To think swimming is an essential life skill

[Efferlunt]

DS1 (5) isn't going to bother to learn to swim - he can't see the point as he can wear armbands. DH thinks that we shouldn't make him if he doesn't want to. I disagree. I think it's my responsibility as a parent to ensure he can swim so he's having lessons whether he like it or not.
AIBU?

I took a class of 8/9 year olds for a school swimming lesson recently, just under half can't swim without a float.

Not at all surprised. When DD2 had lessons in y4 only a quarter of them could swim well enough to be in the 'big pool' at the start of the term.

• lessons are expensive
• you may need to drive / travel to get to a pool
• if there are lots of offspring a single parent can't take them together and supervise them safely
• some parents can't swim so feel unsafe taking their kids to practice

No swimming parties, pool parties when older, being the only non-swimmer in PE lessons.

Most swimming pools have shallower ends. People don't need to actually swim to attend a pool or swimming party.
Many people will also attend PE lessons without having tried other sports first. I'd be surprised if the teachers assumed all children would know how to swim.

It's almost like the drive/don't drive discussion...

Not wanting to learn to swim at 5 doesn't mean you can't learn at 7. Or 9.........

'Most swimming pools have shallower ends. People don't need to actually swim to attend a pool or swimming party'
It's not going to be much fun restricted to the shallow end whilst everyone else is playing in the deep end

Not everyone wants to spend their energy floating actively on the deeper end. Most people relax in the shallow end or relax in floaters. And not all people have to dive on the deeper end.

Speaking as a good swimmer.

As an example, I have attended a few parties where children are invited to wall climb.
Some refuse to do it. They still attend the party, have fun and nobody is made fun of.

Maybe we should force them to also climb the wall for fear of them being socially disadvantaged?

It's a silly argument.

If it wasn't for school swimming lessons I doubt I'd know how to swim now. I was absolutely petrified of deep water and every time my parents attempted to teach me I just panicked and cried until I got out. They took me swimming from being a baby and I only started hating it at around two or three, just came from nowhere. Didn't learn until I was ten and as I say, only because we learnt at school. It was fucking embarrassing though being only one of three in my class that couldn't swim, we had to stick to the baby pool and learn with one of those noodles at first.

I'm still a pretty weak swimmer tbh, can only do breast stroke and I still panic when I can't put my feet down. But I'm adamant my DC will learn. We don't live near water though so I'm wondering if it is important especially since we don't go on coastal holidays either. I guess it's safest to know how just incase though unlike riding a bike or driving a car, both of which are choices and not necessary life skills IMO.

I would ditch the armbands and the insistence on learning (forget it completely for a year or so) and spend as much time as possible just splashing around and playing in water for now. Neither of my kids used armbands more than once or twice in their life and both of them are strong swimmers, have done ocean swims and water polo. My younger son was a much more reluctant swimmer than my water baby older son. We just spent a lot of time playing in the water, chasing each other, jumping in, 'crab-walking' along the edge etc.

There is no point in learning if armbands keep you up, but if you spend a lot of time in water without floatation then eventually it will become obvious that it is needed. I swum several times a week with my younger son when he was young.

I'm a very good swimmer who achieved a Bronze Medallion which is the minimum standard for a qualified life-saver.

I did it because my parents wanted me to do an activity that would help me make friends. I wasn't an only child but I might as well have been because I'm a lot younger than my other siblings.

They also experimented with gymnastics (I was rubbish) and riding (fearless, which terrified my mum).

Swimming is a really good overall workout but it's not a life skill.