is I actually HATE that whole getting dry and getting them dry thing after swimming (much prefer to tackle them when I'm fully clothed and dry myself)
Next is, without having committed to paying for the weekly lesson, I just know that I would intend to go, but then something would 'come up', and I'd miss a week, then another week, and it would just slip.
Next is, very often (not always, but it happens a lot) children will listen to "the teacher" but find it much harder concentrate when parents are trying to show them stuff.
Next is - I can swim, but I'm actually a very poor swimmer, and I wanted my children to be strong, confident swimmers.

Don't know if any of the above apply to you ?

Mine learned with a swimming club though rather than the Council lessons - not only are they taught far better technique, it also worked out as much better value for money - might be worth making enquiries. They'd all done their 1000m / 1500m / mile type badges by the time they were about 8, and whenever they've gone somewhere else, people always comment on how good their technique is.

BackforGood · 20/09/2013 22:38

Sorry, that wasn't meant to sound boastful more to extol the virtues of the swimming club coaches and teachers.

cryhavoc · 20/09/2013 22:40

We took our DD from when she was very small. She got her 25m badge when she was 2, and 50m badge just before she turned 4. We moved to a different county, and enrolled her in lessons. This probably made us a bit lazy, so she didn't go with DH or me as often - £90 and two terms later and she has made no progress at all.
Back to going once a week with me and once a week with DH, and we hope she'll be able to join the club DH swims for when she's 6.

NaturalBaby · 20/09/2013 22:43

Mine go to lessons because I can only take one at a time for a public swim!

Ds1 is 5 and just started lessons at school so I've been comparing him to the other kids - he's been swimming regularly since 4weeks old, had a fair few group lessons but some of these kids have had a lot of lessons and spent a lot of time in pools on long holidays so can swim (age 5). Ds can't swim (yet) but is very happy, confident and knows water safety but there are a few kids that are just not happy in the water.

I'm a strong, confident swimmer and want all my dc's to be as well.

Fefifo · 20/09/2013 22:55

Think it depends on you and your kids really. I've put eldest into lessons because whilst I think I would be able to keep up a commitment of taking them once a week myself, I'm an absolutely rubbish teacher, far too impatient and nervous at the same time. DH on the other hand is an excellent teacher but getting him to make sure he takes her once a week in summer is difficult enough and in winter virtually impossible. So if you could teach your DC well and know that you would definitely be able to keep a commitment to take them weekly I think you could definitely do it yourself.

I think so many people give them lessons now because to me it seems like swimming has fallen massively down schools' list of priorities. When I was young my school had its own pool (primary) and we were started on weekly lessons at school immediately. My DD's school doesn't do anything until yr4 and even then think it's only for two terms in all.

AtLongLast · 20/09/2013 22:55

My parents took me swimming weekly until I was ~6 but I couldn't swim til I was 14 - and that was little more than self-taught floating / doggy paddle. I am very keen that my children are good enough swimmers to have fun / keep out of trouble as far as possible. They've all been to the pool regularly since being 5-12 weeks old and are very confident. Our boys are 3 and started lessons a few months ago.

Just this week I had a grandmother telling me how pointless lessons are & she'd taught all hers 1:1 (not so easy with 3 under 3!) though her grandson was desperate to join in with my boys' lesson. As much as the swimming , they also get to mix with other children and learn to take more formal instruction & I think that is as important as anything they might actually learn. It also means I get a chance to spend time splashing about with dd (almost 2).

TiredDog · 20/09/2013 22:58

I stopped lessons when they were about 6? And then joined a swimming club. £13 a month and a weekly training session.

Talkinpeace · 20/09/2013 22:59

Mine never had lessons. I just took them to the pool at my gym twice or three times a week every week from when they were tiny.
DH and I swim a lot so they do.

SuffolkLatch · 20/09/2013 23:03

I think if you go regularly as a family then they may not be as important, though I think technique etc would be better via lessons. Water confidence and safety are important life lessons that need to be learnt somehow.

My dds have weekly lessons and swim with us and I love how confident they are in water. Dd1 can swim unaided at 3, and dd2 is not far behind. Both will happily go down a water slide, jump in, go under a fountain thing, and both can climb out at the side, monkey along the side and follow insruction. I don't regret paying at all.

I see some much older dc with swimming aids, shivering on the side, fearful of getting in, get their faces wet or having a shower and think it may be a lot harder to learn at a later stage.

shoofly · 20/09/2013 23:10

I'm a truly rubbish swimmer and think it's a life skill that I'd like my kids to have. Ds1 started lessons just after he turned 5, he'll be 8 at Christmas. He's just started his level 8 classes (ASA). It's not my favourite half hour of the week I have to say (particularly with rampaging ds2 in tow) but he already swims better than DH or I and he has ASD and it's one of the things the OT said would help with coordination and balance.

UseHerName · 20/09/2013 23:15

we taught our dc to swim by the time she was 4.just by going swimming ourselves,not even that regularly....

TSSDNCOP · 20/09/2013 23:21

Swimming is a life skill.

If my cousin had had it he likely wouldn't have drowned.

Notcontent · 20/09/2013 23:21

It is true that in the past people often learned to swim without lessons. But there is a difference between swimming and swimming properly. The vast majority of adults I see at our local pool swimming can't really swim properly.

I think lessons are really worthwhile. Invest in some one to one or small group lessons if you can.

CrispyFB · 20/09/2013 23:28

My older two went for two years for weekly lessons and as you say.. slow but steady progress.. emphasis on the slow. A lot of plateauing. And they are quick learners at most things and very active/physical. Other people told me their teacher was good.

When they changed some rules at the local pool forbidding pushchairs in the changing room, the lessons became so stressful as I had DC3 (2 years old) loose with me whilst trying to juggle the other two that I just said enough was enough.

Took them both swimming on my own a few weeks later. They made more progress in that hour in the pool with me than they had done in the previous year, I swear it.

From now on they are coming in with me, and having the odd "top up" 1 to 1/2 lesson every now and again so they can get some sort of sense of progress through the badges and have their technique corrected by an expert.

Regardless, I think it is very important to introduce them to the water at a young age and make it fun! Some children take to it regardless of age, but others get The Fear later on.

MrsOakenshield · 20/09/2013 23:29

I've never bothered, mainly because they are a PITA in our neck of the woods to sign up for, and because if she goes swimming for a couple of weeks on the trot she gets a cold and that's the next couple of weeks knocked on the head!

I'm more tempted by the idea of one to one, will check those out.

gordyslovesheep · 20/09/2013 23:30

all 3 of mine have lessons still (11,9 and 4) - they love it - just don't pick 9am on a Sat morning !

mehimandthegirls · 20/09/2013 23:32

Yes people do 'swim' with out lessons , sone people manage to do half paddle float thing sometimes I'm staggered at the flipping about but hey if it works for them !!
25m at 2 years no chance! Not a cat in hells chance would have been a proper stroke. Doggy paddle is not swimming by the way .

I wish it would be built in to the curriculum at school and start at nursary age.

Swimming when done properly is beautiful .

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